On the morning of August 24, Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi was filled with excitement as thousands gathered to watch the second rehearsal for the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day parade. Amid the patriotic atmosphere, an image quickly went viral online: a traditional feast prepared by four women from Phu Tho.

The spread featured six signature dishes from their hometown: five-color sticky rice, boiled chicken, pickled bamboo shoots with chili, mountain pork, steamed vegetables, and banh uoi (a unique love-shaped rice cake).

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The homemade feast drew attention across social media platforms.

“We wanted to share our hometown flavors”

The feast was organized by Bui Thi Ly, 32, originally from Hoa Binh but now living in Phu Tho, together with three close friends. Ly explained: “We’ve been close for years. This time, we decided to travel together to Hanoi for the parade rehearsal. Knowing the crowds would be huge, we set off at 3:30 a.m. to secure seats.”

Carrying a Styrofoam box filled with carefully packed dishes, they laid out the food on a large bamboo tray after finding a spot. Photos of the colorful and beautifully arranged feast spread quickly across online forums, with netizens commenting: “What a treat!” and “Watching the parade and enjoying local delicacies - perfect!”

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Ly (left) and her friends prepared the feast that caught everyone’s attention.

Ly shared that in her hometown, families traditionally prepare such six-dish feasts every September 2 to celebrate Independence Day. “We wanted to recreate that tradition here in Hanoi and invite people around us to taste our specialties,” she said.

By 10 a.m., the group began sharing their meal with those nearby. While all the dishes impressed, the most intriguing was banh uoi, a local delicacy shaped from two rice cakes pressed together to symbolize unity and love.

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Banh uoi, a Phu Tho specialty, fascinated many for its symbolic design.

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Ly and her group arrived in Hanoi early in the morning to join the crowd for the parade rehearsal.

Made from finely ground glutinous rice flour with fillings of mung beans or pork, the cakes are wrapped in banana leaves, pressed together in pairs, and tied with bamboo strings before being steamed. Ly revealed: “We made them three days in advance, kept them refrigerated, and reheated them before leaving for Hanoi. They were still as delicious as fresh.”

Despite the changing weather - sun one moment, rain the next - the sisters and the crowd remained cheerful. “Sharing food and patriotism at Ba Dinh Square was a wonderful experience. We felt both proud and happy,” Ly said.

Thanh Minh