Restaurants
1. Vermicelli with pickled fish leaves
Noodles with fish leaves are rustic but famous for their delicious taste. The soup used to make vermicelli is cooked from delicious fish from Hon Khoi Sea.
One of the secrets to bring out the delicious taste of vermicelli with fish leaves is that the broth is always clear and water is not cloudy. Tourists can eat vermicelli with raw vegetables and lettuce, small iron bananas mixed with bean sprouts, herbs, and melon. When you start eating, it is advisable to squeeze a little more lemon, add a little chili that is both hot, spicy and sweet to understand why such a simple dish has become familiar to local people. Here are some famous stalls to cook fish noodles in Nha Trang:
- Ba Thua fish noodle soup: 10A Phan Chu Trinh Street, Nha Trang
- Fish noodle soup - Ninh Hoa fish noodle soup: 170 Bach Dang Street, Nha Trang
- Cay Bang Fish Vermicelli: 06 Han Thuyen Street, Nha Trang
2. Ninh Hoa spring rolls (Nem Ninh Hoa)
Ninh Hoa fermented pork rolls are one of the specialties of Khanh Hoa Province. The main ingredient for making fermented pork rolls is pork, which is carefully selected and elaborately processed in the Ninh Hoa people’s own way.
Depending on the predetermined level for fermentation, slow or fast, it gives the appropriate thick layer of leaves. The package process in the daytime is full of acidity, eating spring rolls with garlic cloves has both a special flavor and a crunchy stage that is very popular with tourists. There are also grilled meat rolls made from pounded meat, then rolled up and grilled on embers. It is often eaten with rice paper and vegetables such as lettuce, star fruit, bananas and so on. Here are some famous food stalls for selling fermented pork roll in Nha Trang:
- Dang Van Quyen: Branch 1 - 16A Lan Ong Street, Xuong Huan Ward, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa
- Dang Van Quyen: Branch 2 - 02-04 Phan Boi Chau Street, Xuong Huan Ward, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa
- Vu Thanh An Grilled Pork Rolls Restaurant: 15 Le Loi Street, Nha Trang
3. Nha Trang Sizzling Cake (Banh Xeo)
Coming to Nha Trang, you have to try seafood sizzling cakes, especially squid sizzling cakes. Sizzling cakes are the same everywhere across Vietnam with the same process. However, sizzling cakes in Nha Trang in particular, or in the Central region in general, are really different from sizzling cakes in Sai Gon or the South because they are not poured with a pan, but with a mold.
In retrospect, the mold for making sizzling cakes was probably a "variation" of the mini pancake (banh can) mold, which originated in Ninh Thuan, where the Cham people produced household items of baked clay such as furnaces, jars, etc. During the circulation of goods, the banh can oven is sold to neighboring provinces such as Phan Thiet, Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh, Da Lat, etc. As for customers’ requests, the manufacturer makes more pancake molds.
One oven can have 4-6 molds. The diameter of the mold is about an inch or more. There are families who like to eat small pancakes or a little bigger. Over time, the clay molds are probably easy to crack down and not long-lasting, so people make iron molds with handles for easy manipulation. After buying iron molds, it is advisable to add a connecting stick to the handle to avoid getting hurt.
Nha Trang has the advantage of seafood, so the popular sizzling cakes are squid and shrimp sizzling cakes. Some people like to eat shrimp sizzling cakes, some prefer sizzling cakes and some like both types. Shrimp sizzling cakes are usually crispier than squid sizzling cakes because the squid comes out of water. However, if you know how to choose squid and let the cake "sloppy" a bit, you still get a delicious crispy squid sizzling cake.
Sizzling cakes are just cooked to be picked up. Some people like to eat crispy sizzling cakes while others like to eat doughy sizzling cakes. Eating a crispy sizzling cake feels more elegant. After finishing a sizzling cake with a cup of fish sauce, there is still another to eat. Some people like to eat cold sizzling cakes with vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, bitter vegetables and herbs.
