Hue is known for the Perfume River, the Ngu Mountain, and royal tombs and citadels from a glorious imperial era. Hue is also known for its exquisite cuisine, involving intricate processes from ingredient selection to preparation and presentation. And you can’t talk about its cuisine without mentioning the sophisticated Hue Royal Cuisine. While back in the day, it was only enjoyed by kings and nobles, today it has become accessible for everyone. It would be a total shame if you missed out on this dining experience while in Hue. So what is the rave about Hue imperial cuisine?

What’s Special about Hue Royal Cuisine

Hue royal cuisine had multiple influences. It inherited cuisines from the Ly Dynasty in 1069, the Le Dynasty in 1306, the Nguyen Dynasty after the Nguyen Lord and his entourage visited Thuan Hoa in 1558, and a little bit of the ancient Champa cuisine. After diplomatic missions, the king’s envoys would present him with delicious and exotic dishes. Outstanding dishes would be added to a list and passed down to future generations. Thanks to this, Hue imperial cuisine was extremely diverse and rich. It was also extremely sophisticated and intricate.

For instance, the bowls and plates used during royal banquets are custom-made porcelain. Starting from the reign of King Dong Khanh, the court commissioned Sèvres porcelain from France and Spode porcelain from England. Depending on personal preferences, kings may use ivory or jade chopsticks, chopsticks with gold caps, or ones made of conifer wood (a type of wood with a yellow hue and a gentle fragrance that turns black when in contact with toxic food). 

During royal meals, only the imperial consorts and female musicians are present. However, during significant court banquets, nha nhac, or refined music, is usually performed. To prepare a royal meal, there must be at least 50 cooks. The king had the imperial kitchen team adhere to many restrictions and the imperial physicians select nutritious and non-conflicting foods.

The king's meals, in addition to being luxurious, also included some very ordinary, common dishes. The difference lies in the meticulous and sophisticated selection of ingredients, even for these humble dishes.

For example, water spinach had to be grown in a specific pond, and there's a story that water spinach had to be grown in bamboo tubes with holes for the leaves to grow through. After boiling the water spinach, it had to be rolled into small, bite-sized pieces. Similarly, boiled pork had to be thinly sliced, and the dipping sauce made from crab paste had to be tasty and free of any unpleasant smell. The rice for the king's meals had to be An Cu rice, selected grain by grain, and the rice pot an earthenware pot from the Phuoc Tich pottery village.

According to historical records, each meal of the kings had from 35 to 50 dishes, including several from the "bat tran," or the eight most precious dishes. These dishes include nem cong, cha phuong, bear paw, ox tail skin, swallow nests, elephant foot meat, and orangutan lip. Peacock nem, or "nem cong," is a distinctive and unique dish prepared without cooking. This dish consists of the minced thigh meat of a peacock, which is finely ground and then fermented using pepper, garlic, ginger, etc. Phoenix cha, or "cha phuong," is made from the meat of the phoenix, a rare bird species that lives in high mountains. The phoenix meat is minced and mixed with various spices before being wrapped in banana leaves. The phoenix cha is then steamed until cooked.

In the ancient Hue imperial court meals, each dish had to be beautifully presented. Each dish was placed onto plates, then in wooden lacquered boxes adorned with gold, sealed with a royal seal and signature, and presented to the king by the imperial guards. Finally, court ladies or concubines had to test the chopsticks in front of the king to check for poison. The reason for having many dishes in the king's meal was to avoid poisoning, as eating only a few fixed dishes would make the king vulnerable.

The Hue Royal Cuisine Experience

When visiting the royal restaurants in Hue, tourists will be dressed in the attire of kings, queens, princesses, or princes, and then they will enjoy a simulated meal consisting of around 50 dishes, based on the ancient Hue imperial meal. During such an experience, you’ll need only spend 15 to 20 dollars to transform into royalty. The dishes, besides being delicious, must be light and delicate, and the presentation must be beautiful and eye-catching, vegetables and fruits are skillfully carved into swans, dragons, and phoenixes by the chefs, making the dishes visually appealing and elegant. Besides well-known dishes like Nem Cong or Cha Phuong, there are many dishes with fancy names such as "Cua Luot Thuyen Rong" (Crab On A Dragon Boat) and "Com Sen Ho Tinh" (Lotus Rice On a Serene Lake).

