Jumping and sizzling: Binh-Dinh-style banh xeo with seafood in Hanoi

Binh-Dinh-style banh xeo pancakes, hailing from Binh Dinh Province, features a thin, crispy crust that is filled with fresh shrimp. The distinctive flavor of the dish primarily comes from tom dat, a specific variety of shrimp required for the dish.

When these shrimp are purchased, they are still alive, displaying lively movements. This is the reason behind the name banh xeo tom nhay - crispy pancakes with jumping shrimp.

In the bustling district of Cau Giay in Hanoi, a new eatery selling banh xeo tom nhay is causing a stir among locals. Situated on Nguyen Phong Sac Street and run by Vu Thi Tra My, the restaurant has gained significant attention and popularity within just over a month of being in operation.

My's familiarity with the Binh-Dinh-style banh xeo comes from her husband, who is originally from Binh Dinh Province. Within the family of My's husband, there is an uncle who has been operating a restaurant that specializes in serving this particular dish in Binh Dinh for over 15 years.

After spending some time learning the recipe from her uncle, My and her husband decided to open their own shop last October.

At the beginning, the restaurant experienced only a small number of customers. However, everything changed when reviews about their banh xeo dishes featured on social media. This online attention has led to a surge in customer interest and visits to the restaurant.

The restaurant, with a 70-square-meter space and eight neatly arranged tables, can accommodate up to 30 patrons at any given time. The restaurant operates from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

However, it notes that recently, the establishment has been closing earlier than usual because the high demand for their dishes, which has resulted in a shortage of their ingredients.

What sets My's offering apart is a commitment to authenticity. Most of their ingredients, including shrimp, squid, rice rolls, banh hoi - woven rice vermicelli, and cha ram - shrimp spring rolls, are sourced directly from Binh Dinh.

My cites the cost-effectiveness of Binh Dinh seafood, even with added shipping fees, as a driving force behind their supplier choices. Plus, she has been unable to find a supplier for tom dat in Hanoi.

The star components of this dish, rice flour and tom dat, come together to create a flavorful experience. To achieve a crispy crust without relying on additives, the rice flour is mixed with green bean flour in a specific ratio.

The pancakes from Binh Dinh are made using smaller molds and are of a smaller size compared to those commonly found in Hanoi. The shop uses pans specifically used for making these pancakes in Binh Dinh, each with a diameter of about 15 centimeters.

The cooking process involves heating oil in the pan and adding around 5-6 shrimp, which are then fried until fully cooked. Afterward, a spoonful of rice flour is added, and the mixture is left to cook for approximately 3 minutes. Onions, bean sprouts, and green onions are then added on top of the pancake. The pan is covered, and the ingredients are allowed to cook evenly for one to two minutes.

The squid and beef variations follow a similar process. The batter is poured into the pan first, and once it's nearly cooked, the filling is added.

The restaurant exclusively sources squid from Binh Dinh, pre-steaming them before incorporating them into the pancakes. Each squid measures around 7-8 centimeters, showcasing a purple-pink hue. The selection of these squids is intentional, as they are chosen for their size, fitting perfectly into the pancake molds.

For the beef pancakes, the beef is sourced locally from Hanoi.

The cooking process requires skill to achieve a thin and crispy crust without it becoming too hard or fragile. It involves careful adjustment of both the time and temperature during frying to preserve the sweetness and aroma of the dish, ensuring that the ingredients reach the desired level of well-done without becoming overly dry or burnt.

The pancakes are often served with wet rice rolls and accompanied by a variety of vegetables such as lettuce, sour mango, cucumber, perilla, and laksa leaves. The dipping sauce for the banh xeo is prepared using anchovy fish sauce, garlic, lemon, and chili, creating a balanced combination of sour, salty, and sweet flavors.

The eating process for Binh-Dinh-style pancakes is like regular pancakes, but with the distinction that rice rolls, which are softer, more flexible, and sticky compared to rice paper, are used. This difference makes it a bit challenging to remove each layer of the rice rolls to wrap the ingredients.

To savor this dish, diners will wrap the thin, milky-white rice rolls around the crispy pancakes filled with shrimp and squid, creating a contrast of crispy and soft texture. The inclusion of fresh raw vegetables and sour mango serves to counterbalance the greasiness of the pancakes.

My mentions that the restaurant's banh xeo is made 90% according to the original recipe, with the only missing ingredient being sprouts due to the unavailability of a supplier.

Since the restaurant has recently opened, its customer base mainly comprises office workers and university students from the Cau Giay District, with relatively few tourists.

Vu Thi Thanh Tho, a 21-year-old university student in Hanoi, who hasn't been to Binh Dinh, came to try the Binh-Dinh-style banh xeo to compare the restaurant's specialty with the ones in Hanoi.

She said that these pancakes are smaller, have a white crust instead of yellow, and the dipping sauce has a stronger fish sauce flavor. Despite these distinctions, Tho expressed admiration for the unique taste, praising the crispy yet soft crust and the sweetness of the shrimp and squid meat.

My’s restaurant sells about 400-500 pieces daily at the price of VND35,000 ($1.40) each. The restaurant experiences peak hours between 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Although having two kitchens, customers often experience waiting times due to the extended processing time required for the dishes.

On Nov. 29, a sudden influx of customers caught the restaurant off guard, making it challenging for My to set up tables and causing a shortage of ingredients. As a result, she had to turn away customers and suggest they come back the following day.

There is not much difference in the number of visitors between weekdays and weekends. To mitigate wait times, it is suggested diners avoid coming during peak hours.