Top 10 Most Famous Specialties of Phan Rang - Ninh Thuan

Phan Rang Fermented Pork is considered a simple yet deeply flavorful local specialty, filled with warmth and character. Its appearance is enticing, but it’s the taste that truly sets it apart – a perfect balance of tangy, crispy, chewy, and spicy, with the peppery kick and subtle aroma of guava leaves blending seamlessly. Made from fermented pork and rice powder, this dish is seasoned with fish sauce, salt, sugar, pepper, and guava leaves, then tightly wrapped in banana leaves and secured with rubber bands, following a time-honored recipe that gives it a unique charm, highly appreciated by locals.

This dish is typically enjoyed with vermicelli noodles or grilled rice paper, but it’s also delicious on its own. It’s a low-cost delicacy available all over the streets of Phan Rang.

When ready, the fermented pork offers a mild tang and a subtle sweetness, with a chewy texture that tantalizes your taste buds.

The filling of Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes typically includes bean sprouts, shrimp, squid, or pork. People in Ninh Thuan enjoy this dish in a unique way: they don’t wrap the pancakes in rice paper with herbs and vegetables; instead, they dip each hot pancake directly into a pre-made dipping sauce. Unlike the large pancakes from the Western region, Phan Rang's sizzling pancakes are small, roughly the size of a bowl's mouth, cooked in small molds within a larger pan (about 4-5 molds). The pancakes are crispy and delicious, with a taste that’s irresistible and will captivate anyone who tries it.

The pancake batter doesn’t need much oil, and it’s thick enough to achieve a crispy texture while maintaining its soft interior. When served, fresh bean sprouts are added, and the dipping sauce is made with crushed peanuts – just enough to dip the pancake without making the sauce too salty. This peanut-infused fish sauce is a distinct flavor that makes this dish special. If you're here, make sure to try it!

It would be a major omission not to mention Bánh Căn when talking about Vietnamese pancakes. Similar in shape to the Southern bánh khọt, these mini pancakes are made from a mix of rice and glutinous rice flour. They are cooked in small clay molds over hot charcoal. Bánh Căn can be eaten in the same way as bánh xèo, accompanied by a similar dipping sauce. This delicious dish is sure to impress. One of the most popular variations is the Egg Mini Pancake, which is aromatic and beautifully plated, typically served with fermented shrimp paste or fish sauce with peanuts.

In Ninh Thuan, the fillings for both bánh căn and bánh xèo can include pork, crispy pork skin, shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, anchovies, or eggs (chicken, quail, or duck). For bánh xèo, additional ingredients such as bean sprouts, onions, and spring onions are included. Mini pancakes are topped with finely chopped spring onions. This unique method of filling ensures that each bite is full of flavor, and it also allows customers to check whether their order has the right amount of filling as requested.

This is a staple dish in many Ninh Thuan households, commonly enjoyed for breakfast. Simple and affordable, a plate typically costs between 20,000 and 30,000 VND. The dish features a plate of fine, smooth, and fragrant rice vermicelli, served with pork entrails cut into bite-sized pieces, accompanied by a small bowl of garlic-chili fish sauce. While basic, the flavor is incredibly unique and delicious, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who tries it.

Rice Vermicelli is a humble yet flavorful dish that truly stands out when paired with grilled pork. It is served on a round bamboo tray, creating a rustic and inviting presentation. One side of the tray holds the rice vermicelli, lightly coated with oil and scallions, while the other features perfectly grilled pork slices, neatly arranged. A few herbs are added, and a bowl of fish sauce, prepared with a special recipe, is placed in the center. The result is a dish that is both simple and elegant, captivating anyone who tries it.

Known as the "mini desert" of Vietnam, Ninh Thuan has the perfect climate for raising sheep and goats, making its grilled lamb a must-try. In Phan Rang, visitors can easily find sizzling lamb dishes along the pristine Ninh Chu Beach or on Ngô Gia Tự street near the 16/4 lake. There's nothing quite like enjoying freshly roasted lamb in the region known as the "sheep capital" of Vietnam, where the lamb is butchered on-site, allowing guests to choose their preferred cuts.

Lamb can be prepared in many ways, including steaming with perilla leaves, honey grilling, or stir-frying with asparagus, typical of Vietnamese styles. The Cham people, however, prefer to stir-fry lamb with dong leaves or roast it in their traditional manner. This method eliminates the usual strong lamb flavor, replacing it with a distinctive, aromatic taste that is uniquely delicious.

