Signature Hanoi Dish - Cha Ca La Vong

We were told that this uniquely Hanoi dish - Cha Ca La Vong - was a must try and that it had to be at this one restaurant of the same name in the old quarter.  The place was a bit of a dive with communal dining tables in an upstairs dining room.  We were seated in the front lobby.  There was only one dish on the menu although it was interesting that there were different prices depending on which page the waiter flipped to - it could be a variation of a hundred thousand Vietnamese duongs (approx. $5 USD) for the same dish.  We pointed at the right page pricewise.

Curious!  Menu above says 190,000 VND, below it's 280,000 VND

Very quickly, an electric stove and a pan of morning glory were placed on our table.  The waiter came and started cooking right in front of us, adding the already grilled fish, turmeric and dill.  

We were told to add the rice noodles, fish sauce, herbs and peanuts.  The combination of tastes and textures was indeed amazing.  The fish was firm, moist and tasty.  Looking back at the picture of the food in my bowl, I could re-imagine the contrasts between the crunch of the peanuts and herbs and the soft fish and noodles, the salty fish sauce on the bland noodles - that amazing yin and yang that seems to be the key elements that made Vietnamese food so attractive.