The deliciousness of sizzling cakes is also determined by the dipping sauce. Mixed fish sauce is not good, all the shrimp, squid, pork belly... Some people just make garlic chili paste, squeeze lemon, season with sugar to taste, some people make fish sauce with aromatic pureed eggplant mixed with garlic chili. Fish sauce needs to be salty, sweet and a little sour. In general, the secret of making fish sauce depends on the process, especially the color. It has to be beautiful (red, yellow, lemon cloves floating on the surface). In Nha Trang, sizzling cakes are eaten with soy sauce made from minced meat, crushed nuggets, and spices mixed with chili garlic sauce. Squid shrimp sizzling cakes are sold in many places in the city. Following are some notable places:
- Co Tam - 6 Thap Ba Street, Nha Trang
- Golden Sizzling Cakes - 151 Tran Nguyen Han Street, Nha Trang
- Thap Ba Sizzling Cake - Thap Ba Street, Nha Trang
- Sizzling Cake Alley - 172 Bach Dang Street, Nha Trang.
4. Nha Trang Jellyfish Vermicelli
You have to try jellyfish vermicelli once you come to Nha Trang. If you skip the jellyfish vermicelli, it means that you don't know much about Nha Trang! The jellyfish which is used to make jellyfish vermicelli is small, with the tip of a big toe or thumb, milky white, thick-walled, and looks like coconut rice. This type of jellyfish is picked up by fishermen on remote islands. The broth is cooked with cephalopods, which are only about three fingers big, with the tail tied like a small bow, boneless, small and sweet. In addition, there are grilled fish including some popular types of fish such as mackerel, barracuda, etc., which are deboned to get the meat smooth and chewy, then rolled into small balls and then steamed. When eating, just take the vermicelli, vegetables, washed jellyfish and a few fish balls into the bowl, pour the hot broth into a bowl of sweet and crispy fish-flavored vermicelli, fresh with each piece of jellyfish. Jellyfish noodles are ubiquitous across Vietnam, but Nha Trang jellyfish noodle soup from the past until now is the most famous. Those who have been away from home for a long time always eat jellyfish vermicelli when coming back home and they do not need to go to famous places because the essence of this noodle dish is rich in sea flavor - the taste of hometown. The way to cook jellyfish vermicelli is imbued with the culinary culture of the Central region all year round, which only cooks broth with fish, not meat, other ingredients are also from the sea and limit the use of too many spices. Therefore, the bowl of jellyfish noodles is sweet but still bar and not boring. Tasting jellyfish vermicelli a little reminds people of the image of sisters and mothers who go to the beach in the early morning to buy fresh fish and squid to bring back to steam or boil. Then in the small house in the middle of the wind and white sand, the whole family gathered around the kitchen to eat fish with salt and chili that was sweet to the heart.
Not only people who used to live in Nha Trang, but also visitors to the city cannot resist the attraction of that simple bowl of jellyfish noodles because the simplicity of the process is the most noticeable feature of the local cuisine, which always wants to keep the natural flavor in the most complete way. Therefore, it is undeniable that tourists will often enjoy local cuisine such as boiled, steamed, grilled seafood dishes with salt, pepper or chili salt when visiting Nha Trang, but most importantly, they cannot forget the sweetness of nature like a bowl of jellyfish noodles. You should give it a go, then you will find the answer if you can forget it or not?
5. Nha Trang thick noodle soup with grilled fish (Banh Canh Cha Ca)
Nha Trang thick noodle soup with grilled chopped fish is a specialty dish that visitors love most whenever they come to Nha Trang because this dish is made from fresh fish. Each plate of golden fried fish is displayed on the tables of vendor food stalls in the afternoon and looks really attractive.
