Explore the Enchanting Delicacies of Quang Ninh

Cà sáy, a crossbreed duck native to Tiên Yên town, brings a myriad of superior qualities due to its dual avian heritage. The Tiên Yên version boasts firm, flavorful meat that is neither tough nor gamey. Prepared in various ways such as boiling, grilling, and porridge, Cà sáy, whether dried or grilled, is rich and succulent with a thick, golden, and crispy skin, delivering a delightful taste. Enjoy it on its own or paired with fragrant sticky rice.

Tiên Yên Hạ Long Cà sáy, boiled whole, is a favorite among many. After boiling, the duck is either sliced into pieces or hand-torn and drizzled with aromatic ginger fish sauce. The fish sauce adds a salty sea flavor that blends seamlessly with the gentle heat of local ginger. The subtle spiciness of ginger, coupled with the rich depth of Cái Rồng fish sauce, creates a distinctive flavor that is unparalleled.

Visitors to Tiên Yên will likely hear the local saying, 'Móng Cái pig, Đầm Hà girl, Tiên Yên chicken,' reflecting the fame and quality of Tiên Yên chicken. These local chickens roam freely on hills and mountains, foraging for insects like ants, termites, and beetles while perching in trees at night. Raised naturally, Tiên Yên chickens boast a unique taste. The meat is firm yet tender, sweet, and fatty. Another intriguing aspect of this Quang Ninh specialty is the small tuft of feathers beneath the beak of female chickens, earning them the nickname 'long-bearded chickens.' Despite the distance from Yên Tử, many tourists from Yên Tử tours willingly travel to Tiên Yên to savor this dish. Tiên Yên chicken is prepared in various styles: boiled, fried, grilled, steamed with lime leaves, and more.

Razor Clams, also known as sea worms or beach worms, are plentiful in Vietnam, particularly in Quang Ninh, especially in Van Don district. These reddish-brown creatures resemble earthworms, with tiny, thread-like grooves on their bodies, larger in size, and filled with sandy innards. Considered a marine ginseng, razor clams are highly regarded for their health benefits.

Razor clams are rich in protein, containing essential amino acids and various minerals, making them a highly nutritious food. They boast 17 mineral elements and 18 types of amino acids, including 8 irreplaceable ones crucial for the human body.

Ranked as the most exquisite dish on Quan Lan Island, this nutritious delicacy is known for its cooling properties, benefiting the Yin, relieving heat, cooling the lungs, and improving spleen function. It is often used to treat conditions such as internal heat, afternoon fever, night sweats (common in diseases like pulmonary tuberculosis and joint tuberculosis), among many other health benefits.

This precious and sought-after dish, despite its high cost, is considered well worth the price. The meticulous preparation involves cleaning out the innards to ensure a smooth texture. Fresh razor clams stir-fried with celery offer a sweet, crisp taste, but the ultimate indulgence is fried razor clams, boasting an irresistible, rich flavor. It is a frequent highlight at Quang Ninh gatherings and feasts.

Ha Long Squid Cake originated in 1946, crafted by the skilled hands of Chef Tai Le, a chef from a foreign restaurant during the French colonial period. Over the years, this squid cake has evolved into a traditional, flavorful dish beloved by locals, passed down through generations. With the growth of tourism in the province, Ha Long Squid Cake has become one of Ha Long's signature specialties, renowned both nationally and internationally.

Ha Long Squid Cake is exceptionally delicious, with a unique taste that sets it apart from squid cakes elsewhere. This distinct flavor comes from the primary ingredient - squid that thrives in the waters of Ha Long. Locals assert that only squid from Ha Long's waters possesses such sweet, tender meat; no other region can compare. Perhaps it is this uniqueness that has allowed Ha Long Squid Cake to endure and gain such widespread fame.

To create the delectable Ha Long Squid Cake, chefs meticulously select the finest ingredients. The squid must be fresh and lively, with small spots still moving on their bodies, thick flesh, yellow liver, and black eyes. This meticulous selection process is no easy feat, requiring years of culinary experience to perfect the dish's quality.

Best enjoyed while still warm, tourists often purchase Ha Long Squid Cake directly from the oven. It is common to buy extra to take home as a gift for friends and family. Locals typically pair the squid cake with sticky rice and rice rolls, dipped in flavorful fish sauce for a delicious and unique experience. If you find yourself in the charming coastal city of Ha Long, don't forget to savor and bring home this renowned specialty for your loved ones and friends.

As one of the signature dishes of the Ha Long culinary scene, Crab Noodle Soup is a must-try for visitors to this region. Unlike dried razor clams or seaweed, this dish is widely known for its fantastic male crab flavor. Looking like shrimp but with more legs, crabs typically bury themselves in sand or crevices between rocks, feeding on smaller crustaceans and even fish. The quality of crab is renowned for its aromatic and nutritious meat.

