Buzz
A dish revered as a specialty of Đà Nẵng, on par with mì quảng, bánh xèo, bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo… that no traveler can afford to overlook during their exploration journey in Đà Nẵng, that's Cầu Mống grilled beef.
Where does Cầu Mống grilled beef come from?
Cầu Mống grilled beef traces its origins back to a small village along National Highway 1A in Điện Phương commune, Điện Bàn district, Quảng Nam province, about 20km from the city center of Đà Nẵng. Many tourists passing through here are often amazed to see numerous stalls displaying marinated beef thighs outside, which look very enticing and appealing. In the past, the beef was grilled over pine wood, giving it a fragrant and sweet taste. It was grilled carefully to avoid burning while maintaining the pink color of the meat. Nowadays, beef is grilled over charcoal, yet Cầu Mống grilled beef remains a time-honored tradition and has become a specialty of Đà Nẵng.
The art of preparing Cầu Mống grilled beef in Đà Nẵng
According to the experience of the veterans, to make delicious beef, one must first select a young beef weighing around 40-50kg. After trimming and cleaning, the beef is skewered onto long iron rods and placed horizontally over the glowing charcoal to grill.
The art of grilling beef is almost like a traditional secret and nowadays, few can master it, thus creating a unique culinary flavor with strong local characteristics. Before the beef is taken out of the oven, it must reach two layers of medium-rare and well-done meat, while the skin must be transparently cooked, crispy, and tender.
Indulge in Cầu Mống grilled beef in Đà Nẵng
When eating, diners need to chew thoroughly to fully appreciate the harmonious blend of various spices and create unforgettable memories of this region.
Cầu Mống grilled beef is also renowned for being served with raw vegetables and special fish sauce. The fish sauce is typically selected from regions famous for their fish sauce production, mixed with ingredients like garlic, chili, and ginger for a flavorful experience. The selection of accompanying vegetables is diverse, including basil, perilla leaves, lettuce, young mustard greens, pickled starfruit, thinly sliced bitter melon, coriander, mint, basil, and bean sprouts... The dipping sauce must be made from premium fish sauce produced from anchovies and mackerel caught off the coast of central Vietnam. After pressing and filtering, fresh garlic, chili, ground ginger, toasted sesame seeds, and lime are added to achieve the perfect balance of flavors.
To indulge in Cầu Mống grilled beef in Đà Nẵng, one must eat it with a variety of fresh vegetables from the countryside along with thin rice paper dipped in premium fish sauce. Sometimes, to add more variety, diners can order additional cuts of beef such as beef tendon, beef belly, beef rump, or skin... according to their preference. Holding a piece of thin rice paper, adding a few raw vegetables, slices of starfruit and papaya, placing a piece of grilled beef, then adding some grilled rice paper... rolling it all up, dipping it into the fish sauce, the delicious taste spreads from the tip of the tongue to the back of the throat.
Due to the fame of this dish, many restaurants in other provinces also use the name 'Cầu Mống grilled beef' to name their own grilled beef dish. However, to enjoy the most delicious and authentic Cầu Mống grilled beef, one can only find it in the original location of Cầu Mống.
Perhaps due to the unforgettable taste of Cầu Mống grilled beef – a specialty of Đà Nẵng, and the fame of this Quảng specialty dish, various 'reinterpretations' of the dish have also emerged in many places. To truly savor the authentic flavor of Cầu Mống grilled beef, diners need to seek out reputable restaurants or those cooked by authentic Quảng Nam chefs.
