Along the banks of the Đuống River, a pot of golden fish porridge bubbles away, with not a hint of fishy smell -- in 1977, a woman named Nguyễn Thị Tích set up a small stall right along this riverbank, and today her name has become synonymous with this porridge.
Cross-confirmed by VnExpress and Dân Việt as a dish with a verifiable 1977 origin
VnExpress and Dân Việt, two independent mainstream media outlets, cross-confirm this dish. Its origin is clearly documented -- founder Nguyễn Thị Tích (bà Tích Nghi) started selling fish porridge from a roadside stall along the Đuống River (sông Đuống) beginning in 1977. Simmered with carp, grass carp, or walking catfish, its golden broth with no fishy smell is its defining trait, making it a signature dish within Bắc Ninh City's own territory with solid documented origins.
Honest clarification: Tích Nghi village's modern administrative affiliation is undocumented, so this entry anchors to the actual restaurant address
It has to be said honestly that this dish's situation differs from the other 8 entries in this set -- it isn't a case of the true origin lying outside the city. Rather, Tích Nghi village's modern ward/commune affiliation has no documented record, and both of the mainstream media sources only refer generally to "Bắc Ninh" without naming a specific modern administrative unit. This entry therefore anchors instead to the confirmed actual restaurant street address, "163 Hồ Ngọc Lân," which is itself confirmed to be within Bắc Ninh City's own territory. This is a case of "the village's administrative affiliation is unclear, so the anchor shifts to an actual restaurant," which is a different situation from the other 8 dishes, where the true origin is confirmed to lie outside the city and the anchor shifts to a city-territory point of sale. This entry honestly distinguishes between the two rather than conflating them.
How to Eat It Like a Local
- "Cháo Cá Tích Nghi - Thiên Đức" at 163 Hồ Ngọc Lân is the actual location this entry confirms.
- The traditional way to eat it is piping hot, with a golden, refreshing broth and fish that falls apart without a trace of fishy taste.
- The stretch along the Đuống River still carries the atmosphere of where this porridge began, worth a visit.
An Honest Look at This Porridge's Origins
- Tích Nghi village's modern ward/commune affiliation has no documented record -- this isn't a case of a confirmed origin outside the city.
- This entry anchors instead to the confirmed actual restaurant address, "163 Hồ Ngọc Lân," which is confirmed to be within Bắc Ninh City's own territory.
- Its founding date is clearly documented -- started in 1977 by Nguyễn Thị Tích from a roadside stall, making it the best-sourced origin story among the 12 dishes in this set.
Scoop up a spoonful of golden fish porridge, its broth refreshing with not a trace of fishy taste -- this porridge's founding date is written down clearly, the only thing left uncertain is which modern ward that village called Tích Nghi actually belongs to today.