Fried chicken is everywhere in Vietnam, but it looks somewhat different than the bucket of KFC you might be picturing. At roadside lunch stalls in Hanoi, an order of cánh gà chiên nu’ó’c mam will get you a heaping pile of crispy chicken wings tossed in a sweet and tangy fish sauce.
In Northeast KCMO, Linh’s Vietnamese Cuisine (1447 Independence Ave., Suite 135, KCMO) is frying chicken that’s been marinated in garlic and shallots before receiving the lightest dusting of flour. For eleven bucks, you get three or four wings plus a thigh and drumstick doused in a sticky concoction of fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar and chilis and sprinkled with fried shallots.
The dish is served with a mound of coconut sticky rice and a fresh salad of sliced tomato, onions and Vietnamese coriander.
The chicken skin is a translucent gold, bubbly and crispy — a festive wrapping for the juicy meat.