Crab meat contains a variety of nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Iron, and a good balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 for immune health. There are various dishes made from crab, including crab noodle soup, salt-grilled crab, steamed crab, stir-fried crab, and crab soup. Also known as mantis shrimp, crab meat is firm, aromatic, sweet, and nutrient-rich. However, due to its thick shell, extracting crab meat can be quite challenging. Many tourists who enjoy crab hesitate due to the shell. Thus, creative variations, like pre-peeled crab served in a bowl of noodles, have become popular, easily winning over customers.

Ha Long Crab Noodle Soup is famous for its unique preparation method, always using the freshest crabs just caught. This particular type of mantis shrimp is special because when it goes bad, the meat breaks apart and cannot be extracted. Therefore, to ensure a delicious bowl of noodles, the restaurant owner must be extremely selective. This seafood breakfast is perfect for those unhurried mornings, strolling along seaside streets, breathing in the sea breeze, and enjoying a bit of sunshine. Then, stopping at a local breakfast spot, savoring a bowl of crab noodle soup. From the distinct aroma of the broth to the freshness of the crab, it's an unforgettable experience. Unless frozen crab is used in the winter, it loses about 7 to 8 parts of its deliciousness. So, don't miss the chance to treat yourself to a fresh bowl of Ha Long Crab Noodle Soup, a true specialty of Ha Long!

Móng Cái Oyster Delight is most favored in its raw form. The oyster is washed under running water to remove sand, and then the shells are split and arranged on a plate with fresh lime, herbs, chili sauce, and more. When eating, diners squeeze fresh lime over the oyster for a refreshing taste. The sweet, plump oyster meat combined with the tangy, spicy, and savory flavors creates a delightful culinary experience. Although this eating style may seem challenging, it is favored by those with adventurous palates. However, it requires a good appetite and the selection of fresh oysters for the best experience. Grilling oysters offers a different flavor but remains a simple preparation method.

Place the oysters on red hot charcoal, allowing them to cook until slightly firm and infused with a smoky flavor. Dip them in salt, accompanied by lime and chili. It is best enjoyed hot, directly from the grill, savoring the bubbling sounds of the oyster's juices inside the shell. For a change of taste, grilled oysters with spring onions or ginger offer a slightly pungent yet rich and fatty flavor. The presentation includes vibrant green spring onions, golden brown ginger, and small squares of melted fat spread over the succulent oyster meat. Steaming oysters offers a bit more variety, whether steamed with lemongrass, wrapped in betel leaves, or steamed with ginger.

Lemongrass or ginger, pounded and finely chopped, is added to the oysters before steaming. Eating each piece of oyster releases the aroma of the accompanying spices, creating a unique experience. However, this is how oysters are enjoyed at crowded seafood stalls, popular eateries along the coast of Ha Long and Mong Cai. In these places, people prefer simple, on-the-spot preparations. In restaurants, chefs are more skillful in creating unique and diverse oyster dishes. When satisfied but still craving this renowned dish, you can conclude your feast with sour oyster soup, combining the delicious oyster meat with a sweet and tangy broth. Or a bowl of oyster porridge, even when eaten hot, still captures the fresh and pure taste of the sea. When in Mong Cai, don't forget to savor a bowl of oyster porridge or other delightful oyster dishes!

Stir-fried noodles, originally a simple dish, become a specialty when combined with black clams. Black clams are a unique type of seafood, known for both their name and nutritional value. Within black clams, there is a full spectrum of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, and essential minerals. Black clams are considered a cool, nutritious, and healthy food suitable for all ages, highly favored and consumed in the market.

To create the fragrant and delicious stir-fried noodles with black clams, besides the two main ingredients, noodles and black clams, additional ingredients such as wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, dried onions, peppercorns, cooking oil, coriander, and spices are needed. This dish is quite popular in the areas around the Chanh River and the town of Quảng Yên in Yên Hưng district, Quảng Ninh province. The white strands of noodles, along with the fragrant wood ear mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms, stir-fried with black clam meat, create an aromatic experience. Black clams, a marine mollusk living in brackish and saline water, have a distinctive, slightly pungent smell that might be overwhelming for those unaccustomed to it. Black clams are known to have excellent health benefits for men.

During the chilly winter season, to refresh the taste of daily meals, Quảng Yên stir-fried noodles with black clams are a special choice for every family member. It not only ensures nutritional value but also adds a cozy feeling to the meal. This dish stands out on the dining table, not mixed with any other dish. Stir-fried noodles with black clams are also a great suggestion for Tet feasts when welcoming guests. Despite its simple appearance with the white color of the noodles and the black of the clams, complemented by wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and scallions, once tasted, people will remember the delicious flavor with the unique and lingering taste of black clams that not every dish can achieve. It leaves a lasting impression of the delicious dish that, every time one thinks of Quảng Yên, recalls the taste of the sea from this coastal region.

