# Chả cá Lã Vọng: Hanoi's turmeric fish with dill

> Chả cá Lã Vọng is a Hanoi classic: pieces of fish marinated in turmeric and galangal, grilled, then finished in a pan of hot oil at your table with fresh dill and spring onion. You eat it with rice noodles, peanuts, herbs and a dipping sauce. Expect around 80,000–200,000 VND per person. Order with “Cho tôi hai suất chả cá”.

- URL: https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/cha-ca-la-vong-hanoi
- Region: North Vietnam · City: Hanoi
- Published: 2026-09-29 · Last updated: 2026-09-30
- By: the Eat Green Vietnam team (https://eatgreenvietnam.com/about)

This is the only dish we know that has a street named after it. Chả Cá street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter takes its name from the fish that sizzles there.

## At a glance

- **What it is:** White fish marinated in turmeric, galangal and fermented rice, grilled, then fried at the table with dill and spring onion.
- **Where:** Hanoi, especially the Old Quarter and older family restaurants that serve nothing else.
- **Typical price:** Around 80,000–200,000 VND per person; the famous old restaurants sit at the top of that range.
- **Eat green:** A sit-down, shared meal – the greenest way to eat. Share one set between two people so nothing goes to waste.

## How to order

> “Cho tôi hai suất chả cá.”

Two portions of chả cá. Most places serve only this dish, so you just say how many people. Ask for **nước mắm** (fish sauce) if the shrimp-paste dip is too strong for you.

## How to eat it

When the pan arrives, stir the dill and spring onion into the hot oil with the fish for a minute. Put a little rice noodle in your bowl, add fish and greens, sprinkle peanuts, and spoon over dipping sauce. Keep adding more greens to the pan as you go.

## When to go

Lunch and dinner. It’s a leisurely meal, so it works well as a slow dinner after a day in the Old Quarter.

## Questions travellers ask

### What fish is used in chả cá Lã Vọng?

Usually a firm freshwater fish such as Hemibagrus catfish (cá lăng), which holds together in the pan.

### How much does chả cá cost in Hanoi?

Around 80,000–200,000 VND per person. The best-known historic restaurants charge more than neighbourhood places.

### Is chả cá spicy?

Not by itself. The fish is fragrant rather than hot; add chilli to your dipping sauce if you want heat.

### What is mắm tôm?

Fermented shrimp paste – a pungent, purple-grey dip that is traditional with chả cá. Try a little, or ask for fish sauce instead.

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Photo: Phương Huy / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ch%E1%BA%A3_c%C3%A1_L%C3%A3_V%E1%BB%8Dng_H%C3%A0_N%E1%BB%99i_th%C3%A1ng_2_n%C4%83m_2018_(2).jpg
Source: Eat Green Vietnam, https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/cha-ca-la-vong-hanoi. Prices are typical ranges and change often. You may quote and summarise with attribution and a link to the original page.