By nature restless, hungry for knowledge and racing at a thousand revolutions per second: Hugo Muñoz moves through the streets and markets of Vietnam as a fish in water, eager to know the hows and whys of everything that lies ahead. His mind invents faster than one might imagine: the Madrid chef has plenty of drive and ingenuity to spare. Because the stimuli are counted by the thousands in the Asian country, where gastronomy is strongly connected to its roots, conquering every corner; every nook. Every little place where, among crates, plastic benches and a swarming of locals, the greatest delights one could imagine are tasted.
Thus, letting ourselves be carried away, opening our eyes wide — and our mouths! — to capture absolutely every detail, we embark on a full route hand in hand with Icárion and his fascinating project The Grand Journey Through the Palate. A proposal that the tour operator has decided to inaugurate in the iconic country and that takes us from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, from Halong Bay to the ancient imperial city of Hue or to the romantic Hoi An, to soak up, intoxicate ourselves and fall in love with the Vietnamese gastro essence in all its splendor. It’s time to be inspired and moved by a culinary destination like no other. What surprised the Madrid chef the most? We’ll tell you.
Bún Chå, the Village Michelin
The legendary red plaque that identifies the well-known international guide adorns the tiling of one of the walls of this genuine local spot. On it, a small fan that does not prevent the heat from becoming the master and lord of the establishment. Six tables surrounded by small blue plastic benches welcome us and, with luck on our side, we manage to make room in an ideal corner to blend into the atmosphere: no one would say, upon gazing at the façade of the building where Bún Chå 34 is located, that we are about to taste one of the dishes that will win us over the most on the trip.