Sam, a species of crab, has a hard shell and typically lives in pairs, with males clinging to the backs of females, hence the folk saying, 'stuck together like sam.' However, when catching sam, people also catch them in pairs, as solo sam, or 'so,' is often called, can be toxic and cause poisoning due to its high toxicity.

Sea sam is a type of seafood that only exists in the wild, and it cannot be cultivated. When caught and brought ashore, it can only survive for up to three days. This poses a challenge for those involved in catching and trading sam. To enjoy dishes made from sam, mention must be made of Quảng Yên Sam. The sea sam here is not only famous for its large size and firm meat but also for the meticulous processing that sets it apart from other places.

Previously, sam did not receive as much attention as crabs or squid, but nowadays, sam has become a highly attractive dish. Sam can only survive in natural, non-artificial conditions, making sea sam increasingly precious. Fragrant, delicious, and with a deep-sea flavor are words used to describe sea sam. However, chefs must be extremely careful in processing it; otherwise, it may still contain toxins and be extremely dangerous.

Dishes made from sam, such as sam blood pudding, sam salad, stir-fried sweet and sour sam legs, stir-fried with lemongrass and chili, crispy fried sam eggs, grilled sam, battered fried sam cartilage, lemongrass-stuffed sam, grilled sam with betel leaves, sam stir-fried with glass noodles... Sam has a cold nature, so when paired with hot spices, it enhances the rich flavor of the dish. Sam meat contains many nutritious substances, is cooling in nature, so when eating, it must be accompanied by hot spices to avoid bloating and fullness. Care is taken in the removal of the intestines and liver of sam during preparation, as the internal organs are toxic. Stir-fried sam with betel leaves is common and most pleasing to diners, with a flavor that is hard to describe.

If Uong Bi has the specialty of Yen Tu apricot wine, Quang Yen has hanging gourd, Tien Yen has local chicken, then Hoanh Bo is renowned for its delicious and nutritious porcupine meat. Although not a traditional dish of the ethnic groups in Hoanh Bo, porcupine meat is a special and representative dish in this mountainous district.

Therefore, for those who have visited this place but have not tasted dishes made from porcupine meat, they cannot truly say they have been to Hoanh Bo. Most restaurants and eateries offer porcupine meat dishes with a diverse menu of over a dozen different dishes, such as porcupine deep-fried, pan-fried tenderloin, stir-fried rolls, red wine sauce, and more. The marinated meat ingredients are hand-prepared by the chefs according to their unique recipes, giving the dishes a distinctive and delicious flavor.

Porcupines are wild animals that are now bred and raised for commercial purposes. Porcupine meat is high in nutritional value, delicious, and low in fat. In traditional medicine, porcupine meat is considered a remedy with significant effects in treating stomach pain, improving appetite, and enhancing digestive system function. Moreover, it has the ability to effectively enhance male vitality. Porcupines in Hoanh Bo are raised in a family model, and the most delicious and easiest to make dish is stir-fried with lemongrass and chili, a specialty of the mountainous region with a rich and intense flavor.

Round Bamboo Cake is one of the traditional dishes of the San Diu people. This fragrant and chewy cake is not just a snack or delicacy, but also a cake placed on the offering table during the festivals and holidays of the people in Quang Ninh. The unique name of the cake, made from a mixture of rice flour, sticky rice flour, roasted peanuts, and brown sugar in specific proportions, adds to its distinctiveness.

Round Bamboo Cake has a brownish-yellow color, with a layer of evenly sprinkled sesame seeds on top, making it delicious and visually appealing. Despite its seemingly simple appearance, the process of making this uniquely named cake is quite intricate and involves multiple stages. It is a characteristic delicacy of the people in Quang Ninh, serving as both a traditional offering and a traditional dish of the San Diu people in Quang Ninh during Tet and the arrival of spring.

The name sounds unusual and intriguing, with the round cake symbolizing the sacred connection between heaven and earth. This dish has become a specialty of the mining land, with a flavor that is not overly sweet, a soft texture on top with a slightly nutty sesame taste. Perhaps there are few people in Quang Ninh who are not familiar with this special cake. The best way to enjoy Round Bamboo Cake is when it has cooled, preventing it from becoming too overwhelming. It provides a unique and mildly sweet taste. For those looking to change things up, some people fry the cake on both sides. When enjoyed, you can feel the harmonious combination of the crispy and fragrant outer layer with the soft and flavorful inner part, featuring the spiciness of ginger, the sweetness of brown sugar, and the chewiness of peanuts and sesame seeds. This type of cake is widely sold in eateries near temples or local markets in the areas of Ha Long, Cam Pha, Van Don, etc.

