Bún cua thối: Pleiku's smelly crab noodles

Thối means “rotten” or “smelly”, and it makes newcomers hesitate before they taste anything. It is simply what locals call the dish, to tell it from bún riêu cua and other crab soups. You will find it all over Pleiku: around the Chợ Nhỏ (“Small Market”) area on Phùng Hưng, at the night market, at the Biển Hồ crossroads market (chợ Ngã Tư Biển Hồ), and in shops along Lê Duẩn and Phan Đình Phùng streets. Below are two shops on the same street, so you can picture the bowl before you sit down.

What it is, and where the smell comes from

Bún cua thối is a fermented crab noodle soup that came from Bình Định province and travelled to the highlands with settlers who moved to Pleiku. The smell comes from the broth. Fresh field crabs are shelled, pounded or blended, and strained, then the liquid is left to ferment for about a day and a night until it turns black and strong-smelling. Cooks simmer it with thin slices of bamboo shoot (măng le) over a low fire, and locals like crabs from the Phú Thọ fields (now Đồng Xanh) for their flavour and aroma.

Getting the ferment right is the cook’s art: too long and the broth overpowers, too short and it falls flat. A bowl holds noodles, the black broth, pork crackling, fried shallots, peanuts and a boiled duck egg that turns dark from cooking in the broth. Some shops add puffed fried pork skin or crisp prawn crackers. Herbs, chilli and lime come alongside to cut the smell, and a spoon of mắm nêm, a fermented fish dip fried with chilli, is the usual finishing touch: it adds warmth and masks the fishy edge.

Crab is the base, pork crackling goes on top and shrimp paste (mắm tôm) is a common add-in, so it is not for anyone avoiding shellfish or pork.

How to order and eat it your first time

Nervous? Start with a small bowl. At Bún cua Chi it is enough for most appetites, and you can add nem chua (sour fermented pork) and chả (pork roll) on the side. You can stir everything together, or pour the broth over separately and eat it “dry”, then add lime, chilli and shrimp paste to taste. Some shops also serve a little sweet fermented rice (cơm rượu) as a warming chaser.

The dish splits people. Newcomers hesitate while regulars love it, some eating two or three bowls in one sitting; the smell is hard going for others, and cooks know it. If bún mắm (fermented fish-paste noodles) already defeats you, this will be harder still; otherwise go in with an open mind and you may be won over.

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Two shops on Phùng Hưng street

Both are on Phùng Hưng street, near the corner of Chợ Nhỏ market, where locals have long come for bún cua thối. Give your Grab driver the street number below or use the Maps link. They close early, so go for lunch or a late-afternoon bowl.

Bún cua Chi

Bún cua Chi is the cheap, no-fuss choice for a first bowl, with fresh herbs, plenty of pork crackling, a clean room and a friendly owner. Lunch is busy, but people eat fast and you rarely wait long.

The crab odour is strong and follows you home on your clothes, so eat on your way back to the hotel, not right before meeting friends. Service can be brisk at peak times; go a little before noon for a calmer first try.

Open 11 am to 7 pm daily · 2 Phùng Hưng, Pleiku · Open in Maps

Bún Cua 19 Phùng Hưng

Still unsure? Start here. The crab hits you as you walk in, but the broth is rich rather than harsh, an easy first bowl at a fair price. Food comes out quickly and the owner is friendly. It smells strong but tastes very good, and many who finish one bowl order another.

Open 11 am to 6:30 pm daily · 19 Phùng Hưng, Pleiku · Open in Maps

What a bowl costs

Neither shop has a website or posted menu, so ask before you order (the last line of the card), and bring cash. A small bowl at Bún cua Chi is cheap. At Bún Cua 19 Phùng Hưng, 50,000 VND covered two bowls without egg, three nem chua and one chả for a visitor in May 2026: the whole table, not one bowl, but still cheap for two. Prices in older press articles are lower than today’s.

Is it for you?

It is for anyone who enjoys fermented fish-paste noodles and wants a dish you mostly find in the highlands. Fermented smells bother you, or bún mắm was already too much? Have a breakfast noodle instead. Curious but cautious: order a small bowl and add nem chua and chả for something familiar.

After this, pair it with a breakfast in Pleiku for a full food day, try Gia Lai dry pho (phở khô), or browse more Pleiku specialities. The whole food section is under Eating in Pleiku.