Four great <i>bun cha cá</i> spots in Los Angeles

Turmeric and dill may not immediately come to mind when you think of Vietnamese food. A new take on gravlax or artisanal pickles, maybe. But these are the main flavor components of bun cha cá, a Northern Vietnamese specialty.

Bun cha cá is a rice noodle dish served with chunks of turmeric-marinated fish and generous amounts of dill, onion, and roasted peanuts. In Hanoi, the dish is also known as cha cá thanh long. In Vietnam you use the ingredients provided (mam tom, a fermented shrimp paste and pineapple sauce; nuoc cham, a fish sauce seasoned with lime juice; chiles, roasted peanuts, scallions, dill and rice vermicelli noodles) to make your own noodle bowls. In Los Angeles, the dish typically comes assembled.

In Southern California, there are many great spots in Orange County, particularly in Little Saigon, that serve bun cha cá. However in Los Angeles, the dish is still not as well known as its beef noodle soup cousin, pho. Here are four great places you can find it in L.A.

Viet Noodle Bar in Atwater Village and Santa Monica

Listed simply as “turmeric fish noodle� on the menu, this version comes ready in a bowl to enjoy. Here, the rice noodles are a bit thicker than the usual bun variety, offering a more chewy and luxurious bite and complementing the crunchy peanuts and delicate pieces of turmeric and dill-studded fish perfectly. The staff says the fish is river-caught and imported from Vietnam. It tastes and flakes like cod. At Viet Noodle Bar, this dish is not served with the two traditional sauces of mam tom or nuoc cham. Instead, it is tossed perfectly with the dill and turmeric-infused oil that it is cooked in. Bottles of fish sauce and Sriracha are available at each table. Two locations: 3133 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles | 3221 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, www.vietnoodlebar.net.

Pok Pok in Chinatown

At Pok Pok in Chinatown, chef and owner Andy Ricker was so inspired by the bun cha cá he enjoyed in Hanoi that he created his own version. On the menu as cha ca la vong, it is a glorious homage to the dish with bright and complex flavors, and crunchy and buttery textures. Like Viet Noodle Bar, the dish comes to your table already prepared. Served with a few wedges of lime, the juice gives the already radiant dish a few extra splashes of acidity. Here, an Asian catfish called basa is used. It is clean and succulent, allowing the subtle flavors of the fish, turmeric and dill to shine together harmoniously. If you love this version and would like to make it at home, Ricker shares his recipe in his cookbook “Pok Pok,� co-written with JJ Goode. 978 Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 613-1831, www.pokpokla.com.

Pho Ga Bac Ninh in Monterey Park

Although most diners are slurping large bowls of pho ga (chicken pho), which happens to be Pho Ga Bac Ninh’s specialty, the restaurant also serves many other Northern Vietnamese dishes, including bun cha cá. Written as cha ca thanh long on the menu, this version is served on a sizzling plate with dill and white onions, instead of scallions. The pieces of fish are battered and deep fried. Like at the restaurants in Hanoi, you build your own bowl and bites here. Pho Ga Bac Ninh also serves bun cha cá as a noodle soup, with fish cake and pieces of fried fish. 605 N. New Ave., Ste C, Monterey Park, (626) 288-1448.

HP Pho Ga Bac Ninh in Rosemead

At HP Pho Ga Bac Ninh (the HP stands for Hai Phong, one of Northern Vietnam’s largest cities), you can get the closest to the full experience of bun cha cá without having to make a trip to Hanoi, or Orange County. The fish, brought to the table on a sizzling plate, is fried perfectly without batter. It’s balanced with just the right amount of earthy turmeric, accompanied by white onions and dill. Crumbled black sesame rice crackers add a wonderful crunch along with roasted peanuts. You can choose between the fermented and funky mam tom or the bright nuoc cham, or you can have both. And the restaurant actually serves two versions of bun cha cá. Listed as bun cha cá la vong, this version, like those served at Pok Pok and Viet Noodle Bar, already comes prepared. Or you can order the cha ca thanh long, and assemble your own bowls at the table. The portions here are more than generous and ideal for sharing.

You might also want to try an order of the bun cha Hanoi, a rice vermicelli dish with two kinds of pork. This dish was made popular by a recent episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown,� in which Bourdain treats President Obama to a bowl of bun cha and beer at Bun Cha Huong Lien, a popular bun cha spot in Hanoi. 8930 Mission Drive, No. 102, Rosemead, (626) 288-999.

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