According To Anthony Bourdain, This Is The 'Greatest Soup In The World'
Some of the greatest dishes on earth come in liquid form in a bowl. Spanish gazpacho, Mexican menudo, Russian borscht, New Orleans gumbo; even simple tomato soup is lauded by millions. While Anthony Bourdain is probably best known for his love of all things meaty, he, too, found joy in a Vietnamese soup he called "the greatest soup in the world."
@topcellitraveler Replying to @mamayesky 🇻🇳 "Bun Bo Hue is at the very top" – Anthony Bourdain #anthonybourdain #bunbohue #huevietnam #vietnam #vietnammarket
Bún bò Huế is a beef noodle soup that originated in the city of Hue in Vietnam. And, while Vietnamese pho is arguably better known (and slightly similar), it's bún bò Huế that Bourdain called, "a wonder of flavor and texture." Funny enough, it was a meal from a pho restaurant chain that once relieved Bourdain of a hangover. During an episode of his show, "Parts Unknown," Bourdain proclaimed, "In my way of thinking, in the hierarchy of delicious, slurpy stuff in a bowl, bún bò Huế is at the very top."
In the episode, while exploring the city's Dong Ba Market, Bourdain seeks out a vendor that makes bún bò Huế. His bowl of soup is built with plenty of cooked rice noodles topped with tender beef shank, crab meat dumplings, pig feet (also called pig trotters), blood cake, and the flavorful broth it's all been cooked in which has been further flavored with lemongrass, spices, and fermented shrimp paste. The garnishes include lime wedges, cilantro, green onions, chili sauce, shredded banana blossoms, and mung bean sprouts. It's a supreme example of a dish exploding with flavors, textures, and (in true Bourdain style) lots of savory meat.
Bún bò Huế is just one type of bun soup
Fans of his know that Anthony Bourdain loved being in Vietnam. In fact, he filmed eight episodes of his shows in the country. He seemed very at home there, so he was undoubtedly familiar with the local cuisine. The bún bò Huế that he loved so much is actually just one type of bún found in Vietnam. We're guessing Bourdain ate many of them, but clearly the version from Huế is what stole his culinary heart. Vietnamese bún exemplifies the country's food philosophy which says dishes should be well balanced and include elements of sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and bitter. Adding something acidic in any soup is a game-changer, but it really shines here.
Various Vietnamese bún typically include rice vermicelli noodles, broth, veggies, herbs, and meats. What the specific ingredients are determines the type of bún you're eating. Bún cha is recognizable by the addition of grilled pork. Bún dau mam tom is served with fried tofu, fermented shrimp paste, fried pork sausage, and pork intestines. It's a specialty of Hanoi.
If you like crab, you'll likely adore bún rieu which is served with soft crab meat patties and tamarind in a tomato based broth. Seafood lovers may gravitate towards bún ca which is made with a broth made from fish bones and is served with fish meat. Bún mam is also seafood-heavy, including shrimp, squid, and fish cakes with the addition of roast pork. Some versions of bún, specifically bún oc and bún oc nguoi are flavored with snails.