Located at 74 Tran Hung Dao Street in the downtown Hoan Kiem Ward, "Canh ca ro Hieu Luc" is an eatery specializing in a Hung-Yen-Province-style perch noodle soup.
The shop was named in the Michelin Selected 2025 list in June this year. It features mostly Hanoi staples like pho and bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli), and included a fish-noodle shop for the first time.
The shop is only around 20 square meters in size, and has 10 tables inside and a few outside on the sidewalk.
Michelin highlights the dish for its fried climbing perch, tender fish cakes and the freshness of its mustard greens and scallions.
The shop is run by 34-year-old Nguyen Thi Tuyen of My Hao Town, Hung Yen.
She and her husband moved to Hanoi more than a decade ago, first opening an eatery selling skillet-style banh mi before switching to fish noodle soup in 2018. Tuyen first got the idea after seeing the dish on a TV food show.
Tuyen had known nothing about Michelin, so she thought it was a scam when she received the invitation to travel to Da Nang to receive the Michelin recognition at the ceremony last June.
It was not until a customer sent her a link about the award that she believed it.
She has framed the invitation and hung it at the restaurant, regretting that she missed the ceremony.
Tuyen uses farmed instead of wild perch since the latter is no longer available. The fish must be square-headed and firm and measure about 15 to a kilogram. Every day the shop goes through 150 - 200 kg, with three workers starting preparations at 4 a.m. The work could take up to four hours.
Unlike in Hung Yen, where the fish is grilled over charcoal, Tuyen pan-sears the fillets due to space limitations. She insists that this method does preserve the fish's sweetness.
The broth, simmered over low heat for 10 - 12 hours the day before, is made from fish bones and without MSG or artificial sweeteners.
Traditionally, the dish is served with white rice noodles or vermicelli, but Tuyen offers the option of red noodles to suit a broader range of tastes. Each bowl comes topped with mustard greens and scallions.
The fish cakes, made in-house, are shaped into 3 - 4 cm rounds and cut to order unless customers prefer them whole. They are also available for takeaway.
The dish is best enjoyed after the broth is poured, keeping the noodles hot and preventing them from clumping. The flavor is sweet with a savory finish.
Tran Thi Hue, now in her seventies, has been eating here since the shop first opened.
“Maybe it just matches my palate,” she says, noting that she sometimes comes three or four times a week.
The shop opens from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., with peak hours being during breakfast and lunch.
Bowls cost from VND45,000 ($1.70), with iced tea costing another VND5,000.
Parking is limited, and during rush hour customers may have to wait for 15 minutes to be served.
Since the Michelin listing, Tuyen estimates customer numbers have increased by about 10%, with more foreign visitors and travelers from other provinces too coming.
"Some people even bring a photo of the shop on their phone and make sure it's the right place before sitting down."
The recognition brings pressure to stay consistent, and Tuyen worries about disappointing diners. Nevertheless, she hopes to open another eatery nearby.
