Bún thịt nướng is a room-temperature dish: rice vermicelli in a bowl, topped with grilled lemongrass-marinated pork slices, shredded pork skin, fresh herb salad (mint, perilla, bean sprouts), crushed peanuts, and fried shallots, dressed with nuoc cham.
The marinade
Pork for thịt nướng is marinated in lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, and oil 2–4 hours. The sugar caramelises during grilling, producing a slight char on the surface. The pork should be sliced thin (5mm) and cooked quickly at high heat — this is a fast grill, not a slow braise.
Room temperature service
The dish is assembled cool: cold noodles, room-temperature pork, fresh herbs. The nuoc cham is added at the table. This is the deliberate format — the pork continues to release juices as it cools, which mix with the dressing.