Buzz
Dong Hoi, a city in Quang Binh province (formerly known as Dong Hai), has long been renowned for its diverse and unique culinary scene. In addition to enjoying local delights on the spot, Dong Hoi offers exquisite gifts like Tan An rice paper, germinated sweet potatoes, Vo Xa wine, and more.
Discover the top 5 Dong Hoi specialties that make unforgettable and affordable gifts with PasGo!
1/ Dong Hoi Shrimp Paste Specialty How is Dong Hoi Shrimp Paste made?
Ruốc sauce is Dong Hoi's specialty made from ruốc, a 10-legged crustacean resembling a small shrimp, locally known as 'tép', 'mọi', or 'khuyết'. To prepare the sauce, take 1 part salt, 5-7 parts fresh ruốc, marinate for about a day, squeeze out excess water, and sun-dry the ruốc. Grind the dried ruốc into a fine powder, mix well in a jar, and sun-dry until the sauce emits a fragrant aroma, ready for use.
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Ruốc Sauce from Dong Hoi – Dong Hoi's specialty that captivates tourists.
Ruốc Sauce – Dong Hoi's specialty, how to enjoy it deliciously?
Dong Hoi's concentrated ruốc sauce has a unique, non-fishy aroma, ideal for dipping with vegetables, pickles, tomatoes, boiled meat, noodles, rice cakes, or mix the ruốc sauce with garlic, chili, sugar, and lime for a delightful meal.
Priced at approximately 70,000 VND for a 500g jar.
2/ Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes from Quang Binh
Dehydrated sweet potatoes – a delightful rustic dish made from sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes are a common and familiar dish across regions, prepared in various ways such as baking, frying, boiling, making soup, cooking sweet soup, baking cakes, or creating preserves. However, not everyone is acquainted with dehydrated sweet potatoes, a delicacy unique to Dong Hoi in Quang Binh.
Dehydrated sweet potatoes, a unique specialty from Dong Hoi, make an exclusive gift only found in Quang Binh.
The rich, sweet flavor of Quang Binh's dehydrated sweet potatoes is unforgettable.
Quang Binh's variety of sweet potatoes, with its red skin and ginseng-like shape, possesses a distinctively robust and sweet taste, unlike many others. Indulging in dehydrated sweet potatoes provides a delightful mix of novelty and familiarity, with the sweet, rich flavor melting on the tip of your tongue. Trying it once will make you 'addicted,' and you'll forever remember its unique taste.
Priced at approximately 130,000 VND per kilogram.
3/ Tan An Rice Paper
The traditional craft of making Tan An rice paper has been renowned for centuries.
When mentioning Tan An village in Quang Thanh commune (Quang Trach – Quang Binh), one immediately thinks of the art of making rice paper. No one knows exactly when the tradition of making rice paper in Tan An began, not even the elderly artisans within the village. All that is known is that this craft has been tightly woven into the village's name for hundreds of years.
Tan An Rice Paper - Dong Hoi's specialty has been a timeless gift tradition.
Tan An is renowned for its sesame-coated rice crackers and nem rice paper rolls.
Tan An rice paper comes in two main varieties: thick ones for baking, also known as sesame-coated rice crackers, and thin ones for rolling nem (rice paper rolls). The sesame-coated rice crackers offer a harmonious blend of the fragrant aroma of rice and the rich, nutty flavor of sesame seeds, while the nem rice paper has a savory taste, serving as the essential ingredient for creating exquisite rolls in the Gianh River region.
Priced at approximately 30,000 VND for a set of sesame-coated rice crackers and a bundle of nem rice paper.
4/ Bao Ninh Fish Sauce
Bao Ninh Fish Sauce is the traditional condiment of Quang Binh.
Bao Ninh commune, a coastal area in Dong Hoi city (Quang Binh), has a longstanding tradition of producing fish sauce. The people of Bao Ninh take pride in their abundance of seafood specialties, with the most distinguished being fish sauce made from anchovies. Locals share a poetic saying: 'Pure anchovy fish sauce, a spoonful is equivalent to a table full of value.'
When in Dong Hoi, don't forget to bring back Bao Ninh Fish Sauce as a gift.
Bao Ninh Fish Sauce – Quang Binh's renowned and fragrant specialty.
Bao Ninh Fish Sauce boasts a delightful blend of fragrance and sweetness, with a color reminiscent of top-grade honey. Even Dr. Rôda, the Director of the Pasteur Institute in Saigon, conducted a biochemical analysis in 1918, concluding that this handcrafted fish sauce is remarkably rich in protein. He recommended the consumption of this artisanal fish sauce.
Priced at approximately 40,000 VND per bottle (400ml).
5/ Lệ Thủy's Freshwater Shrimp Nets
Freshwater shrimp nets are Dong Hoi's delectable and rustic dish, originating from the land of Lệ Thủy.
Lệ Thủy, a district in Quang Binh province, has been renowned through generations for its delicious and traditional dish - freshwater shrimp nets. In the past, freshwater shrimp nets were a common and satisfying main dish during the cold season for farmers. Today, Lệ Thủy's freshwater shrimp nets have become a famous specialty of Dong Hoi with a well-established brand, sought after by tourists as a souvenir when visiting Quang Binh.
Lệ Thủy's freshwater shrimp nets exude a delightful aroma, offering a refreshing, sweet-sour, and richly spicy taste when savored.
Experience the robust and tangy flavor of Lệ Thủy's freshwater shrimp nets.
Freshwater shrimp nets are prepared similarly to shrimp paste or fermented shrimp sauce. However, the distinctive feature of Lệ Thủy's freshwater shrimp nets lies in its refreshing, slightly sour taste and enhanced aroma, achieved by blending with roasted rice powder instead of the salty and pungent characteristics found in other shrimp paste or fermented shrimp sauce varieties.
Priced at approximately 60,000 VND.
Where to buy Dong Hoi specialties? Are Dong Hoi specialties expensive?
For those looking to purchase Dong Hoi specialties as gifts, tourists can explore various locations such as:
Local markets in Dong Hoi: Nam Ly Market, Ba Don Market (Quang Trach), Hoan Lao Market (Bo Trach), Vo Xa Market (Quang Ninh), and more.
Supermarkets: Quang Binh Specialty Supermarket – Rose City; Central Region Specialty Supermarket – Quang Land; 24h Specialty Supermarket; Coopmart Quang Binh…
As mentioned earlier, the price of each Dong Hoi specialty is quite affordable, suitable for many budgets.
In addition to the five mentioned specialties from Dong Hoi, there are many other delicious local specialties such as seaweed ramen, cassava and river shrimp dumplings, Quang Hoa-style crispy pancakes, and famous Quang Binh tourist attractions like the surreal Quang Phu sand dune ground, the long story of the Tam Toa church bell tower, the stunning Nhật Lệ sea gate, where the Mother Suot statue stands, symbolizing the heroic Vietnamese woman.
Which mode of transportation is advisable for traveling to Quang Binh?
The best solution for traveling to Quang Binh is to take a train to Dong Hoi Station. Dong Hoi Station is conveniently located in the heart of Dong Hoi city, serving as a central stop for all passenger trains traveling on the North-South route.
Follow the PasGo Blog – Regional Specialties to explore more about Vietnamese specialties or simply gain insights on buying Vietnamese specialties as gifts. Cheers!
-Phuong Thuy-
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