Com sen (Lotus Rice): In addition to its delicious flavor, lotus rice is beautifully decorated and placed in a lotus flower. The rice is cooked with fragrant An Cuu village rice, along with scrambled eggs, Vietnamese giò, shrimp, chicken, and vegetables, and wrapped with lotus leaves, giving the dish a pleasant fragrance.

Che hat sen long nhan (Longan and lotus seed che): The dessert may appear simple with only three main ingredients—lotus seeds, longan, and sugar. However, it is considered the most refined dish in Hue imperial cuisine. To prepare a delicious Che Hat Sen Long Nhan, lotus seeds are harvested from a specific Hue lotus species to ensure its rich, crunchy texture and the longan should be small, crispy, and sweet.

Tra cung dinh Hue (Hue imperial tea): Crafted from various herbs, royal Hue tea carries a unique flavor. It combines the sweet taste of licorice, jujube, and stevia leaves with the bitterness of lotus stamen and bitter melon, along with hints of goji berry, jasmine, pandan, and artichoke. When consumed, you can distinctly sense the natural sweetness and refreshing taste, without the bitterness found in other teas. 

Hue Royal Cuisine Restaurants

Nha hang Cung Dinh (Royal Park)

Address: 03 Nguyen Sinh Sac Street, Hue, Vietnam

This is one of the most famous Hue restaurants. The restaurant covers an area of over 1200 m² and is designed in an ancient imperial architecture style, surrounded by vibrant gardens, ornamental trees, and large stone statues placed around the courtyard. The restaurant serves traditional Hue imperial dishes as well as a fusion of Asian and Western cuisines, capturing the essence of both ancient and contemporary culinary styles.

At Royal Restaurant, you also have the opportunity to wear royal attire.

Tinh Gia Vien Restaurant

Address: 28/7 Le Thanh Ton Street, Hue, Vietnam

Tinh Gia Vien restaurant is situated right within the Imperial City. Famous for its elegant ambiance and authentic presentation of Hue royal cuisine, Tinh Gia Vien gives the impression of a royal palace surrounded by hundreds of paper lanterns, plants, flowers, a small pond, and an artificial waterfall.

Visitors get to wear costumes and headgear resembling those of the Nguyen dynasty kings and officials. The food is prepared to resemble ancient royal feasts, accompanied by a traditional music performance.

Nha hang Hue Co (Ancient Hue Garden Houses)

Address: 4/4/8 Alley 35 Pham Thi Lien Street, Hue, Vietnam

Nha Hang Hue Co is situated in the Phu Mong–Kim Long, an ancient aristocratic village along the poetic Perfume River. The restaurant is designed to resemble the imperial capital with the distinctive decor of Hue's ancient houses.

With an area of over 2000 m² designed in a traditional style, the restaurant courtyard includes a bronze cauldron, an ancient well, and a lotus pond and is surrounded by traditional-style houses. All the houses stand out with wooden furnishings and intricate carvings. There are also rooms displaying antiques, paintings, and traditional ao dai.

The restaurant offers a variety of dishes from Asian to Western, but the most outstanding are still the traditional Hue dishes and exquisite imperial cuisine. At the restaurant, you can enjoy Hue imperial cuisine while watching martial arts performances or enjoying the traditional Hue court music.

Conclusion

Hue royal cuisine not only brings forth excellent dishes but also encapsulates profound cultural values. It mirrors Hue’s refinement in every aspect, from the selection of ingredients and cooking methods to presentation and enjoyment. An imperial meal is not just a feast for the taste buds but also for the eye, the ear, and the soul. 

=> All you need to know about Hue

=> The Best Hue Cooking Class