Fish used to make grilled fish are usually from delicious types of fish such as termite, mackerel, grouper, mackerel, barracuda, flying fish, sailfish, etc., but the most delicious fish to make grilled fish are mackerel, termite, and mackerel. There are two types of fried fish, namely grilled fish and steamed fried fish. Some people like to eat fried fish because it is fragrant, while others love to eat steamed fried fish because it is sweet. Whether fried or steamed, grilled fish always have the same typical taste: chewy, soft, fishy sweet and richer if dipped in a little chili garlic fish sauce. Making grilled fish is quite simple although it is initially relatively hard by pounding fish: fresh fish, washed, scraped meat. Onions, garlic and pepper, crushed spices, put the grated fish in the mortar and stir until finely, the finer the fish cake, the tougher the meat, until it's really heavy. It is not allowed to return to the casserole for frying. If it is the steamed grilled fish, we can add a little bit of diced bitter melon fat and chopped black fungus, then mix these ingredients and steam the mixture until it is almost cooked. Next, you should beat on an egg for a golden surface. Fried fish is the main ingredient for the the thick noodle soup or fish vermicelli. After the fish has been stripped of all meat, take the bones, boil the bones to get water. The pot of fresh water is made of fish bones, and we add more spice depending on the soup or fish noodles. If we eat fish noodles, we should add a little onion, tomato and serve with raw vegetables. The thick noodle soup (Banh Canh) usually has three types, namely rice flour soup, vermicelli noodle soup and filtered flour soup. Filtered flour noodle soup is made with flour or tapioca, and ‘banh cuon’ is usually cooked with crab. Rice flour noodle soup is made like pho and ‘banh canh bun’ is a kind of big vermicelli. In the afternoon, each stall selling thick noodle soup and fish noodles are served in every corner of the street. There usually has a plate of golden fried fish, a tray of golden steamed fried fish, and a small bowl of chopped green onions. Medium-sized onions are split into fibers, a pot of dried onions is not yellow. There is a plate of lemons cut into small pieces next to it and a bowl of chili garlic fish sauce. The saleswoman scoops up a bowl of smoky thick noodle soup, puts in a pinch of fried fish , chops into small pieces, puts in a little green onion, sprinkles a little more pepper and adds a little fried onion. Diners squeeze a slice of lemon into the bowl of thick noodle soup, add a little chili sauce, garlic, soy sauce, then slurp and order a plate of steamed fried fish, which is topped with a layer of thinly sliced onion and dipped with chili garlic fish sauce. After eating, diners will be satisfied with rustic dishes that are full of flavor.
6. Banh Can Nha Trang
Banh Can Nha Trang always attracts tourists by its rustic taste but special deliciousness. If you have the opportunity to come to this beautiful coastal city, do not miss this traditional dish!
Banh can, also known as baked rice flour cake, originated from the Cham people in Ninh Thuan, then became popular and appeared in other provinces such as Quy Nhon, Binh Thuan, Da Nang, Da Lat, .. However, Banh can in Nha Trang has a new way of processing with its own unique flavor that can only be found in this coastal city.
Banh Can has a round shape which is quite similar to Southern banh khot, but it is baked on a mold, so the crust is soft and does not cause boredom by grease. The perfect combination between the aromatic flavor of rice flour, the fat of eggs and the freshness of shrimp, squid, minced meat... has made a name for this dish. This Nha Trang specialty will be more delicious when being served with onion fat, shredded sour mango, herbs and dipping sauces such as garlic sauce, shumai or fish sauce.
Local people here often use large grains of rice as the main ingredient to make Banh can. After about 6 hours of soaking in water, the rice will be pureed, diluted with a moderate amount of flour and added a little cold rice flour to make the cake swell and crispy until it is cooked. Finally, pouring the flour into the mold to bake on the charcoal stove and spread all kinds of fillings on the surface.
7. Vietnamese Raw Fish Salad (Gỏi cá mai)
Khanh Hoa fish salad, although not as 'traditional' and famous as La Vong in Hanoi, has its own unique features. Khanh Hoa fish salad is mainly made from cá mai and grouper, which are two popular types of available fish in the region. The fish used for salad needs to be fresh, even if they are still swimming a few minutes before being eaten. Moreover, different types of raw vegetables served are also carefully and sophisticatedly selected. In addition to the usual herbs such as basil, coriander, perilla, laksa leaves, there must be some special vegetables and tubers such as cloves, fish pods, fig buds, strawberry buds, galangal roots, green bananas, etc. These accompanying vegetables and herbs have the effect of deodorizing the fishy smell of fish, warming the stomach and digesting effectively. Therefore, although eating raw fish meat, with the help of spices, you will no longer feel the fishy smell. You will remember the unforgettable delicious taste. According to Oriental medicine, fish salad is a cool, sedative dish, which creates a feeling of refreshment and lightness for diners even though it is just a snack. Also it can be considered as a tonic.
