Cha ca La Vong, featuring turmeric-marinated fish with dill and noodle, has earned ninth place in TasteAtlas's 2025 ranking of the world's top seafood dishes.
The ranking by the international magazine drew on more than 35,800 diner ratings, with around 23,600 verified as authentic.
Cha ca La Vong (turmeric fish with dill and noodles) dates back to 1871, when the Doan family first served it at 14 Hang Son Street in Hanoi during Vietnam’s early resistance against French colonial rule. The dish was named "La Vong" after a statue that stood outside the family’s home.
Firm fish, often catfish, cod, or tilapia, is marinated in turmeric, galangal, shrimp paste, and fish sauce. Diners cook it at the table with dill and then savor it with herbs, peanuts, and vermicelli.
Over nearly 150 years, it has remained a local specialty, once favored by resistance fighters in the Old Quarter, and is now a must-try for travelers visiting Hanoi.
Earlier this year, cha ca La Vong also ranked 4th among Asia's best fish dishes.
Finland's loimulohi - salmon slow-cooked on wooden planks - took the top spot in this year's seafood ranking. Peru's conchitas a la parmesana (parmesan-topped scallops) and Japan's kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl) came in second and third.
Japan dominated the list overall, with 18 dishes in the world's top 100.
