Bac LieuIf you ever have the chance to visit the hometown of the famous Bac Lieu playboy—a vast and beautiful riverine land—don’t miss out on these local delicacies such as bánh tằm, spicy beef noodle soup, or fermented fish hotpot.
Bac Lieu is not only famous for the legendary playboy who famously burned money to impress women, its vast bird sanctuary, or the historic Commissioner’s House. This Mekong Delta province also boasts a rich, fresh, and nutritious cuisine that fascinates many visitors eager to explore.
Fermented fish hotpot, fermented fish noodle soup
Here, locals often prepare this hotpot using fermented gourami fish combined with fresh coconut water, lemongrass, and fragrant fried garlic. The hotpot is served with pork belly, snakehead fish, basa fish, and vegetables such as celery, water spinach, Malabar spinach, purple mustard greens, lotus stems, sesbania flowers, and water hyacinth…
Fermented fish noodle soup is cooked with linh fish or gourami fish, which are abundant in the Mekong Delta
Bánh tằm bì
As one of the signature dishes of the Mekong Delta, any visitor setting foot in Bac Lieu will want to try bánh tằm bì. Made from cooked rice flour shaped into thick strands and steamed, the dish is served with meatballs, shredded pork skin, boiled lean pork, crushed roasted peanuts, sliced cucumber, and fresh herbs. Bánh tằm in Ngan Dua town is especially famous.
Longan
Longan is one of the well-known local specialties, loved for its delicate sweetness and enticing aroma. The best longan can be found in orchards in Hiep Thanh Commune—also a popular tourist destination in Bac Lieu.
Xuồng longan is the largest variety among longan types on the market. Golden-flesh xuồng longan has thick flesh, firm texture, and is not overly soft or watery like other varieties…
Bánh xèo
One of the most well-known culinary brands in Bac Lieu is A Mat’s bánh xèo, filled with chopped scallions, red shrimp, thinly sliced onions, soft-cooked mung beans, and a few strands of jicama. This dish is enjoyed with fresh herbs and dipped in sweet-and-sour chili fish sauce.
Bánh xèo can be found throughout Vietnam, with each region offering its own distinct flavor. Notably, Mekong Delta bánh xèo carries a rich, rustic taste that reflects the character of Southern people.
Spicy beef noodle soup
Although it carries flavors typical of Central Vietnam, spicy beef noodle soup has become a humble, familiar dish for local people. A bowl includes beef cooked with chili paste, white rice noodles, and is served with aromatic herbs and bean sprouts. One of the best places to enjoy this dish is Ward 5.
Bún nước lèo
In the southernmost region of the country, you will find bún nước lèo sold everywhere—from street vendors to famous family-run eateries. A good broth must be cooked in an earthen pot to preserve the sweetness of shrimp, fish, and coconut water, while releasing the aroma of fermented fish. The noodles are served with shredded banana blossom, bean sprouts, basil, and more. Some places also add fresh squid, roasted pork, spring rolls, or bánh cống.
Crabs, mud whelks, spiral snails…
With over 56 km of coastline, this fertile land is renowned for its abundance of fresh seafood that captivates visitors from the very first visit. Must-try specialties include tamarind crab, spicy stir-fried mud whelks, and coconut stir-fried spiral snails…
Xá pấu
Xá pấu is the Chinese-Vietnamese name for pickled radish. The preparation is quite simple: radishes are washed, cut into thin strips, sun-dried, then pickled with sugar and five-spice powder. This dish is best enjoyed with plain rice porridge and crispy fried tofu.
Though the name sounds unusual, the ingredients are quite familiar. Xá pấu is made from white radish that has been partially sun-dried, then marinated with coarse salt.
Bồn bồn
Bac Lieu is one of the provinces famous for its delicious pickled bồn bồn. Besides pickling, the tender stems are also used in various appealing dishes such as stir-fried with shrimp and pork, cooked in soups, hotpots, or mixed into salads.
Bồn bồn is a flowering plant in the cattail family (Typhaceae), commonly found in wetlands with fresh or brackish water.
10. Ba khía
Ba khía is a type of crab with large claws, typical of Southern Vietnam, living in brackish and salty waters. It is named “ba khía” because of the three distinctive ridges on its back. Besides boiled and pickled ba khía, fermented ba khía with its spicy, salty, and sweet flavor is a famous specialty, often enjoyed with crispy scorched rice.
Ba khía live in brackish water environments at river mouths and estuaries, and are most commonly found in Ca Mau and Bac Lieu provinces.
Despite having quite a few bones, snakehead fish is famous for its rich, fragrant, firm, and delicious flavor. If you have the chance, you should try braised snakehead fish in a clay pot, a dish considered a unique specialty of the Southwestern region of Vietnam.
Grilled snakehead fish in bamboo tubes is very popular in Vietnam due to its unique flavor, white flesh, and high nutritional value, especially the gallbladder which leaves an unforgettable taste.
Ash lye rice dumplings are a traditional dish for the Dragon Boat Festival in Southern Vietnam. Nowadays, ash lye rice dumplings also appear at festivals, holidays, and ancestral commemoration ceremonies.
The Bay Nui region of An Giang is not only famous for its annual buffalo fighting festival, but now this land is also becoming better known for a unique type of dried specialty: the “long-legged dancer” dried frog. “Long-legged dancer” is the elegant name for dried rice field frogs. The village that produces these dried...
Coconut jam (mứt dừa) is undeniably one of the most familiar treats in the South—so familiar that just mentioning its name instantly brings thoughts of Tết and that unforgettable flavor: the mild richness of coconut, the sweetness of sugar and condensed milk, and the delicate vanilla aroma. When talking about Tết sweets, no one can...
