Vietnamese Noodle Soup Ottawa — Phở, Bún Bò Huế & More at Vietnam Palace
Vietnam has one of the world’s great noodle soup traditions — a constellation of regional dishes, each with its own broth philosophy, noodle type, and flavour identity. At Vietnam Palace Restaurant in Ottawa’s Chinatown, we’ve been serving the full spectrum of Vietnamese noodle soups for over 35 years. Whether you’re after the clean clarity of phở or the fiery depth of Bún Bò Huế, our kitchen has your bowl.
The World of Vietnamese Noodle Soups
Vietnamese noodle soups aren’t interchangeable — each is a distinct culinary tradition shaped by region, climate, and history. Here’s a guide to what you’ll find at Vietnam Palace:
Phở — The Northern Classic
Phở is Vietnam’s most famous export. Born in the north, it features a clear, subtly sweet broth made from beef bones simmered for 12–24 hours with charred ginger and onion, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. The broth is the point — the noodles and protein are vehicles for it. Flat rice noodles, thinly sliced beef or chicken, and a plate of fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime, and hoisin sauce complete the experience.
At Vietnam Palace, our phở is built on a bone broth simmered the way our kitchen has always done it — low and slow, with the spices toasted just right. Our Phở Đặc Biệt (special combination phở) is the house favourite.
Bún Bò Huế — The Central Powerhouse
From the imperial city of Huế comes Vietnam’s spiciest, most assertive noodle soup. The broth is built on pork and beef bones but elevated with lemongrass, shrimp paste, and chili oil. The noodles are thick and round, the toppings include beef shank and pork hock, and the heat is real. Our Bún Bò Huế page has the full story — this soup deserves its own spotlight.
Bún Riêu — The Tomato-Crab Noodle Soup
Less famous outside Vietnam but beloved by those who know it, Bún Riêu is a tomato-based broth with crab or shrimp paste, topped with tomato pieces, tofu, and a soft crab cake-like dumpling. The broth is tangy, slightly sweet, and deeply savoury. It’s served with vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs.
Hủ Tiếu — The Southern Noodle Soup
Popular in southern Vietnam and among Chinese-Vietnamese communities, Hủ Tiếu features a lighter, pork-based broth served with thin, clear rice noodles (or wheat noodles), pork slices, shrimp, and often a quail egg. It can be served “wet” (in broth) or “dry” (noodles on the side, broth for sipping).
What Makes Vietnamese Broth Different?
Every Vietnamese noodle soup begins with the broth, and every broth tells a different story. What unifies them is the commitment to depth — hours of simmering, careful skimming, and the use of whole aromatics rather than powders or shortcuts. At Vietnam Palace, we’ve never taken shortcuts in 35+ years of cooking.
The broth types range from the crystal-clear beef essence of phở to the rust-red, tomato-enriched Bún Riêu to the cloudy, shrimp paste-bold Bún Bò Huế. Each requires its own technique, its own spice profile, its own patience.
Build Your Perfect Bowl
Every noodle soup at Vietnam Palace comes with your choice of proteins and a table full of fresh accompaniments — herbs, lime wedges, bean sprouts, chili slices, and condiments like hoisin and sriracha. Half the experience is customizing your bowl to your taste.
New to Vietnamese noodle soups? Start with phở if you prefer mild and clean. Work up to Bún Bò Huế when you want something bolder. Ask our staff for recommendations — we love talking about the food.
Visit Vietnam Palace in Ottawa
We’re at 819 Somerset St W, Ottawa — in Chinatown, easy to find, hard to leave. Family-owned since 1989, with 671 Google reviews and a 4.3-star rating. Our 100+ dish menu means there’s always something new to try, but our noodle soups keep people coming back.
Hours: Monday 11am–10pm | Tuesday CLOSED | Wednesday–Friday 11am–10pm | Saturday 10am–10pm | Sunday 11am–10pm
Phone: (613) 238-6758
Also explore: Vietnamese Food Ottawa | Affordable Phở Ottawa | Contact Us