Nha Trang-style fish noodle soup (bún cá) · Photo: Harry Pham / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
VietnamNha TrangBún Cá Sứa: Nha Trang's Breakfast Fish Noodle Soup With Jellyfish
A clear fish broth, springy fish cakes and crunchy jellyfish: this is the bowl Nha Trang wakes up to. Here is why this seaside city is in every spoonful, what goes into the broth, fish cakes and jellyfish, and how locals season it at the table.
A Bowl You Really Only Find in Nha Trang
Bún cá, rice noodles with fish, is eaten all over Vietnam, but bún cá sứa, the version topped with jellyfish (sứa), is counted among Nha Trang's signature dishes. Vietnam's tourism board calls it one of the city's most famous foods and notes that it is rarely found outside Nha Trang. Bún cá is also popular in other central and south-central coastal cities, with recipes and ingredients varying from city to city. The Nha Trang style starts with a clear broth made from fish heads and bones, with fish cakes, fish and tomato or pineapple over rice vermicelli; add jellyfish and you have bún cá sứa. As befits a city facing the sea, the bowl is packed with fish and seafood.
A Clear, Naturally Sweet Fish Broth
The broth for bún cá sứa is made from sea fish, not meat or bones. Vietnamese daily VnExpress describes the Nha Trang broth as simmered from cá liệt, a small fish about three fingers long with a tail that pinches in like a bow. The resulting stock is clear and clean with a gentle sweetness, and the fish cakes add another layer of savoury depth. Some sources say other sea fish, such as mackerel or tuna types, are used instead, so the fish may vary from shop to shop. What they share is a light, nearly transparent broth with very little fat. If you are used to rich, meaty noodle soups, you will quickly understand why this light, refreshing bowl is a breakfast favourite.
Springy Fish Cakes and Crunchy Jellyfish
The core topping is chả cá, fish cake. Sea fish such as mackerel types (cá thu) or barracuda (cá nhồng) are boned, pounded smooth and worked until bouncy and chewy, then shaped into small pieces and steamed or fried. Steamed fish cake soaks up the broth with a clean taste, while fried fish cake adds richness, and some shops give you both. Then there is the dish's namesake, jellyfish. According to VnExpress, it is a milky-white jellyfish about the size of a thumb tip, gathered by fishermen from around the islands further out at sea. Briefly blanched to keep its crunch, it contrasts with the soft fish cakes and clear broth. The texture can feel unusual at first, but for many fans it is exactly why they order this bowl.
How Locals Season It at the Table
Bún cá sứa comes with fresh greens such as lettuce, bean sprouts and herbs. Dip them in the hot broth to wilt them slightly, squeeze in lime and add fresh chilli to make it tangy and spicy. Vietnam's tourism board describes the flavour as "acidic, spicy and slightly briny". Some people also stir in a little mắm ruốc, fermented shrimp paste. It smells strong at first but mellows once dissolved in the broth and adds savoury depth. If it is your first time, start with just the tip of a spoon and add more to taste. Depending on the shop there may also be a sweet fish sauce or chilli oil on the table, so try each condiment and find the combination you like.
When and Where to Eat It
Above all, bún cá sứa is breakfast. Nha Trang locals start the day with a steaming bowl early in the morning, so keep one breakfast on your trip free for it. You will get more local atmosphere at small eateries near the markets or in residential lanes than along the beachfront hotel strip. Prices are usually quoted at around 25,000–40,000 VND a bowl. If the menu only says "bún cá", ask for jellyfish with "có sứa". If jellyfish is not for you, order bún chả cá, the version with just fish cakes. A clear fish noodle soup after an early walk by the sea is one of the small pleasures of a Nha Trang trip.