When talking about Ninh Thuận specialties, you cannot miss the famous jellyfish noodle soup. This is a simple and familiar dish, commonly enjoyed in the area. The soup uses small jellyfish, no larger than a finger, and rest assured, these jellyfish are not the type that cause irritation, like the ones you encounter at the beach. Jellyfish noodle soup is served with fish cake, quail eggs, noodles, fried onions, and a flavorful broth. It is usually accompanied by fresh herbs, and you can add some chili sauce or shrimp paste to enhance its taste.

This noodle soup is a hot and delicious dish with a clear broth that is subtly sweet from fish. It is said that the locals prepare the broth using small fish to extract the natural sweet water. What makes this dish even more unique is that it avoids using strong spices and is not made from meat, making it a pure oceanic flavor. This unique characteristic has made it a popular choice among many travelers visiting Ninh Thuận. If you have the opportunity to visit this place, don't miss out on trying a bowl of jellyfish noodle soup for a unique culinary experience.

When it comes to Ninh Thuận’s local delicacies, dishes made from sand lizards (also known as desert lizards or sand dragons) are a must-try. These reptiles thrive in the natural sandy landscapes, hills, or fields along the central coastal region, particularly in the dry and sunny climate of Ninh Thuận.

Sand lizards are abundant in the area, and their naturally firm and aromatic meat has made them a beloved dish. Over time, the preparation of sand lizard dishes has become a prestigious specialty, often served to guests during important occasions. The recipe is simple: remove the insides, season with spices, and grill over hot charcoal. Once cooked, the tender meat is dipped in chili salt and enjoyed with fresh herbs and sour banana slices. Sipping a strong drink or a cold beer while savoring this dish offers a truly authentic regional experience. Travelers visiting Ninh Thuận can indulge in this unique dish to discover the culinary traditions of this region.

Blessed with intense sunshine, Ninh Thuận is home to thriving grape vineyards that produce exceptional fruit. This region is the only place in Vietnam where grapes are cultivated, making it a proud specialty of the area. The locals take great pride in their grapes, which are grown mainly in Ninh Phước and Ninh Hải districts across expansive fields. There are two primary types of grapes: the purple and green varieties.

In addition to selling grapes for export, many vineyard owners have transformed their farms into tourist attractions, allowing visitors to explore and learn about the local agriculture. Grapes are not just enjoyed as fresh fruit but are also transformed into wine, grape syrup, jams, and candies, some of which are exported both domestically and internationally. With so many grape-based products available, travelers passing through Ninh Thuận often buy a few baskets of grapes as souvenirs to support local products and savor the unique sweet-and-tangy flavor of the region's grapes.

As a coastal province in Central Vietnam, Ninh Thuận is home to an abundance of fresh seafood, with one of the standout delicacies being sun-dried squid, a must-try dish for both local and international visitors. When enjoying this dish, you'll experience the warmth of the sun, the sea breeze, and the salty taste of Ninh Thuận's ocean.

Unlike traditional dried squid, sun-dried squid is made from fresh squid caught directly from the sea. After being cleaned with seawater, the squid is only dried once under the sun, preserving its natural texture. The result is a squid that is crispy, aromatic, sweet, and tender, with a natural sweetness that intensifies as you eat. There's nothing quite like sitting by the beach in the late afternoon, sipping a cold beer, and nibbling on a plate of sun-dried squid. These delicious treats can be found at most beaches or tourist areas, where you can buy fresh squid to enjoy at your leisure.

Every time someone visits Phan Rang, they talk about trying chicken rice, one of the most famous dishes in Ninh Thuận. Phan Rang is particularly known for its many restaurants serving incredibly delicious chicken rice. The rice is cooked using fragrant, glutinous grains. Before cooking, the rice is washed and seasoned with crushed ginger and garlic to enhance the aroma.

To make the dish more visually appealing, a little turmeric powder is mixed with the rice. What sets Phan Rang chicken rice apart is the use of native chicken, raised by local families or small farms rather than industrial farming. This chicken has firm, flavorful meat. The chicken is young, free-range, giving it a firm texture and soft golden skin. After boiling, the chicken is shredded and mixed with onions, fried shallots, salt, and Vietnamese coriander. The broth is enriched with turmeric and gac fruit, adding a vibrant color to the dish. The accompanying fish sauce is homemade, often from Cà Ná, making it especially rich and flavorful.