The Finest Culinary Delights of Phu Quoc Island

Visiting the pearl of Phu Quoc not only offers breathtaking natural scenery but also boasts a wide array of renowned local specialties. You can choose to indulge in them right away or purchase them as gifts.

Explore: Phu Quoc Travel Guide from A to Z Handy Tips

Chou Chou Peanut

Chou Chou Peanuts, a renowned delicacy of Phu Quoc, has been expertly roasted and sold at the Duong Dong Night Market for over 15 years. While a common snack for locals, it offers a unique and delightful experience for tourists.

Chou Chou Peanuts of Phu Quoc

Visit the night market to sample the product for free. Presently, Chou Chou peanuts come in over 30 flavors such as cheese, chili salt, coconut, durian, matcha, etc. Tourists can easily choose their preferred flavors or buy them as gifts for family and friends. Sweet Chou Chou flavors like melon, mango, caramel, etc., are suitable for women and children. Alternatively, savory Chou Chou flavors such as shrimp salt, garlic chili, pepper, sesame, tomyum, etc., make for a perfect appetizer to enjoy with drinks and conversations.

Today, numerous companies produce this type of peanuts to compete, but the original product with the French logo can be found at its source. You may even meet the French owner at the shop.

DOMINIQUE SAMARINE CO., LTD:

• Address: Phu Quoc Night Market, Duong Dong Town, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang
• Price: From 35,000 VND.
• Phone number: 0943 653 872
• Directions to the store on Google map

Phu Quoc Bird's Nest

Bird's nest, known by the folk name or swiftlet nest, is a famous food found where swiftlets inhabit. The bird's nest is crystallized from the saliva produced by the pair of glands under the swiftlet's tongue. This is one of the eight luxurious foods or 'bát trần' that has long been used by kings and queens in banquet, given as gifts to each other, considered as a valuable gift with various functions:

• Women:  Enhance skin beauty, make the skin rosy, prolong longevity, stimulate cell growth and rejuvenation.
• Elderly: Supplement nutrients to help the elderly nourish and restore health.
• Women before and after childbirth: Reduce stress, fatigue, prevent nutrient deficiency during pregnancy, supplement valuable nutrients to promote healthy fetal development.
• Children: Stimulate digestion, help children have a better appetite.
• Patients: Restore health for newly recovered individuals, postoperative patients.

A reputable address for tourists visiting Phu Quoc is Phu Quoc Bird's Nest located at 136 Nguyen Trung Truc, Duong Dong.

The products here include: raw bird's nest, refined bird's nest,… suitable for gifts, Tet gifts,… or purchase as highly nutritious food for the family. The bird's nest here is specially raised on Phu Quoc Island.

Especially, there are pre-prepared mixed dishes: Lotus seeds, chia seeds, red apples,… priced at 50k/jar.

PHU QUOC SWIFTLET

• Address: 136 Nguyen Trung Truc, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc
• Hotline: 0297.2222.252
• Zalo: 0796964545
• View on Google Maps
• Website:yenphuquoc.vn

Phu Hai Cuttlefish Cake - The Essence of Phu Quoc Island

Despite the availability of cuttlefish cakes elsewhere, none match the distinctive flavor and texture of Phu Quoc. Phu Hai Cuttlefish Cake, Special Type, is made from fresh cuttlefish sourced from the nutrient-rich sea, finely ground to blend with traditional flavors. You will have a completely different experience when trying this cuttlefish cake for the first time, with its rich flavor and crispy yet chewy texture.

Phu Quoc's Phu Hai brand cuttlefish cake boasts a unique flavor not found elsewhere

This product offers a sweet, aromatic, rich, creamy, and tender taste, yet not overwhelming. Crispy on the outside, golden brown on the inside, smooth and white within, with a rich seafood aroma that melts in the mouth... All these qualities make even the most discerning diners impressed.

This has contributed to the reputation of Phu Hai cuttlefish cake in particular and Phu Quoc cuttlefish cake in general. Consequently, this product has become a highly favored specialty, often purchased for enjoyment or as a gift. If you visit Phu Quoc and haven't sampled this dish yet, you can't say you've had a complete trip.

