Buzz
The deep, salty waters of Cô Tô harbor a plethora of seafood varieties, making it a preferred choice for discerning consumers.
Embark on a culinary journey with Cô Tô's top 13 signature seafood delicacies, sourced from the bountiful seas.
1. Mực ống Cô Tô
Cô Tô's squid boasts thick, succulent flesh with a rich, oceanic flavor profile. Renowned for its freshness and expert preparation, it epitomizes the region's culinary excellence.
2. Exploring the Bounty of Sea FishCô Tô is home to a variety of nutrient-rich, firm, and flavorful sea fish. Some characteristic species include barramundi, tuna, mackerel, snapper, pomfret, bonito, ribbonfish, anchovy, lizardfish, catfish, and grouper. Fresh fish can be prepared into various dishes or transformed into sun-dried fish products, preserving their quality for extended periods.
Barramundi
3. Shrimp
Cô Tô shrimp is exclusively sourced from the island's natural fishing grounds. Due to its remote location, the shrimp here boasts the highest quality, consistently ranking among the top 10 most delicious seafood in Vietnam. Hence, shrimp is a favored Cô Tô seafood among tourists and locals alike.
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4. Razor Clam
Razor clam, also known as razor shell, horse mussel, boat shrimp, or hammer shrimp, is a must-try seafood when visiting Cô Tô. Razor clam meat is not only delicious but also rich in nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin B1, iron, omega-3, and omega-6. Its firm, succulent flesh lends itself well to various cooking methods including grilling, steaming, salt roasting, and tamarind sautéing.
Cô Tô Razor Shrimp
5. Sea Cucumber
The coastal waters of Cô Tô are highly conducive to cultivating sea cucumbers, including black, white, and golden varieties. Sea cucumbers not only offer delicious flavors but also boast high nutritional value. After thorough cleaning and soaking in brine, they are dried and thinly sliced for preservation. Sea cucumbers can be cooked in various dishes such as stir-fries with celery, mushrooms, or vegetables, especially soups and stews.
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6. Sea Urchin
Sea urchin is a seafood delicacy renowned for its incredibly enticing flavor and versatile preparation methods. Particularly, it can be enjoyed raw with wasabi and soy sauce. Live sea urchin is not only non-fishy but also rich and creamy, providing diners with a unique sensation. Aside from raw consumption, sea urchin can also be grilled with scallion oil or used in porridge.
Sea Urchin (sea hedgehog)
7. Abalone
Abalone is one of the eight exquisite dishes known as the “eight treasures,” a royal delicacy of high value. Abalone is not widely distributed, mainly found in Cô Tô but in a relatively small area. Abalone is often prepared in various dishes such as soups, stews, stir-fries, porridge, or combined with other ingredients, all of which offer highly enticing flavors.
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8. Scallop
Scallop, also known as sea scallop or mai conch, is an incredibly distinctive Cô Tô seafood. The scallop is essentially the muscle part that helps the shell of the conch become more flexible. Typically, there are two types of scallops with different colors and sizes. They are white scallops and pink scallops. Pink scallops are obtained from the spiny conch, a mollusk similar to oysters but larger in size. White scallops are obtained from the flat conch. This type of scallop is expensive and has a fragrant, softer taste.
Delicacies from scallops.
9. Sea Squirt
Sea squirt, also known as sea squirt or elephant trunk snail, is a specialty of Cô Tô Island. Sea squirt is mainly prepared raw with wasabi, grilled, with sauce, or cooked in porridge. Sea squirt offers a delicious aroma, sweet and refreshing taste, and crispy texture.
Sea Squirt
10. Razor Clam
Razor clam is one of the rare and precious seafood of Cô Tô, resembling earthworms in appearance. Razor clam is often used both fresh (in soups, stir-fries) and dried (roasted), both of which are delicious. A kilogram of dried razor clam is usually worth the equivalent of 1 gold tael. Razor clam has a natural sweet taste, so when cooking, there is no need to add sugar or MSG. Dried razor clam can be roasted with alcohol, dipped in chili sauce, or fried until crispy and used instead of dried shrimp in soup. Fresh razor clam can be stir-fried, fried, or cooked in soup.
Razor Clam
11. Sea Cucumber
The Spider Crab resembles a crab in appearance, but differs in its large claws and hard shell. Spider Crabs are often caught in rocky crevices near the shore when the tide recedes. They are popular for their abundant and flavorful meat in their claws. The body of the Spider Crab is stripped of meat and stir-fried with vermicelli, a favorite dish among Quang Ninh locals.
Spider Crab
12. Sea Cucumber
This is a characteristic seafood of Cô Tô, found in the coastal waters at the forefront of the homeland, with a breeding season lasting from October to February annually. Skillful cooking techniques are required to create delicious sea cucumber dishes, often prepared by experienced fishermen. After thorough cleaning, sea cucumbers are transformed into various dishes such as grilled sea cucumber cartilage, fried sea cucumber, stir-fried sea cucumber with vermicelli, and stir-fried sea cucumber with lemongrass and chili.
Sea Cucumber. Photo: Sang Sang/Vnexpress.
Delicacies from sea cucumbers.
13. Jellyfish
Jellyfish is dubbed the “white gold of Cô Tô” due to its high economic value. Jellyfish is primarily prepared as jellyfish salad. Cô Tô jellyfish salad is crispy, refreshing, and has a unique flavor unlike any other seafood. Each year, the jellyfish season lasts only from January to the end of April in the lunar calendar. If you have the opportunity to visit Cô Tô, don't forget to enjoy and bring home this special dish as a gift.
Translucent jellyfish.
Illustration Photo: Jellyfish Salad
Posted by: Nguyên Thành
Keywords: Top 13 signature seafood of Cô Tô representing the preeminent coastal area
