'Obama Bun Cha' is a hit in Singapore

One restaurant here sold one and a half times more bun cha portions than before, and another restaurant also planned to add "Obama meals" to its menu.

Late last month, US President Barack Obama visited Vietnam. A photo of him dining with famous American chef Anthony Bourdain at a bun cha restaurant in Hanoi quickly went viral on Instagram.

Jackie Ho, owner of Uncle Ho Tuckshop at 100 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore, said that thanks to this event, they sold a lot of bun cha. "This is actually my restaurant's specialty, and is loved by many people," she said.

On a normal day, they sell only about 200 servings a day, at S$12.90, she told TNP. But since the Obama photo went viral, that number has increased by one and a half times. "Some customers even called us to tell us to save some for them, in case they run out when they come," she said.

The restaurant sells one and a half times more bun cha than before. Photo: TNP

The chef at Uncle Ho is Le Van Tuan. He is 38 years old and was born in Hanoi. Tuan says the vermicelli dipping sauce needs to have a balance of sour, sweet and salty flavors. "The accompanying vegetables are also very important. We have to import them," he says. The sauce also needs garlic and pickles.

Tuan once ate bun cha at the restaurant where Mr. Obama dined. He said: "This is a very famous restaurant with more than 20 years of business. They only sell bun cha."

However, not all Vietnamese food stores in Singapore have seen the impact of this, as bun cha is not popular here. According to TNP, only 2 of the Vietnamese food stores they surveyed sell this dish.

Furthermore, Wrap & Roll - one of the two stores above said that their sales of this dish have not increased. Jacinta Lee - Marketing Director of MSJ Gourmet Group - the company that operates Wrap & Roll said: "We have not seen a significant increase in orders, because people still do not know exactly what this dish is. Their understanding of Vietnamese cuisine is quite low."

That may soon change, however. Lee says they will soon be offering an “Obama meal” for S$12.90, which includes Hanoi-style bun cha and Vietnamese beer.

According to VNE