Mi Quang in Da Nang: Toppings, Broth and Where to Look
A guide to the turmeric noodle dish of central Vietnam, and how to bend it to your diet.
Mi quang is a central Vietnamese noodle dish, with yellow-tinted rice noodles in a small amount of rich broth, topped with meat or seafood, peanuts, herbs and a crisp cracker. It is easy to adjust for a pork-free, vegetarian or low-spice diet, if you know the words.
What is in the bowl?
It sits between a soup and a dry noodle dish. There is just enough broth to coat the noodles, not to swim in.
- Noodles: flat rice noodles, tinted yellow with turmeric.
- Broth: a small ladle of rich, savoury liquid.
- Topping: pork, chicken, shrimp or fish, depending on the bowl.
- Crunch: roasted peanuts and a crisp rice cracker.
- Herbs: fresh leaves, with lime and chilli on the side.
Break the cracker over the top and mix everything before you eat.
Where should you look in Da Nang?
Small local restaurants and market stalls are the usual home of mi quang. Look for a place with a long pot of broth on the counter and a steady flow of customers at lunch.
Our Da Nang city guide explains how to choose a base. Hoi An is close by, so you can compare this bowl with cao lau in Hoi An on the same trip.
How do you adjust it for your diet?
Change the topping, then ask about the broth.
- No pork: ask for ga (chicken), tom (shrimp) or ca (fish) instead.
- Vegetarian: say an chay and check that no fish sauce or shrimp paste goes in the broth.
- Low spice: leave out the chilli and ask for it on the side.
- No peanuts: say khong dau phong, and ask the cook to skip the peanuts and the crackers if they are cooked together.
The classic bowl uses pork, and the stock and boards may be shared. For a strict pork-free or halal rule, ask how the broth is made and treat any answer as unconfirmed. We cannot name any stall as holding a halal certificate. See meal and prayer checks for Muslim travellers for the questions to ask.
What should you check at the stall?
A clean counter, fresh herbs and a busy lunch queue are the best signs. Our street food hygiene guide lists what else to look for before you sit.
What should you do next?
Pick one meal for mi quang in your Da Nang plan. Lunch works best, since cooks run out of broth later in the day. Then move on to the other dishes of the central coast, and browse them under food and daily travel.
Tell us what your group can and cannot eat and how many days you have in Da Nang, and we can help you plan meals that work for everyone.
Common questions
What is mi quang?
It is a central Vietnamese noodle dish: yellow-tinted rice noodles in a small amount of rich broth, topped with meat or seafood, peanuts, herbs and a crisp cracker. It sits between a soup and a dry noodle dish. Spoon the little broth around the bowl and mix before eating.
Can I get it without pork?
Yes. The classic bowl uses pork, but cooks also make it with chicken, shrimp or fish. Ask for ga for chicken, tom for shrimp or ca for fish. For a strict rule, ask how the broth is made, because stock and prep boards may be shared with pork.
Can vegetarians eat it?
A vegetarian bowl exists, built on mushrooms, tofu and vegetables with a vegetable broth. It is easiest to find in a stall that advertises vegetarian food. Say an chay, which means vegetarian, and check that no fish sauce or shrimp paste goes into the broth.
Is it very spicy?
The base is mild, with heat added at the table from chilli. Leave the chilli out if you travel with children or older relatives, or ask for it on the side. Add lime and herbs for freshness instead.
Keep planning
Tell us what your group can and cannot eat and how many days you have in Da Nang, and we can help you plan meals that work for everyone.