Mì Quảng — the soul dish of Quảng land, not phở, not bún

When foreign tourists first arrive in Da Nang, many mistake mi Quang for pho. That's wrong. Mi Quang has very little broth — just enough to wet the bottom of the bowl, not full like pho. The turmeric-yellow noodles are thick, not thin and white. And they always come with grilled rice paper, broken into crumbs and sprinkled on top, for a contrasting crunch.

A full bowl includes: yellow egg noodles, whole shrimp, sliced pork or shredded chicken, crushed roasted peanuts, fried shallots, fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, bean sprouts, spicy mustard greens), a quail egg, and fresh green chili. The broth is made from pork bones and dried shrimp, not much liquid but very rich and intense — dip your chopsticks in and it comes out thick and dark.

How to eat it right: break the grilled rice paper into the bowl, mix it well with the vegetables, pour in the broth, squeeze some lime, and add chili. Eat it quickly while it's still hot, since there isn't much broth — if left too long, the noodles will dry out. The common price is 30,000–50,000 VND/bowl at street-side stalls, and 60,000–80,000 VND at branded shops.

🍜 Worth trying: Countryside Chicken Mi Quang · Frog Mi Quang · Jellyfish Mi Quang (summer season)