Buzz
Da Lat is not only famous for unique dishes like folded rice paper, steamed rice rolls with chicken hearts, but also for familiar specialties that have been transformed, such as grilled rice paper and xiu mai bread.
When visiting Da Lat, in addition to exploring famous tourist spots like the Valley of Love, the city's flower garden, or the Lang Biang Plateau, indulging in mountain city street food is a memorable experience.
1. Grilled Spring Rolls
Unlike fried fermented pork rolls, Da Lat's grilled spring rolls are usually wrapped with rice paper, lettuce, banana, persimmon, and served with a unique soy sauce dip. The rich aroma of grilled spring rolls combined with the freshness of vegetables makes it irresistibly delicious. The two grilled spring roll stalls on Phan Dinh Phung and Bui Thi Xuan streets are the go-to places to savor this dish.
2. Hue-Style Beef Noodle Soup at Anh Sang
Even though it's a specialty from Hue, when you're in Anh Sang hamlet, near Xuan Huong Lake, Da Lat, you can still savor beef noodle soup with a flavor that doesn't lose out, perhaps just a bit of adaptation to suit the taste of the highland cold region. Instead of sliced water spinach, the bowl of Hue-style beef noodle soup here comes with finely chopped lettuce, bean sprouts, and banana flowers. Depending on preferences, diners can order lean meat, rolled beef, or tendon.
3. Steamed Rice Rolls with Chicken Hearts
The unique combination of steamed rice rolls and chicken hearts has sparked curiosity among many tourists visiting Da Lat. Upon tasting, everyone is captivated by the unusual and enticing flavor of the dish. It features the soft texture of the rice rolls combined with the aromatic sweetness of the chicken hearts. To enjoy this delicacy, head to the steamed rice rolls stall on Tang Bat Ho Street, near Da Lat market.
4. Grilled Rice Paper
Among the delicious dishes in Da Lat, the most well-known to tourists is probably grilled egg rice paper. On the charcoal stove, lard, shallots, quail eggs, minced meat, and dried shrimp are skillfully arranged on the thin rice paper. In an instant, the golden color covers the entire piece of paper, complemented by the spicy chili sauce that leaves diners in awe. The best place to try this dish is at the stall on Nguyen Van Troi Street, open from 2 pm to 10 pm.
5. Corn Salad
Although it sounds strange, this is a familiar dish that is quite similar to dried beef salad in Hanoi and dry beef salad in Saigon. The main ingredients of corn salad include shredded papaya, carefully simmered beef lungs or pig liver, peanuts, basil, sweet and sour fish sauce... You can stroll around Xuan Huong Lake and stop by a small stall on the lake's edge to savor this dish.
6. Water Fern Cake
The water fern cakes in Da Lat are infused with a bit of tapioca flour, making them slightly translucent and a bit chewy. Meanwhile, the shrimp and meat sauce is creamy, eye-catching with an attractive, refreshing taste. A serving of water fern cakes usually consists of 4 small porcelain cups and is very affordable. The place to enjoy this dish in Da Lat is a stall on Phan Dinh Phung Street near Hong Hung gas station, serving from 11 am to 8 pm every day.
7. Corn Sausage Rolls
By rolling young corn in finely ground spices onto rice paper and frying until golden brown, corn sausage rolls have become a sweet and fragrant specialty for Da Lat. When eating, the corn sausage is once again rolled with rice paper, cucumber, bean sprouts, carrots... and fresh vegetables, then dipped into a sauce made from peanut sauce. You can find corn sausage rolls at a stall near Nguyen Trai Primary School or Nguyen Cong Tru Street.
8. Dim Sum Bread
Served with bread, a bowl of xiu mai features a broth with rich bone essence, a small, tender meatball, and finely sliced green onions. There are three common ways to enjoy it: tearing small pieces of bread into the xiu mai bowl, dipping a whole slice of bread into the broth, or placing the xiu mai in the center of the large bread. Beyond the school gates and market entrances, you can head to the intersection of Tran Nhat Duat - Hoang Dieu to experience the authentic flavor of this dish.
9. Tapioca Noodle Soup
While tapioca noodle soup is found in many places, enjoying it in the chilly weather of Da Lat brings a unique sensation. The harmonious colors in the bowl of tapioca noodle soup, blending the white of soft and hot noodles, the yellow of the meatballs, and the vibrant green of finely chopped scallions. The most famous spots in Da Lat for tapioca noodle soup are Xuan An on Nha Chung Street, Phan Rang tapioca noodle soup on Tran Phu Street, or Hai Ba Trung Street.
10. Strawberry Ice Cream
Strawberries are a renowned specialty of Da Lat, so it would be a miss not to taste the ice cream made from freshly picked garden strawberries, fresh milk, eggs, and a few other ingredients. Enjoying strawberry ice cream in the chilly weather of Da Lat seems to enhance the deliciousness and appeal as the fresh sweetness of strawberries blends with the cool taste of ice cream and the earthy flavors. If in doubt, try visiting Phan Dinh Phung Street to experience this intriguing sensation yourself.
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Source: Travel Guide Mytour – By: VnExpress
MytourMarch 11, 2016