8. Green papaya with beef jerky salad - Iced Tofu Pudding
One of the most popular snacks in Nha Trang is green papaya with beef jerky salad and iced tofu pudding. The main ingredients for this delicious dish are shredded papaya salad mixed with dried spiced beef, a little bit of laksa leaves, peanuts, and shrimp crackers. Diners will mix soy sauce, vinegar and chili according to the ratio they want to suit their taste. In addition, the stall also sells super duper delicious sweet and creamy coconut iced tofu! Eating spicy salad and then having dessert with ice tofu is definitely amazing, right? Tourists can enjoy this wonderful dish at Hung Thinh food stall on Han Thuyen street, Xuong Huan Ward, Nha Trang.
9. Crushed Rice Cracker
If you visit Nha Trang for the first time and do not know what to eat, you should try one of the most popular snacks loved by young people - the fancy and delicious crushed rice cracker. This dish was originally a specialty of Quang Ngai people, but when it came to Nha Trang, it had a flavor specialized in the central region. The dish is a combination of baked rice paper and thinly sliced hot wet cake. The cake is sprinkled with some onion and dried shrimp to add spice. You should eat with diluted fish sauce and grilled meat or rolls. So, where can we eat this delicious dish in Nha Trang? Here are some popular stalls that are selling this wonderful dish:
- Steamed thin & Steamed rolled rice pancake: 16 Hong Linh Street
- Crushed Rice Cracker: 69 Huynh Thuc Khang Street
- Binh Minh Steamed Thin Rice Pancake: 29 Le Dai Hanh Street
10. Chicken Rice
Chicken rice in Nha Trang is a simple dish but has its own special flavor thanks to the broth from boiled chicken and avocado sauce made from eggs. The portion of rice with shredded chicken and chicken organs is enough to be full. The quality of most chicken rice restaurants in Nha Trang is almost the same. Here are some famous delicious chicken rice restaurants in Nha Trang:
- Tram Anh Chicken Rice: 10 Ba Trieu Street, Phuong Sai Ward, Nha Trang
- Ha Chicken Rice: 15-1 Tran Binh Trong Street
- Dang Dung Chicken Rice: 30 Ly Tu Trong Street
- Ut Chicken Rice: 60B Yersin Street
- A Tai Chicken Rice: 55 Trinh Phong Street, Tan Lap Ward, Nha Trang
11. Nha Trang Seafood
When visiting Nha Trang, tourists have to try one of the most famous dishes of this coastal city - seafood. With the rich source of fresh and delicious seafood at an affordable price, seafood in Nha Trang attracts a great deal of tourists locally and internationally. Some of the iconic dishes of Nha Trang seafood such as steamed crabs, fried clams snails, grilled geoduck, etc. are always popular with locals as well as local or foreign tourists.
12. Shrimp Thick Noodle Soup
Shrimp, also known as Bề Bề, is a delicious dish loved by local people. Shrimp, whether simply steamed or marinated with elaborate spices and then grilled over hot coals has its own delicious taste. However, a coastal specialty that you cannot miss is shrimp thick noodle soup.
The soft and chewy rice flour cake soup with rich broth and juicy shrimp have created the "perfect trio" for cool days. Do you feel hungry when you imagine the dish? Following are some of the tasty shrimp thick noodle soup restaurants in Nha Trang:
- No. 101E Restaurant, A1 Street, Vinh Diem Trung, Vinh Ngoc, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa
- Shrimp thick noodle soup with crab: 03 Yet Kieu Street, Van Thang, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa
- Shrimp thick noodle soup - Vinh Diem Trung Urban Area: 105 B1 (Dam Quang Trung), Vinh Diem Trung Urban Area, Vinh Hiep Ward, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa
