Favorite Soups of Local People in Huế
Hue can be quite cold in winter too
Many people think of Vietnam as a hot—very hot—country. But in reality, the climate changes significantly once you cross the Bạch Mã mountain range heading north. Bạch Mã serves as the natural dividing line between the North and the South: on the northern side lies Huế, and on the southern side, Đà Nẵng.
From Đà Nẵng southward, the weather is warm almost all year round. Winters are cool but not cold, with the exception of Lâm Đồng — the highland region famously discovered by Alexandre Yersin — which experiences the only “true winter” in southern Vietnam.
From Huế northward, the Northeast monsoon brings noticeably colder weather (around 15–20°C). “15–20°C isn’t cold at all,” some might think. But in high humidity, 15–20°C can feel piercingly cold — just like stepping into a 20°C air-conditioned room right after taking a shower while still soaking wet. It may be 20°C, but you’ll be shivering.
Huế, in particular, has some of the highest rainfall and humidity levels in the country, making its winter feel quite cold.
Favorite Soups of Local People in Huế
While Pho or Bun Bo Huế are more like a noodle dish, Bánh Canh Cá is a true soup: eaten with a spoon, slightly thickened, and deeply comforting.
Another reason for its popularity is that it’s fast and incredibly affordable. The fish used here is snakehead fish, an invasive species feared in the U.S. for its traits: highly prolific, omnivorous, and extremely resilient, able to dominate entire ecosystems. Yet in Huế, it is an easily available and edible source of protein. Despite its fierce appearance, the flesh is mild and white. The texture isn’t delicate, but it cooks well enough to make a satisfying soup.
For the noodles, there are two options for customers to choose from, rice flour or tapioca flour, roughly the length of linguine broken in half. They have a pleasantly chewy texture and a subtle sweetness when made from rice flour.
The fish is filleted, then pan-seared until slightly charred with garlic, turmeric, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. It is cooked dry, without any water, using pork fat to help the flesh firm up, remove excess moisture, and achieve that lightly caramelized edge.
The broth is simply prepared from the reserved fish bones, sautéed onions - shallot, and chili fried in annatto oil. In some versions, a roasted onion is added, and the soup is finished with a touch of rich, umami-packed mini - shrimp paste.
And that’s it — simple, yet the ultimate comfort food. Originally a dish for laborers, it is now enjoyed by people of all walks of life in Huế in a cold night.
At Ancient Hue Garden House, we also serve bánh canh on Complimentary breakfast Menu, but in a more gourmet version with crab, crab cakes, and 12-hour braised pork.
