Buzz
Have you ever wondered, beyond the revered seafood and sacred sour fermented pork rolls, what other intriguing specialties Thanh Hoa has to offer? If you find yourself here during the summer, visit this spot to answer that curiosity.
Forget about sour fermented pork rolls; when on a Thanh Hoa summer tour, experience this exceptional variety of dishes
Similar to Vung Tau in the South, Thanh Hoa is a familiar coastal destination for Northern families. Famous beaches like Sam Son, Hai Tien, Tinh Gia attract millions of visitors each year due to their proximity and budget-friendly options, catering to a wide audience.
Ever wondered, beyond the revered seafood and sacred sour fermented pork rolls, what other intriguing specialties Thanh Hoa has? If you're on a Thanh Hoa summer tour, visit Church Street to answer that curiosity. The entire street filled with the aroma of grilled shrimp paste and Thanh Hoa-style grilled meat will immediately satisfy the hunger of the entire family.
The most bustling shop in the entire street is named Thao Muoi. For several years, the shop has been selling three dishes: shrimp paste sausage, grilled meat noodles, and pillow cakes. Among them, shrimp paste sausage is the most popular choice.
A unique twist to the renowned Binh Dinh shrimp paste pancake, Thanh Hoa locals use a blend of ground sea shrimp and pork belly instead of wrapping the whole shrimp in rice paper. Originally, the shrimp's color is orange-red, but to enhance its allure, they use a natural color from pumpkin skin. The mixture of shrimp, meat, and spices is rolled in pho noodle sheets and grilled over a charcoal stove.
With the sea nearby and abundant sea shrimp, there's no debate about the deliciousness of this dish, even though the preparation is relatively simple. Over time, locals have also created a crispy-fried version of the shrimp paste pancake, but this choice is not exceptionally outstanding according to personal reviews.
If you're a fan of dipping and love plenty of sauce, you'll be amazed by the 'sauce bowl' here. It's still the sweet and sour fish sauce paired with typical Northern-style pickled vegetables, but enhanced with apple and served in a large bowl, you can take as much as you want.
Grilled meat noodles are also a good choice. Slightly different from the traditional marination for grilled pork noodles, the meat here is marinated with lemongrass. Tender, juicy, and sweet accurately describe the flavor of Thanh Hoa grilled meat, enjoyed with noodles and fresh vegetables, it will please the whole family.
Besides the two highlighted dishes above, there are also playful snacks for young people here, such as crispy fried sticky rice, fried sour fermented pork rolls, roasted quail, or pillow cakes. The quality only reaches an average level, perhaps made to diversify the choices for the eatery.
A satisfying lunch with shrimp paste pancake (35k/portion), grilled meat noodles (30k/portion), and fried sticky rice (30k/portion) is more than enough for exploring the culinary scene when traveling to Thanh Hoa. If you have more leisure time, you should also try banh xeo, porridge, or soup sold at nearby stalls. According to Thao Muoi's owner, those are also favorites among the locals.
Another impressive aspect, as perceived by the writer, is that the locals here are incredibly friendly and hospitable. The prices of the food are clearly listed for each dish, and there is no haggling despite Church Street selling similar types of food. Summer has arrived, and if there's not enough time to venture into remote areas, traveling to Thanh Hoa remains a worthwhile destination for families with many interesting things to offer.
According to Afamily
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourMay 16, 2019
