Seeing President Obama and Anthony Bourdain eat here on an episode of Parts Unknown back in 2016 changed my life. I was a 20 year old kid sitting in my dorm room at USC and was flooded with inspiration at seeing Bourdain have a 1 on 1 sit down with the current President of the United States in a tiny restaurant in Vietnam.

I put my Natty Light to the side as I watched these 2 conversate with top buttons unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up, clinking a beer glass together before they took a sip and shared a laugh.

I remember Bourdain saying “I just wish more Americans had passports.” He went on to elaborate, “The extent to which you can see how other people live seems useful at worst, and incredibly pleasurable and interesting at best.”

Obama went on to detail how his favorite meal he has ever had was on the side of the road in Indonesia, and I don’t know. It just woke something up in me. Something clicked. I hadn’t been out of the country much, but watching this 5 minute segment made me want to go see the world.

Since then, I’ve been around the world, traveling any and every chance I get. It’s a constant battle with my inner demons to not quit my job and travel until I run out of money.

All this to say, coming to Bun Cha Huong Lien was a pilgrimage for me, and I’m sure for a lot of Americans just like me.

We walked in and the walls are littered with pictures of Obama when he was on his visit. One is even a picture of 2 girls with a picture of Obama and Bourdain. Framed and all that. Had me cracking up. Respect.

We were seated on the first floor in a blue plastic stool at a metal table, the overhead fans working overtime to beat the heat. I asked if we could sit on the 2nd floor, as I knew that’s where the enshrined table where Obama and Bourdain sat was located, but the guy just shook his head no… that one hurt lmao.

They have a menu item called “Combo Obama” that is Bun Cha, Fried Seafood Roll, and a Hanoi Beer, exactly what they had. Call me corny or a tourist or whatever you want, but you know what I had to do.

I was sitting there like a giddy little kid on Christmas morning the whole time. Ear to ear smile. Leg twitching up and down. I didn’t know what to do, I was just so happy to be there. It’s rare being able to trace a passion to a singular point in time, but there I was.

Our grilled pork bellies, white rice noodles, fresh herbs, and seafood roll arrived shortly after. This was the best Bun Cha we had on our entire trip, as the pork was grilled to perfection, charred but not burnt. The fish sauce the pork bathes in wasn’t too sweet, which is the downfall of many other Bun Cha’s. Dipping the rice noodles into the sauce, it immediately changes texture into a more enticing noodle. Grab some pork with that bite, and it is spiritual… don’t even get me started on those fried seafood rolls…

I know what you’re inevitably thinking. Would this have been my favorite meal of the trip if it wasn’t my Mecca? I can’t answer that unbiasedly, but I see your point. That’s fair. An unbiased source is definitely more reliable.

After our meal, I was determined to get upstairs by any means necessary. I was ready to have my friend cause a scene so I could sneak up the stairs just to see the encased table, but when I tried plan A and asked in broken English “I see upstairs?” the guy who dunked on me early gave an enthusiastic “yes!” Easy work. Y’all weren’t ready for plan B…

I began to take the stairs two steps at a time, with a big smile on my face. I hung a right when I got to the 2nd floor, and there it was. A small metal table, 2 blue plastic stools, plates and silverware, all enclosed in a glass case with a “Michelin 2023” sticker above it, and a framed picture of Obama and Bourdain above that. Pilgrimage complete.

I said a little thank you under my breath, and got back to big steppin in these size 12 all tan laceless merrells.

Seeing how other people in the world live has been useful, incredibly pleasurable, and interesting. I can’t recommend it enough. RIP TONY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!

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