Bánh Canh Cua Rời Mệ Nga — Restaurant in Hue City

Phạm Hồng Thái, where crab rules the morning. Here, Bánh Canh Cua Rời Mệ Nga holds court. The noodles arrive fresh, chewy and just right, not the floppy kind that collapse into the broth. The crab? Fresh from Tam Giang, sweet and firm, not the sad frozen scraps you sometimes get elsewhere. Each bowl is topped with crab cakes made by hand, creamy, lightly seasoned and dangerously addictive. The broth is the soul of the dish—sweet, rich, crab-forward and served steaming hot. Occasionally, the MSG hints at a shortcut, but the natural sweetness of the crab carries it through. A fried dough stick or quail egg on the side transforms it from simple noodle soup to a proper breakfast of champions.

The restaurant itself is tiny, packed and hot. Fans do their best. The tables are close together; you’ll meet your neighbour over a shared crab leg. Service is a mix of chaotic efficiency and warmth—gracious grandparents run the show, handing out soy milk with a smile and answering questions in gentle, broken English. There’s charm here, though cleanliness sometimes teeters on the edge. Expect a few stray shells or a misplaced ant if you look closely—this is authentic street-level Hue. Prices are absurdly low for what you get: 35–40k VND a bowl for a feast of noodles, crab and broth. Locals swear by it, tourists often fight for a seat, and everyone leaves happy or at least stuffed. Timing is key: early mornings or late evenings are best; noon sun plus packed rooms can make you sweat into your noodles.

Not everything is perfect. Some bowls arrive with fewer crab balls than advertised, and the noodles can sometimes be tougher than expected. But these are minor complaints in a city where seafood is king and tradition runs deep. Hue may have many crab noodle shops, but Mệ Nga has history, character and a bowl of Bánh Canh Cua Rời that hits like a gentle punch of the sea. For the price, the flavour and the warmth of the owners, it’s hard to beat. Just don’t come expecting quiet, perfection or a table all...

We ordered the original dish and the Thap Cam. Original is 30K and the Thap Cam (which is supposed to include and mixture of ingredients including crab and fish balls) was 50k, however when both dishes arrived, they were identical with Thap Cam being in a bigger bowl. It seems the fact that we were tourists made the owner think they could serve us whatever and we wouldn't notice. The only upside to the dish was the broth. It now makes sense why this place had no people eating here, whereas the restaurant next door was busier and with locals...

Tried the neighbour shop and find this Crab noodle soup a bit heavier in taste. (Not in a bad way) Both are as good. This shop serves with dough fritters. And the fish crab meatballs are tastier, the noodles are slightly softer here which I prefer but the chilli paste is better on the other shop. Very friendly owner and there are pictures for you to order if you can’t read or speak Vietnamese like me. The shop is clean and has many fans too cool you down. Definitely...