Apricot wine has long been a familiar drink to the Vietnamese people due to its numerous health benefits. Easy to drink, mild in nature, with a sweet and fragrant apricot flavor, it is suitable for the taste buds of various age groups. As a result, apricot wine has become a common beverage for every family.

Yen Tu Apricot Wine originates from the historical and scenic land in Uong Bi City, Quang Ninh Province, known as the homeland of Vietnamese Buddhism. The sacred atmosphere and cool climate seem to make the Apricot trees here distinct from those in other regions of the country. Yen Tu Apricot Wine is always known for a product exclusive to this region. For a long time, the authentic Yen Tu Apricot Wine has been highly appreciated by consumers as a traditional product of the people of Quang Ninh.

Yen Tu Apricot Wine is a delightful aromatic wine favored by many international tourists. Carefully selected fresh apricots, absorbing the essence of the cool climate in the highlands of Yen Tu, are fermented with high-quality wine and sometimes honey, creating an enchanting experience for the soul. This apricot wine is known for its ability to treat coughs, difficulty breathing, asthma, edema, liver detoxification, expectoration, cooling, and providing the body with ample vitamin C when consumed in moderation. With low alcohol content, a slightly sour and sweet taste, even women can enjoy it. This type of wine, enjoyable when chilled, is reasonably priced and suitable for gifting or elegant ceremonies. The slightly sour taste and the aroma of honey blend together wonderfully, making it suitable for both men and women. Even young children can use a little when experiencing mild illness or a sore throat.

Quang Yen Sour Fermented Pork Roll and Fermented Rice Roll are familiar appetizers, but these two dishes in Quang Yen have a quite unique flavor. The fermented rice roll is made quite simple, but the key to its deliciousness lies in the dipping sauce. The rolls, wrapped in rice paper, are eaten with banana leaves, water spinach, perilla leaves, mint, and basil, then dipped in a bowl of sauce that combines sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors, creating an exquisite dish.

In recent years, many households have started to commercialize this type of food, with the quantity still quite limited. The motto 'delicious and clean' for family, relatives, and hygienic safety is prioritized. Therefore, this is also a dish that many people love, paving the way for new directions in the region's tourism development.

Sour Fermented Pork Roll is not only a local gift but also a must-try for international tourists whenever they visit Quang Yen. Over the years, this dish has maintained its unique and original flavor. In Quang Yen, there are many places that make and sell traditional sour fermented pork rolls, such as Mrs. Yen's rolls, Aunt Nụ's rolls, and Huy Tung's rolls...

However, perhaps Huy Tung's sour fermented pork rolls are sought after by many diners because of their incomparable taste. It has a unique combination of a rich, sour, and slightly salty taste of spices with the sweetness of the meat. To have these perfect rolls, enjoyable in every bite, the roll-makers must go through many stages, from selecting ingredients to preparing, wrapping, and fermenting the rolls. All these tasks require cleverness and certain secrets.

Quang Ninh is famous for Ha Long Bay, Yen Tu, Co To Island, and its cuisine, often mentioning grilled fish, shrimp, crab, and seafood. But perhaps the dish with the name Crispy Rice Pancake will leave a strong impression on you if you have the chance to visit Tien Yen. Tien Yen is a district that preserves many ancient cultural values, with beautiful landmarks. It is also the residence of Dao, Tay, San Diu ethnic groups with ancient features from houses to picturesque roads along winding rivers, likened to the ancient town of Hoi An (Quang Nam) in the Northern region. Here, the cuisine also creates beauty, simple but close and retains the culinary identity for visitors to explore and enjoy.

Crispy Rice Pancake is made from rice flour and looks similar to rolled cakes or pho. The process of creating the cake crust is quite elaborate. The rice is soaked overnight, drained the next morning, and then ground into water rice flour. It is quite strange that during the grinding process, people often add cold rice to make the cake surface fluffy, crispy, and smooth, which cannot be compared to other similar cakes.

Crispy Rice Pancake is like rolled cakes but tightly rolled, with no additional spices. It is only when eating dipped in delicious fish sauce, mingled with scallion oil. The dish is simple but makes diners 'mesmerized' by the soft cake harmonizing with the flavor of the dipping sauce. This type of cake is a common gift in my homeland Quang Ninh, simple, rustic, and pure.

It is passed down from the old days that the people of Tien Yen used to have rice cakes for breakfast but did not like fillings. They preferred the rich flavor from Tien Yen rice, the round rolled cake, soft and flexible, tilting up and down when held and dipped slightly in fish sauce. People praised it for its delicious taste, and that's how the name Crispy Rice Pancake originated. Nowadays, many places use rice flour grinding machines to reduce the laborious process of hand-grinding with stone mortars, so the rice cake lacks the rich flavor of Tien Yen rice flour. To have a delicious cake that retains the original flavor, it also requires curiosity and exploration.