Buzz
Discover the enchanting world of Nam Dinh's gastronomy through these 6 delectable local specialties that captivate every traveler's heart. Each dish carries a unique and exquisite flavor, making it hard for visitors to part with this charming region.
Embark on a PasGo journey to unravel the secrets behind Nam Dinh's culinary allure, and witness the magnetic appeal of these exceptional dishes.
1/ Nam Dinh's culinary scene is truly distinctive and remarkably diverse.
Nam Dinh, a land steeped in history, leaves an indelible mark with its rich cultural and spiritual values, boasting a diverse culinary heritage. Nam Dinh's specialties not only echo far and wide but also find mention in literature and poetry, highlighting the unique essence of its cuisine:
“The myriad flavors of Thanh Nam's cuisine
Sticky rice, sweet soups, pho, cakes, green bean cakes, and dumplings
No matter where you wander
This place leaves an indelible mark in the depths of the heart,”
Just a few verses are enough to convey the diversity and powerful impression that Nam Dinh's cuisine brings to diners.
2/ Irresistible specialties bearing the brand of Nam Dinh's local delicacies.
2.1/ Unique Delicacies from Y Yen, Nam Dinh When you think of the specialties of Y Yen, Nam Dinh, what famous dish comes to mind?
- Salted Pork Shank from Y Yen
Salted pork shank is a familiar dish for the people of Nam Dinh, enjoyed during Tet, weddings, or ancestral commemorations. To create delicious salted pork shank, the people of Nam Dinh go through a meticulous process: first, the bones are removed, then cleaned, seasoned with spices, and finally steamed to perfection. When eating the meat from the pork shank
- Mung Bean Cake from Y Yen
This cake is quite popular in Nam Dinh. Similar to the mung bean cakes from Hai Duong, the mung bean cake from Y Yen is made from main ingredients such as mung beans, sugar, pomelo oil, and lard for a natural richness. The mung bean cake from Y Yen is usually wrapped in attractive golden paper, making it a delightful gift from Nam Dinh for family and friends.
2.2/ Specialty of Nam Dinh City
- Nam Dinh Beef Pho
When in Nam Dinh, you absolutely cannot miss the renowned Nam Dinh Beef Pho, famous far and wide. Nam Dinh Beef Pho doesn't focus on appearance; it directly appeals to the diner's sense of taste through the chef's meticulous preparation. This dish always carries a unique flavor that is incomparable.
This distinctiveness creates a culinary allure, drawing diners to Nam Dinh. Nam Dinh Beef Pho features soft, small rice noodles that remain firm even when boiled, providing a rich, flavorful broth. The thinly sliced pieces of fresh and delicious beef add a complete taste experience.
- Nam Dinh Sticky Rice with Pork
Equally famous as Nam Dinh Beef Pho, Nam Dinh Sticky Rice with Pork leaves a lasting impression on diners. Made from high-quality glutinous rice, lap xuong (Chinese sausage), fish meat, and savory sauce, Nam Dinh Sticky Rice with Pork is a delicious and harmonious dish.
Price of Nam Dinh Sticky Rice with Pork: 15,000 VND/bowl.
- Nam Dinh Lychee Cake from Hai Hau.
Hai Hau Lychee Cake is a type of dry cake, often mistakenly thought to be made from lychee. However, the truth is different; Hai Hau Lychee Cake is crafted from the finest rice of Nam Dinh, combined with eggs, pork fat, and sugar. It is named lychee cake due to its resemblance to lychee, hence the name.
This delectable Nam Dinh cake is one of the standout specialties that travelers frequently choose as a thoughtful gift for friends and family.
2.3/ Specialty of Xuân Trường, Nam Dinh
- Nam Dinh Fish Salad
Nam Dinh Fish Salad is often prepared using various types of fish such as carp, catfish, tilapia, perch, gourami, and snakehead fish...
