Explore Quang Ngai and savor 8 exquisite local specialties that are simply amazing!

The narrow strip of land in the Central region holds countless wonders waiting to be discovered, from destinations, cuisine to people. Stopping by Quang Ngai, even for a short while, always fills my heart with nostalgia for this beloved land.

Explore Quang Ngai and savor 8 exquisite local specialties that are simply amazing!

Quang Ngai offers travelers a sense of tranquility, slow-paced yet full of vitality. Whether it's the beautiful blue waters of My Khe beach, the bustling Dung Quat with its continuous chatter day and night, the winding roads with a few leisurely running vehicles, or the Sơn Mỹ memorial site recalling a heroic yet painful period in Quang Ngai's history. All contribute to the charm and allure of this region, enduring, genuine, and irresistibly attractive.

And have you discovered which famous local delicacies of Quang Ngai have left countless people enchanted? For me, it's definitely these 8 dishes...

Grilled Ram Meat - Nguyen Nghiem

I've heard that grilled meat wrapped in wild betel leaf has been a long-standing delicacy in Quang Ngai. Many travel guides and fellow adventurers rave about indulging in this dish on Nguyen Nghiem street. I'm starting to feel eager to try it out myself.

I must admit, I was utterly enchanted the moment I laid eyes on this grilled meat wrapped in wild betel leaf. The vibrant yellow hue of the wrap, the tantalizing aroma of shrimp, meat, and herbs, coupled with its crispy texture, left me utterly captivated. The beef wrapped in betel leaf here is substantial, not the petite portions found in Saigon. Just catching a whiff of the fragrant grilling station is enough to make my mouth water. To truly savor this dish, it must be accompanied by a plate of authentic Quang Ngai raw vegetables, featuring thinly sliced and elongated bitter bananas, basella alba, Vietnamese coriander, small lettuce leaves, and perilla leaves.

Mì Quang – Phan Boi Chau Street

To come all the way to Quang Ngai and overlook Mì Quang would be quite... remiss of me. Despite having sampled this iconic dish in other Central Vietnamese provinces like Da Nang, Hue, Hoi An, and Quang Nam, I couldn't resist the urge to see if there's anything different about Quang Ngai's rendition.

Lifting strands of chewy noodles with chopsticks, savoring the savory broth, and pairing it with crispy rice crackers – truth be told, Quang Ngai's Mì Quang isn't drastically different from its counterparts elsewhere in Central Vietnam. Yet, I find myself inexplicably drawn to it. Perhaps it's the warmth and hospitality that permeate this land?

Bò Hít – Corner of Tran Hung Dao and Phan Dinh Phung Street

Strolling along Trần Hưng Đạo Street, I couldn't resist peeking into the various eateries on both sides, wondering where I could 'join the fun.' Then, my eyes fixated on a dish resembling papaya salad from Saigon, and indeed it was, albeit under a different name – beef salad.

Each strand of green papaya, mixed with chili sauce, spices, and cilantro, became irresistibly enticing. The aroma of cilantro blended with the scent of fish sauce, the crispiness of papaya and carrots, the sweetness of beef jerky, and especially the spicy kick of chili made me tear up continuously, yet my hand couldn't stop grabbing because it was so delicious.

Banh Beo – across from Nguyen Nghiem School

Also known as one of the signature dishes of Central Vietnamese cuisine, I always wonder how Banh Beo from Hue differs from those in Da Nang, or if Banh Beo from Quang Ngai is tastier than those from Quang Nam. To answer that question, there's only one way... to personally taste every single type of Banh Beo.

Although resembling the small bowls of Hue-style Banh Beo, the shrimp-topped Banh Beo from Quang Ngai seems 'more abundant' due to its thicker layer and the creamy filling, creating a distinct characteristic of the dish. What caught my attention was the smooth and slightly fatty filling of this dish.

Made from shrimp but not dried out like the Hue-style Banh Beo, the filling is prepared from ground lean meat, finely chopped shrimp, and small diced wood ear mushrooms... all mixed together to create a very fragrant and delicious gravy. Don't forget the dipping sauce, deeply flavored with the characteristic tongue-tingling spice of Central Vietnamese cuisine, to make the dish even more exquisite.

Rice paper smacked - end of Truong Quang Trong street

Being a familiar dish to those who often travel to the central provinces, smacked rice paper might not be the top choice. But on a sudden hungry afternoon, indulging in this crispy yet chewy rice paper with a special dipping sauce is simply marvelous.

Tuna fish noodle soup

If my friend hadn't enthusiastically recommended it, I wouldn't have known how enticing Quang's tuna fish noodle soup is. It's simple, just some slices of fresh, fragrant tuna fish with fresh noodles and raw vegetables. The slightly sour taste of the broth, the intense spiciness of chili powder, along with a piece of fragrant and fatty braised tuna fish, all mixed with fresh noodles and raw vegetables.

That's all, but when I returned to Saigon bustling, I had to search the recipe online to make that 'magical' dish myself, but of course, I couldn't replicate the rich and intense flavor like the Quang's land noodle bowl.

Donut - Trần Hưng Đạo - Quang Trung crossroad

Some exotic dishes are just a name away from a vivid mental image, like the famed don dish from Quang Ngai. Upon trying it at a local eatery, I was surprised to find that the don dish consisted of a bowl of cloudy broth, housing several tiny don clams, a few scallions, and a crispy rice paper. It turns out don is the name of a type of clam similar to mussels, found where the Tra Khuc and Ve rivers meet the sea.

When someone orders the dish, the vendor scoops up some don clams, adds some scallions, cilantro, lightly toasted rice paper strips resembling Quang-style noodles, and ladles the hot broth over it all. As I received my steaming bowl of don, I followed suit like the locals, adding chili paste and breaking the rice paper into the soup. With each spoonful of the broth-soaked rice paper, I savored the fragrant, sweet broth, the crispy rice paper, and the spicy kick of the chili, pepper... utterly delicious.

Sucking Snails - Nguyen Nghiem

In the slightly chilly breeze of Quang Ngai, nothing beats indulging in sucking snails. These snails, as small as a thumb, pack a punch with their spicy, fragrant blend of chili, lemongrass, becoming more addictive with each bite. Moreover, the fun of sucking the snails out adds to the allure of this dish, making it immensely popular.

According to Yan.vn

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