Among all the street foods he tried in Haiphong, Nick K, an American traveler and YouTuber, says his favorite was a simple bowl of crab noodles served in a tiny alley shop.
Landing in Hanoi in early October, Nick began his journey to cycle across Vietnam from north to south. Along the way, he planned to explore local culture and cuisine while sharing his adventures on his YouTube channel. His first leg took him from Hanoi to the bustling port city of Haiphong.
Once in Haiphong, Nick couldn’t resist joining a food tour to experience the city’s famous street eats.
“In Haiphong, just walking down the street feels like a food adventure,” he said. “Every few steps, there’s something new I want to try.”
As he wandered through the city, Nick sampled everything from grilled chicken feet and Vietnamese baguettes to tofu pudding and rolled rice cakes. But there was one dish he was determined to find — a local specialty his friend had recommended and marked on his Google Map: Banh Da Cua, or Haiphong crab noodle soup.
The small crab noodle shop sits deep in an alley off Tran Phu Street, right in the city center. Locals call it “Banh Da Cua Da Lieu” because it’s near the Haiphong Dermatology Hospital.
“Any place where people sit and eat inside a narrow alley must serve good food,” Nick remarked with a laugh.
Plastic tables and stools lined the narrow lane, with small fans mounted overhead to keep diners cool. As soon as he arrived, Nick noticed the bright red rice noodles in a basket and exclaimed, “Wow, this place is really clean!”
The broth at Da Lieu is rich and flavorful, topped generously with fried shallots and crispy pork fat.
A full “special” bowl includes everything: crab meat, shrimp, fish, betel leaf pork rolls, meatballs, water spinach, and more.
Though unsure which part was the actual “crab,” Nick eagerly dug in. He tasted the broth first, then the noodles, hoping the hearty soup would fill his hungry stomach.
Each bite impressed him — the combination of textures, the balance of sweet and savory, and the fresh herbs made it an unforgettable experience.
“I may not know the names of all the ingredients,” he admitted, “but every bite tastes amazing. So far, this is definitely my favorite dish in Vietnam.”
The Da Lieu crab noodle shop has been around for generations and is beloved by locals for its consistent quality and affordable prices. It opens mainly in the evening and offers various versions of the dish, from crab noodles with fish or shrimp to the crowd-favorite mixed crab noodle bowl (banh da cua thap cam).
For Nick, the humble alley shop wasn’t just about the food — it was about discovering Vietnam’s culinary heart: authentic, warm, and full of surprises.