At Phu Hai cuttlefish cake store, customers can also savor dishes like Cuttlefish Sticky Rice and Steamed Rice Cakes with Cuttlefish.

Enjoy Cuttlefish Sticky Rice for only 50k per serving

Savor Cuttlefish Steamed Rice Cakes for just 50k per serving

Contact Information:

• Branch 1: Kiosk 1-2, Duong Dong Market, Duong Dong Town, Phu Quoc City, Kien Giang: Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/Xk6qgA8sYEsyHoCH7
• Branch 2: Opposite 98 Bach Dang, Phu Quoc Night Market, Phu Quoc City, Kien Giang: Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/GcPwY3BEH2mh52Xp9
• Website: phuhai.vn
• Phone: 0979451081/ 0965211700
• Opening Hours: From 7 AM to 10:30 PM daily

Trich Fish Salad

Trich fish salad is a famous and delicious specialty of Phu Quoc Island. When you visit Phu Quoc, you will have the opportunity to enjoy this highly praised specialty dish. To make the best salad, fresh fish and the right spices are essential. Thinly sliced trich fish is marinated in vinegar and lime juice to remove any fishy smell. Crushed roasted peanuts, clean chili peppers, and onions are arranged on a plate. Then, the marinated fish is mixed with spices, wrapped in rice paper, and enjoyed with authentic Phu Quoc fish sauce that you cannot resist.

Thinly sliced trich fish is the highlight of Phu Quoc's specialty dish (Photo: ST)

Wrapped in rice paper with plenty of fresh herbs (Photo: ST)

Sea Cucumber

Sea cucumbers, also known as Sea Slugs, have a peculiar appearance but are nutritious delicacies mainly favored by men. Despite their prickly exterior, enthusiasts are willing to clean the spikes to extract the rich and fatty meat inside. Eating sea cucumbers is relatively simple; after the initial preparation, the sea cucumbers are grilled over charcoal until cooked.

Once cooked, you can dip the meat in a mixture of salt, chili, and lime juice for immediate enjoyment. Sea cucumber meat is rich, sweet, and nutritious, providing quick replenishment and revitalization, making it a favorite among seafaring men.

Phu Quoc boasts the unique delicacy of Sea Cucumbers (Photo: ST)

Savory and Nutritious Sea Cucumber Meat (Photo: ST)

Tram Mushroom

While in Phu Quoc, don't miss out on the specialty Tram Mushroom, harvested deep within the Tram forest. This mushroom species grows naturally and is very benign. Tram Mushroom, when combined with certain types of seafood, can be turned into nutritious and fragrant soups.

Once you've tasted a soup made with Tram Mushroom and seafood, you'll never forget its unique and unforgettable flavor. Especially after consuming Tram Mushroom, if you drink water immediately afterward, you'll experience a slightly bitter taste. Of course, it's not poisoning; it's a unique characteristic of Tram Mushroom.

Specialty Tram Mushroom in Phu Quoc (Photo: ST)

Scenic View of Tram Mushroom Seafood (Photo: ST)

Phu Quoc Tuna Cake Soup

Phu Quoc Tuna Cake Soup can be described as a popular local specialty, accessible to everyone for enjoyment. This dish is inclusive, attracting a constant flow of customers to eateries serving this delicacy in Phu Quoc. Whether inside or outside the eatery, diners are engrossed in their bowls of tuna cake soup, savoring the rich broth that's bursting with flavor. If you ever find yourself in Phu Quoc, be sure to give it a try.

Rice Cake Made from Flour (Photo: ST)

The delicious taste of white-meat tuna, grilled fish cake, and onions mixed with rice cake made from flour in a flavorful broth can be addictive to anyone. This specialty dish leaves you wanting more, as you're already thinking about having a second bowl before finishing the first one.

The Flavor of Rice Cake Can Be Addictive to the Palate (Photo: ST)

Phu Quoc Sticky Rice Cake with Honey

Banh Tet, a traditional dish well-known to people from Southern Vietnam, has a special version in Phu Quoc known as Phu Quoc Honeycomb Sticky Rice Cake. This cylindrical-shaped cake is carefully wrapped in layers of honeycomb leaves, requiring meticulous attention to ensure firmness without breaking. You can easily find this type of cake everywhere in Phu Quoc.

Glutinous rice, green beans, and pork fat are wrapped in honeycomb leaves, which provide the authentic flavor to the cake. Tourists visiting Phu Quoc often buy several pairs of these cakes to bring back home as gifts for their loved ones. It's a rustic yet delicious specialty.

Rustic and Delicious Phu Quoc Specialty (Photo: ST)

Cakes Displayed for Sale in Various Markets in Phu Quoc (Photo: ST)

Phu Quoc Sea Cucumber

The marine biodiversity of Phu Quoc Island is incredibly rich, harboring many rare and valuable species, and Sea Cucumber is one of them. Nowadays, Sea Cucumber in Phu Quoc is becoming increasingly rare, with fishermen often diving at night to depths of about 20 fathoms to catch them, making their value even higher.

Fresh Sea Cucumber, a Famous Phu Quoc Specialty (Photo: ST)

Sea Cucumber is sought after by many tourists in Phu Quoc because it is considered a 'miracle drug' beneficial for health, promoting blood circulation, and assisting with cardiovascular issues, high blood pressure, etc. Many men often buy it to soak in alcohol for vitality. Additionally, Sea Cucumber can be cooked into various delicious dishes such as: Stir-fried Sea Cucumber with Bitter Melon, Stir-fried Sea Cucumber with Mushrooms, or used in soups, and more.

Transformed into various enticing dishes (Photo: ST)

What Specialties Does Phu Quoc Have? – Stir-fried Dish Made from Sea Cucumber (Photo: ST)

Phu Quoc Crab Cake

This is a delicious dish that requires quite elaborate preparation. Steamed crab to extract the white meat inside, mix the crab meat with minced meat and seasonings. Clean the crab shell and stuff the meat inside, then steam or fry in hot oil. Crab cake should be served with some fresh vegetables, a squeeze of lime, and a sprinkle of black pepper for the authentic taste.

Pork meat stuffing intricately packed inside crab shell (Photo: ST)

Crab cake, often made by locals in Phu Quoc during Tet holidays, is a highly favored dish. When visiting Phu Quoc, you should indulge in this exquisite dish.

Specialty crab cake usually made for Tet holiday (Photo: ST)

Phu Quoc Sim Wine

One of the specialties that tourists often choose as gifts when visiting Phu Quoc is sim wine. Phu Quoc sim wine has the distinctive aroma of wild sim fruit, with a moderate alcohol content, distilled using traditional methods. The longer the wine is aged, the more intense and smooth its aroma becomes. Drinkers are easily captivated by this wine because of its gentle but deeply absorbing alcohol content.

Wild sim fruit used for wine fermentation (Photo: ST)

Wine fermentation using traditional methods (Photo: ST)

The result is a glass of rich red sim wine – a specialty of Phu Quoc (Photo: ST)

Specialty: Phu Quoc Shrimp Paste

Shrimp paste is not only a specialty but has long been a famous brand of Phu Quoc. This type of paste is made from shrimp, marinated with salt, sugar, vegetable oil, garlic, lemongrass, and chili. You can use shrimp paste to dip certain fruits or as a dipping sauce for some boiled dishes, the flavor is rich and ready to use.

Choosing this specialty as a gift when traveling is the best option, it's compact, convenient, and offers a novel taste experience. The price per jar of shrimp paste ranges from 25,000 to 50,000 VND depending on the size.

Shrimp paste used as a fruit dip (Photo: ST)

Shrimp paste becomes a famous brand of Phu Quoc (Photo: ST)

In addition, there are many other specialties for you to choose from, such as: Ham Ninh sea snails, grilled barramundi, barramundi rice, Phu Quoc fish sauce… Just hearing the names is already enticing. Experience to enjoy the quintessential features that only Phu Quoc has.

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