People usually choose large, moderately thick fish. Then, they scale and remove all the bones and skin. Next, a sharp knife is used to thinly slice the fish. After cutting, the fish is marinated with ginger and garlic to reduce the inherent fishy smell. The salad is served with sung leaves, tamarind flowers, basil, coriander, spearmint, and more. In many places, the fish salad is accompanied by finely sliced banana blossoms. Notably, the specialty of Nam Dinh Fish Salad must include lemongrass and ginger. To fully enjoy the dish, it is recommended to eat it with Nam Dinh's dipping sauce.
- Kiên Lao Wine
To experience the finest Kiên Lao wine, you must visit Xuân Kiên or Xuân Tiến commune in Xuân Trường district to purchase an authentic Kiên Lao wine bottle. The main ingredient of this wine is yellow flower sticky rice. Brewed according to traditional recipes, Kiên Lao wine is considered one of the most outstanding specialties of Xuân Trường, Nam Dinh.
2.4/ Specialty of Nghĩa Hưng, Nam Dinh
- Nhệch Salad
To create a delicious Nhệch Salad, the chef carefully selects large, fatty, glossy, and green-backed nhệch. During preparation, particular attention is paid to the nhệch's skin, as this species has a considerable amount of mucus on the outside, which can make it slippery and affect the ingredient processing and cooking process. Nhệch Salad is usually served with aromatic herbs, sung leaves, wild betel leaves, star fruits, chili, and sung...
This Nam Dinh delicacy is similar to fish salad, and to enhance its flavor, it is recommended to dip it in the special dressing for Nhệch Salad. This way, the dish will be much more delicious and authentic.
- Fragrant tám Rice
In Nam Dinh, people not only know about the specialty of Fragrant tám Rice in Nghĩa Hưng but also recognize tám Rice from Hai Hau.
Fragrant tám Rice from Nghĩa Hưng is not only sticky but also intensely aromatic, considered a precious specialty of Nam Dinh.
2.5/ Specialty of Nam Dinh Gai Cake
When mentioning gai cake, you might immediately think of Hai Duong, but Nam Dinh also boasts its own delightful gai cake. This Nam Dinh specialty originates from Lộc Hạ commune, Nam Dinh City. The filling of Nam Dinh gai cake is made from mung beans, lotus seeds, glutinous rice, and wrapped in banana leaves. When eaten, the cake is chewy, rich, fragrant, and slightly gritty. Due to the absence of preservatives, Nam Dinh gai cake has a shelf life of only about 2-3 days. Therefore, it is best to purchase this local specialty as a gift when traveling nearby.
This gai cake can last for quite a long time, approximately 3 to 4 months, without spoiling. Hence, many Nam Dinh tourists choose it as a special gift to send to relatives and friends at home.
3/ Review of Local Specialty Vendors in Nam Dinh
Each type of Nam Dinh specialty is available at numerous different locations, such as:
While exploring Nam Dinh, you can easily indulge in these delightful Nam Dinh specialties along the streets or alleys.
For Nam Dinh beef pho, consider visiting Pho Xuyen on Van Nhan alley, Pho Dan on Hai Ba Trung street, or Pho Cu Tang on Hang Tien street. If you're craving Nam Dinh gai cake, you can stop by Ba Thi's shop to bring some as a gift.
Typically, each location has its unique specialties, so finding places that offer Nam Dinh specialties is as simple as pinpointing your preferred dish and distinguishing between each place's characteristics. It's relatively straightforward.
Delicious Nam Dinh specialties await your discovery, so why not visit Thanh Nam region. You can also explore more regional specialties across Vietnam on the PasGo blog.
_ Khanh An _
Insider Tips for 'Blood and Bones' when buying Vietnamese specialties as gifts
Top 4 most delicious Vietnamese gai cakes and where to buy them
Dinh Bang Sticky Rice Cakes – Authentic 1000-year-old Northern Vietnamese Specialty
