Banh tom (fried shrimp cake), an authentic dish from Hanoi, has been recommended by CNN Travel as a must-try dish for foreigners visiting the capital city.

The best place to try banh tom is in the West Lake area, which is considered the place where the dish originated. Banh tom was first made in Hanoi in the 1930s when street vendors along Thanh Nien (Youth) road introduced the simple but delicious cake made from the shrimp caught in West Lake. The dish has since grown in popularity and become a specialty of the West Lake area, which now boasts numerous shrimp cake restaurants.

The cake is made from the shrimp caught in the West Lake. The cake is deep fried to be crispy.  The crispy flour coating intermingled with the sweet taste of fresh shrimp creates a distinctive flavor for banh tom

The crispy flour coating intermingled with the sweet taste of fresh shrimp creates a distinctive flavor for banh tom. The dish looks truly mouthwatering with the yellow deep-fried flour mixed with the red shrimp. Banh tom is served hot with fresh herbs, pickled carrots and green papaya, and a sweet, sour and spicy sauce.

Visitors can try banh tom at Hoa Nha Restaurant, No.49 Phu Tay Ho, Tay Ho district, Hanoi. Tel: 0904 802 699/0939 591 286

 

Story: Ngan Ha - Photos:  Tran Thanh Giang