A dish that tells its story — Cao Lau reviewed

You can taste history in Cao Lau if you know what to look for. Vietnamese cuisine shows French colonial influence alongside traditional Southeast Asian techniques. The clean and deeply savoury character reflects those layers — star anise broth doesn't appear by accident; it came from a specific tradition.

The a Hanoi pho stall at breakfast setting made sense of it. You understand the food differently when the context is right. bia hoi draught beer alongside is part of that story. Some food is just fuel. Cao Lau, properly made, is something more. This version told the story well.