In Saigon, you can enjoy this specialty dish from Trà Vinh province at the bún suông restaurant at 130 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street – District 3, or at the bún suông stall inside Bến Thành Market (sold in the morning). If you want to try bún suông at a long-standing restaurant in Saigon, head to...
Some rustic dishes, once thought to be found only in the countryside and rice paddies, have now appeared on restaurant tables and become attractive dishes that entice many people to enjoy. Boiled vegetables with braised pork belly is one such dish.
The special feature of Soc Trang’s “nước lèo” (broth) is that it is not cloudy but crystal clear, thanks to a rather unique recipe. The method for cooking this noodle soup is not difficult; its deliciousness comes from the salty and fragrant aroma of “mắm bồ hóc” (prohok), the sweet and firm texture of fresh...
Grilled mudskipper fish in reed tubes is highly favored in Vietnam for its distinctive flavor, firm white flesh, and high nutritional value—especially the bile, which leaves an unforgettable taste. Mudskipper fish, also known as goby mudskippers, live in brackish, alluvial environments. They are commonly found in the Mekong Delta, particularly in ponds, lakes, and brackish...
Le le meat is considered a delicious and highly nourishing dish, and stir-fried le le with winter melon is regarded as the main course in a meal. The dipping sauce must strike a perfect balance of sour, spicy, and sweet. Just try it once, and you’ll never forget this rustic yet elegant delicacy… According to...
The characteristic refreshing sourness of roselle fruit creates a very unique and intriguing flavor for the familiar snakehead fish sour soup (canh chua cá lóc). The roselle plant, also known as bụp giấm or cẩm thanh, is a wild herbaceous plant growing abundantly throughout the Mekong Delta. Roselle is an annual herb reaching about 1.5–2...
Vietnam is not only famous for its abundance of fish species, but its various types of fermented fish paste also contribute to the distinctive flavor of our cuisine. Each region has its own type of fermented fish paste, such as shrimp paste, fish paste, crab paste, and prawn paste, etc. Remember to try them as you travel through these regions!
Braised snakehead fish in a clay pot, a rich and flavorful dish from the Mekong Delta.Despite having quite a few bones, snakehead fish is famous for its rich, fragrant, firm, and delicious flavor. If you have the chance, you should try braised snakehead fish in a clay pot, a dish considered a unique specialty of the Southwestern region of Vietnam.
Grilled Catfish in Bamboo TubesGrilled snakehead fish in bamboo tubes is very popular in Vietnam due to its unique flavor, white flesh, and high nutritional value, especially the gallbladder which leaves an unforgettable taste.
How to make lye water rice dumplingsAsh lye rice dumplings are a traditional dish for the Dragon Boat Festival in Southern Vietnam. Nowadays, ash lye rice dumplings also appear at festivals, holidays, and ancestral commemoration ceremonies.
The dried fish dish, “Long-legged Dancer,” is so addictive!The Bay Nui region of An Giang is not only famous for its annual buffalo fighting festival, but now this land is also becoming better known for a unique type of dried specialty: the “long-legged dancer” dried frog. “Long-legged dancer” is the elegant name for dried rice field frogs. The village that produces these dried...
How to make chewy and sweet coconut jam for Tet (Vietnamese New Year)Coconut jam (mứt dừa) is undeniably one of the most familiar treats in the South—so familiar that just mentioning its name instantly brings thoughts of Tết and that unforgettable flavor: the mild richness of coconut, the sweetness of sugar and condensed milk, and the delicate vanilla aroma. When talking about Tết sweets, no one can...
Bun Suong stalls in SaigonIn Saigon, you can enjoy this specialty dish from Trà Vinh province at the bún suông restaurant at 130 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street – District 3, or at the bún suông stall inside Bến Thành Market (sold in the morning). If you want to try bún suông at a long-standing restaurant in Saigon, head to...
Boiled vegetables with dipping sauce evoke childhood memories.Some rustic dishes, once thought to be found only in the countryside and rice paddies, have now appeared on restaurant tables and become attractive dishes that entice many people to enjoy. Boiled vegetables with braised pork belly is one such dish.
How to cook Soc Trang noodle soupThe special feature of Soc Trang’s “nước lèo” (broth) is that it is not cloudy but crystal clear, thanks to a rather unique recipe. The method for cooking this noodle soup is not difficult; its deliciousness comes from the salty and fragrant aroma of “mắm bồ hóc” (prohok), the sweet and firm texture of fresh...
Stir-fried le le with winter melon – A simple yet sophisticated dishLe le meat is considered a delicious and highly nourishing dish, and stir-fried le le with winter melon is regarded as the main course in a meal. The dipping sauce must strike a perfect balance of sour, spicy, and sweet. Just try it once, and you’ll never forget this rustic yet elegant delicacy… According to...
A unique and delicious dish: sour fish soup with vinegar fruit.The characteristic refreshing sourness of roselle fruit creates a very unique and intriguing flavor for the familiar snakehead fish sour soup (canh chua cá lóc). The roselle plant, also known as bụp giấm or cẩm thanh, is a wild herbaceous plant growing abundantly throughout the Mekong Delta. Roselle is an annual herb reaching about 1.5–2...
Famous types of fish sauce in VietnamVietnam is not only famous for its abundance of fish species, but its various types of fermented fish paste also contribute to the distinctive flavor of our cuisine. Each region has its own type of fermented fish paste, such as shrimp paste, fish paste, crab paste, and prawn paste, etc. Remember to try them as you travel through these regions!
