Top 10 Famous Specialties of Vĩnh Phúc

When visiting Vĩnh Phúc, tourists will savor the strong taste of sour snakehead fish in Lập Thạch. This is the most famous specialty of the region. The ingredients for making sour snakehead fish are simple, but the process is meticulous and requires the maker to be very sophisticated and meticulous. Unlike other dishes made from fish, sour snakehead fish in Lập Thạch has a very distinctive flavor that leaves an indelible impression on visitors.

With the salty taste of fish harmonized in a layer of rice bran, it creates a sour snakehead fish dish with the fragrant aroma of rice bran, the sour taste of fermented rice, and especially the pink color of the well-cooked fish meat. Sour snakehead fish is a delicious dish that cannot be missed in the meals of the locals here, leaving a deep impression on those who have had the chance to enjoy this famous dish of the beloved land of Lập Thạch. If you ever have the opportunity to visit this place, stop and fully enjoy the flavor of this dish!

'A feast of nine pigs and ten buffalo cannot compare to Dầu Đầm Vạc shrimp.' That is a very famous saying of the people of Vĩnh Phúc when it comes to this dish. Dầu Đầm shrimp is a naturally living fish that does not require complicated farming. When the fish is mature with a full belly of eggs, and the shrimp has new eggs, that is the best time to enjoy. Freshwater Shrimp in Dầu Đầm Vạc is a common dish that many people love and is very simple to prepare.

Dầu Đầm shrimp is often stir-fried or cooked in soup with sour vegetables or bamboo shoots. Nowadays, Freshwater Shrimp in Dầu Đầm Vạc not only appears in the daily meals of the locals but also is a favorite dish chosen by many guests in upscale restaurants and is increasingly mentioned more.

If Sour Snakehead Fish is the typical dish of Lập Thạch, pineapple is the characteristic fruit of Tam Dương district in Vĩnh Phúc province. Pineapple is the most cultivated fruit in Tam Dương district. Here, visitors can admire vast pineapple orchards. In the ripe fruit season, each pineapple tree seems to be adorned with a golden dress.

Tam Dương Pineapple has its own characteristics, such as being juicy, sweet, with pale yellow flesh and a refreshing sour taste. The Hướng Đạo pineapple has small fruits, crispy flesh, sweet taste, but the more you chew, the more you can feel the blend of sweetness and slight sourness in the mouth of those who enjoy it. This is the distinctive feature of Tam Dương pineapple compared to other varieties.

If you ever visit Vĩnh Tường district, Vĩnh Phúc after exploring the long stretches of golden sand, bathing in the vast green Vực Xanh lake surrounded by lush green grass, don't forget to taste the sugarcane molasses cake here. Sugarcane molasses cake is a specialty of the people of Vĩnh Tường.

Rice flour and sugarcane molasses are the main ingredients for making this cake. The cake flour must be ground from good quality glutinous rice without impurities. The molasses used for the cake must be from Tân An village - a long-standing molasses-making village in Vĩnh Tường district. The molasses is thick, with a fragrant aroma of grilled sugarcane, a deep red color, and the molasses grains stick firmly together. Perhaps, only by witnessing the process of making and tasting these cakes here can one fully appreciate the unique flavor that only Vĩnh Tường sugarcane molasses cakes can offer.

When visiting Tam Đảo, tourists will fully enjoy the pristine beauty and sacredness of the mountains and forests, along with the unique flavor of Tam Đảo mountainous specialties, including bottle gourd. With its favorable climate, Tam Đảo is the place where the most bottle gourd is grown in Vĩnh Phúc province.

Here, it's not hard to come across stalls selling fresh bottle gourds in various large and small markets, and dishes prepared from bottle gourd such as boiled bottle gourd shoots, stir-fried bottle gourd shoots, boiled bottle gourd fruits... are highly favored in restaurants and eateries. Bottle gourd carries a distinctive feature of Tam Đảo mountainous region that everyone remembers upon leaving.

For the people of Tây Đình, Gio cake is not a cake made for sale but a special treat crafted and shared during the Tet holiday. If you have the opportunity to visit the Tây Đình village during Tet, don't forget to savor this uniquely flavored cake.

In Tây Đình village, Tam Hợp commune, Bình Xuyên district, Vĩnh Phúc province, you will be introduced to the famous Gio cake. Although this type of cake is found in many places, the Tây Đình Gio cake surpasses others due to the distinct choice of ingredients, soaking method, wrapping, and traditional steaming process.

Each Gio cake is roughly the size of a pepper, longer than a finger, but it has to be continuously steamed for three hours to achieve its unique texture. After cooling, the cake is unwrapped, cut into translucent pieces resembling honey, and dipping them in a bit of honey enhances the flavor. One special aspect of the Gio cake-making process is the avoidance of oil or fat. From ingredients to utensils, everything must be free of oil or fat, as even a small amount can affect the texture of the cake, diminishing its characteristic deliciousness.

Ngọc Hoa Coconut Liquor is a highly distinctive type of alcohol from the rural area of Yên Lạc, Vĩnh Phúc, known for its name and unique flavor. Despite the abundance of delicious liquors in the market, Ngọc Hoa Coconut Liquor from Yên Lạc continues to be cherished for its special characteristics.

The distinctive feature of this liquor is the refreshing aroma of coconut when sniffed, and its mild sweetness when consumed creates an enjoyable and captivating experience. A bottle of Ngọc Hoa Coconut Liquor is an indispensable gift for anyone passing through this region.

Grilled Ants Nestle Beef is a unique specialty of Vĩnh Phúc. Pieces of beef weighing from 1-2kg are placed on large ant nests, enticing the ants to leave their nest and attack the meat. These pieces of meat are then washed with diluted saltwater, drained, and grilled over glowing charcoal.

When consumed, the flavor of each piece of meat varies because each type of ant imparts its own distinctive aroma: red weaver ants have a sour fragrance, black weaver ants have a dark fragrance, leafcutter ants have a sweet and spicy taste, and more. This dish is not only a specialty but also holds value in preventing and treating neurological and rheumatic diseases.

Four Yen Sweet Soup is a famous traditional dish dating back to the 6th century and was a favorite of the soldiers during the reign of King Ly Nam De. Despite its long history, Four Yen Sweet Soup continues to captivate any traveler stepping into Tu Yen, Lap Thach, Vinh Phuc.

Each piece of the silky smooth sweet soup, with the distinctive aroma of green beans and pomelo, is neatly arranged on the serving plate. Putting a piece into your mouth, you will experience a sweet taste with a hint of spiciness from the ginger, making it a delightful and non-cloying treat.

Tam Dao town boasts picturesque landscapes enveloped in mist throughout the year. People are captivated by Tam Dao not only for its enchanting beauty but also for its diverse culinary scene. Tam Dao Rolled Cake or rolled rice pancake is a popular dish, but its unique flavor is unparalleled in other regions.

Tam Dao Rolled Cake is made from thin sheets of rice batter rolled around a filling of lean meat and wood ear mushrooms. The dish can be accompanied by sweet and sour fish sauce, boiled meat, fried eggs, and more. Additionally, it pairs exceptionally well with grilled hill pork, considered a matchless delight.