Bún chả cá- Deep fried Shrimp and fish patty with vermicelli in soup    The combination of the herbs and the Shrimp & fish patty make this soup a winner. Certainly a soup to try even if you think that you do not like fish. This soup is really about the melding of the ingredients as you eat it. The soup is not like Pho, in that Phos’ taste is really a result of the cooking of the broth. Once the mixture of spices, herbs, meat and vegetables is cooked the favour is set. The Shrimp and fish patty soup is truly a dish created after the cooking, in that the ingredients are cooked separately then brought together just before serving. Each ingredient has its own flavour to add to the dish and this melding results in the end flavour. Even when you get the dish you have to do some of the finish work. The various ingredients are served unmixed in the soup and you have to mix them around to finish the melding of the flavours. Some of the ingredients such as the crispy garlic and dill slowly add more flavour as you eat the dish. So again this soup has its own character that adds to the experience of enjoying the dish. Broth A chicken based soup broth that compliments the other ingredients and is not over powering them. When the ingredients are assembled the soup blends the flavours to create a truly delicious taste.This is not a canned or powdered broth rather it is made from scratch.     Deep fried Shrimp and fish patties These delicious Shrimp and fish patties are made at the restaurant with fresh ingredients. So the only place you can get these hand made patties is at Mui Ngo Gai.  A mixture of prawns and fish ground into a paste then mixed with dill and a secret blend of spices / herbs. The mixture is then hand formed into patties and deep fried in canola oil. I like to eat one or two before I mix them in as their taste alone is something to be enjoyed too. Then stir them in to add to the flavour of the soup and for them to gain flavour from the other ingredients My taste opinion What can I say? this is one of my favorite soups right now. I eat a bowl about every two days. If you are thinking fish yuck then you have not tasted this soup. Even I a beef lover love these fish cakes.  This soup really needs no additions as far as I am concerned. All that I do put in is the bean sprouts (protein) and maybe a squeeze of lime.   Close up of the patties Water celery   Nutrition Fish Fish and shellfish are excellent sources of protein that are low in fat. A 3-ounce cooked serving of most fish and shellfish provides about 20 grams of protein, or about a third of the average daily recommended protein intake. The protein in fish is of high quality, containing an abundance of essential amino acids, and is very digestible for people of all ages. Seafood is also generally lower in fat and calories than beef, poultry or pork. Fish Nutritional Facts Canola oil Nutrition experts recognize canola oil as having the best fatty acid ratio. Research indicates the fatty acid composition of canola oil is most favourable in terms of health benefits and as a part of a nutritionally balanced diet. When canola oil is compared to other oils in today's market, canola oil has the lowest level of saturated fat (7%), it is relatively high in monounsaturated fat (61%), and canola oil has a moderate level of polyunsaturated fat (22%). Canola oil counsel What is the best cooking oil? The two clear winners are olive oil, and canola oil. Both oils contain the best fat composition, with canola being slightly better than olive oil. Sure, both types of oil has many uses, where olive oil is especially good for dressings, and canola oil for stir-frying. However, canola oil is a clear winner for many purposes mainly because it has very little (if any) taste of its own. Canola Oil - Learn About Canola Oil