The entrance to Hạ Thành Quán is a favourite check-in spot for many guests. — VNS Photos Đoàn Tùng

Thanh Hà

While Hà Nội is a great place to experience the finest dishes from across Việt Nam, I believe every dish is best enjoyed in the hometown where it originated.

A recent trip to Tuyên Quang Province gave me the opportunity to taste an all-in-one tray of north-eastern regional cuisine that reaffirmed my belief.

Our team was recommended to reserve a table at Hạ Thành Quán in Hà Giang 1 Ward with a promise of great food featuring authentic local flavours and warm hospitality.

We arrived at the venue when it was dark, but were impressed with the restaurant at first sight. It was built in the style of rustic traditional thatched-roof houses of the Tày ethnic group, who make up the majority of the population in this area.

At the entrance, two giant wooden đàn tính instruments immediately caught my eye. I believe they were placed there to give diners a glimpse into the restaurant’s cultural and culinary inspiration, as the traditional three-stringed instrument is closely associated with the Tày people.

A tray full of north-eastern specialties.

Ironically, the food was not the first thing to draw attention. The striking instruments became a popular photo spot, encouraging visitors to wander around and discover other charming corners of the restaurant for more picture-perfect moments.

Inside, the restaurant was nearly full, as many of them came to take part in the provincial annual marathon and trail run in the following days.

After about 10 minutes, our food arrived. Rather than being served one dish at a time as is common with an à la carte order, everything was brought out together on a large tray, showcasing an impressive assortment of dishes.

A taste of place

The black chicken seemed to be the star. Black chicken had always been a favourite of the Vietnamese due to its bold flavour and higher nutritional value than other chicken breeds.

Black chicken is renowned for its tender meat and unusual black hue.

In addition to the boiled dish that we ordered, the restaurant offered other styles such as steamed and fried. But it seemed that the most popular dish was black chicken marinated in honey and grilled over charcoal.

All were best served with steamed jasmine rice on the side.

As boiling is the foremost step of the cooking process, the key attraction of the black chicken soup is its flavourful broth. The chef added vermicelli and sliced green onion to create a comforting bowl of soup that helped us recover after travelling hundreds of kilometres to get there.

Hạ Thành Quán at night.

Next was grilled pork, a signature mountain dish famous for its earthy, aromatic flavours.

It features pork marinated with wild indigenous herbs, most notably the distinct mắc mật leaves and seeds of mắc khén (wild pepper) and hạt dổi (a relative of the macadamia).

Mắc mật has aromatic essential oils and a unique sweetness, and is widely used among ethnic communities as a seasoning. Grilled pork with mắc mật has an irresistibly enticing aroma and a flavour that captivates the taste buds.

The pork is grilled over charcoal until it turns golden and develops the distinctive fragrance of the leaves. The smoky aroma adheres to the meat, and the edges of the pork become slightly crispy, while the interior remains tender and moist due to the melting fat.

It was served with cucumber, carrots and other fresh vegetables.

This combination provided me, at least, with a unique dining experience during my first visit to the northernmost region of Việt Nam.

Flavours of the Northeast

Next to the pork were slightly battered whole tiny river shrimp and bite-sized stream fish, fried to golden perfection. They are typically served with fresh herbs, crisp greens, and a tangy dipping sauce like sweet chili sauce or fish sauce with ginger.

The delicacies are great with a bowl of hot rice, they are also a popular choice as finger food or snacks for beer lovers.

Fried stream fish is a favourite snack for beer lovers.

The most eye-catching on the tray was the purple sticky rice, a fragrant and chewy treat. The rice gets its vibrant colour naturally from steeped lá cẩm (magenta plant) leaves and is typically steamed, tossed with coconut milk in some eateries.

This dish goes perfectly with grilled pork and steamed fish, or a sweet and savoury mix of toasted sesame seeds and salt.

The last part of the tray featured boiled vegetables, served with soy sauce and boiled eggs. It was a great finish for the feast.

Girls entertain diners with their special wine-serving ritual, accompanied by traditional music and songs of the Tày people.

One of the restaurant's specialties is their live shows of Tày singing and dancing performances every weekend.

We were not there at the right time, but still enjoyed a special way of serving wine to diners. A group of young women would come to every table and offer guests homemade wine.

If a guest was willing to participate, bamboo tubes would be prepared, and wine would be gently poured through them, flowing slowly into the guest’s mouth. Meanwhile, the women entertained the crowd with traditional music and songs, creating a lively and festive atmosphere that makes you want to return in the near future. — VNS

Hạ Thành Quán

Add: Hạ Thành Village, Hà Giang 1 Ward

Tel: 0354833833

Time: 7.30am-11pm

Price: from VNĐ50,000

Notes: beautiful setting, typical regional food, live show, special wine serving