CHARRED ROLLS: Charcoal-roasted fish is rolled with assorted vegetables and fruit in thin rice paper, then dipped in sweet-sour fish sauce. VNS Photo Đoàn Tùng.

by Nguyễn Mỹ Hà

This weekend, Vietnamese across the world will pause for a few minutes or longer and light incense at home altars in quiet remembrance of the founding fathers of the Văn Lang Kingdom, believed in legend to have originated in today’s Phú Thọ Province.

Vietnamese may disagree on many things but there is a shared belief that they are all descendants of the Hùng Kings. On the 10th day of the third lunar month each year, Vietnamese communities across the world mark the occasion in their own way to pay tribute to the founding figures.

Those able to travel gather in Việt Trì City in Phú Thọ Province for ceremonies held at the Hùng Kings Temple complex. Traditional offerings placed on the altar typically include black pork, incense, fresh flowers and fruit, fresh water, betel leaves and areca nuts, rice wine and a boiled rooster.

According to legend, during the era of the 18th Hùng King, the universe was imagined as having a round sky and a square earth, inspiring the origins of sticky rice dishes, including white rice cakes and square glutinous rice cakes. As a result, offerings are traditionally prepared in 18 pairs symbolising the Hùng dynasty.

Following the rituals, a range of festive activities takes place. Visitors who have fulfilled their ceremonial duties may also explore landmarks in Việt Trì such as the ancient Hùng Lô Temple, Bạch Hạc Wharf and Văn Lang Park, which features a pedestrian bridge and the Groom Contest Tower, linked in legend to a competition held by a Hùng King to select the most worthy suitor for his daughter Mỵ Nương.

Food for thought: At Cá lăng Hạc Trì, diners look serious while talking business.

When you are in an ancient land, every brick may hold a story and Việt Trì, located at the confluence of the Red, Lô and Đà rivers, is no exception. The city is also known for the rich fish resources of these waterways, most notably the lăng or Hemibagrus catfish.

This species is perhaps best known as a key ingredient in Hà Nội’s world-famous grilled fish. In Việt Trì however, it is prepared in local style.

Once considered a delicacy reserved for kings and queens and later for wealthier households able to afford it, the catfish is now farmed along floating cages on the Đà River, making it an accessible and popular dish for many diners.

Seated in a central pavilion with a 360-degree view, we began with a Thai-style fish salad (Cá trộn kiểu Thái @VNĐ599,000). Tender fillets are lightly cooked, then combined with green mango, fresh onion and crispy fried shallots in a sweet, sour and spicy dressing.

It served as an appetising opener, followed by charcoal-grilled fish fillet (Chả cá nướng than @VNĐ599,000). Both dishes were served in the largest size, with smaller portions also available.

The grilled fish is best eaten while still hot. It is placed on thin rice paper, wrapped with assorted fresh herbs and lettuce and dipped into seasoned fish sauce. As a group of six, the standard set was sufficient for a traditional shared meal, though smaller groups could have explored a wider variety of dishes.

TANGY CATCH: A delicious fish salad with julienned green mango, fresh and golden-fried onions in a Thai dressing.

Next, we were served a boiling hot sour fish soup (Canh Chua Cá @VNĐ280,000), poured over fresh white noodles. The soup’s sourness comes from fermented rice, or mẻ in Vietnamese.

Fermented rice is just one of around a dozen traditional ways to create sourness in the dish while also aiding digestion. It is a distinctive feature of home cooking, with many households keeping their own jar of fermented rice in the kitchen.

Not everyone can maintain a live, healthy fermented rice starter with fresh yeast in the home, so buying it ready-made makes it far easier to prepare the soup.

LUNCH RUSH: On weekdays, the tables are full at lunchtime, and the restaurant can host larger events for up to 500 people.

The benefits of fermented rice are recognised in modern medicine, while traditional home cooks have long used it in preparing aquatic products such as fish, eels and frogs to reduce any fishy flavour and enhance overall taste and quality. It is widely accepted that fermented rice is rich in probiotics, which improve gut health, aid digestion, reduce inflammation and boost immunity.

Fermented rice, which also contains antioxidants, ferulic acid and flavonoids, is further associated with anti-ageing properties and improved skin health.

Having already enjoyed dishes prepared with fermented rice, we moved on to a selection of vegetable side dishes, including boiled mustard greens, fresh bean sprouts and herbs, each priced between VNĐ15,000 and VNĐ25,000.

The most suitable drink to accompany such a meal would be rice liquor, but as it was still midday and there was work to be done, a couple of Trúc Bạch beers from Hà Nội proved a sufficient alternative.

POND VIEW: Set in a large pond, the restaurant is open on all sides to the water, with orchid pots hanging along the path.

Then came dessert, featuring the special grapefruit of Đoan Hùng in Phú Thọ Province, a refreshing end to the meal.

In Hà Nội, we have enjoyed many varieties of grapefruit from across the country, from north to south, but those from Đoan Hùng remain something of a legend, best experienced in person in Phú Thọ. The volume of fruit may not be large enough for wide distribution but those we had at Quán Cá Hạc Trì were delicious, juicy and fresh.

The final bill came to VNĐ300,000 per person, a fair price for the quality of food. This weekend, as streams of people flood into Việt Trì from all directions, it is hoped diners will be lucky enough to secure a table at Quán Cá Hạc Trì. — VNS

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Quán Cá Hạc Trì

Address: 398 Lạc Long Quân, Việt Trì, Phú Thọ Province

Tel: 098 339 84 68

Comment: Essence of the river fish of Việt Trì, dining in, catering, party