Not only boasting a beautiful bay, Ha Long also attracts tourists with its rich cuisine and 8 famous must-try delicacies.
1. Hand-pounded squid patties
Squid patties are considered the “soul” of Ha Long cuisine. Although squid patties can be found in many places, the flavor in Ha Long always stands apart.
Squid patties are likened to an “ambassador of Ha Long tourism”
The special feature of this dish lies in the traditional manual hand-pounding method. After being cleaned, the squid is pounded by hand until it reaches a certain stickiness before being seasoned and fried to a golden crisp. Squid patties are often eaten with hot steamed rice rolls or fragrant, chewy white sticky rice. Don't forget to enjoy squid patties for an energizing morning when traveling to Ha Long!
Hand-pounded squid patties. Photo: Fanpage Chả mực giã tay Hạ Long
2. Peanut worms
Peanut worms are one of the most expensive and rarest types of seafood in Ha Long. This seafood lives mainly in coastal sandy areas and is rich in nutrients, making it highly sought after by many diners.
Fresh peanut worms are often prepared into dishes such as stir-fried with celery and garlic, cooked in porridge, or steamed. When eating, diners will experience their natural sweetness along with a characteristically chewy, rich texture.
Peanut worm porridge
In addition, dried peanut worms are also a famous specialty that many people buy as gifts. Once roasted to a golden brown, peanut worms release an enticing aroma and become an appealing snack to enjoy with drinks.
3. Stone crab noodle soup
Stone crab noodle soup is a famous breakfast dish loved by many tourists when traveling to Ha Long. Stone crab is a type of sea crab with large claws, firm meat, and a naturally delicate sweetness.
Stone crab noodle soup
To make this noodle soup, chefs separate the crab bodies to simmer for the broth. Thanks to this, the broth has a distinct delicate sweetness and a rich seafood aroma.
A full bowl of stone crab noodle soup usually includes rich, creamy crab roe, firm and sweet meat, and thick, meaty claws.
4. Horseshoe crab
From a single horseshoe crab, Ha Long locals can create various dishes such as steamed horseshoe crab, horseshoe crab salad, horseshoe crab stir-fried with lemongrass and chili, sweet and sour horseshoe crab legs, stir-fried glass noodles with horseshoe crab, or crispy fried horseshoe crab eggs. Each dish offers a unique flavor while preserving the distinctive sweetness of the meat. The price of each horseshoe crab typically ranges from 50.000 – 70.000 VND depending on the size.
Horseshoe crabs are prepared into a wide variety of dishes
5. Ngán clam
Despite its rather peculiar name, ngán clam is a specialty loved by many tourists when traveling to Ha Long. This species resembles a clam but is larger in size with much thicker meat.
Ngán has a distinct sweet and fragrant flavor and can be prepared into many delicious dishes. The most popular include grilled ngán with scallion oil, steamed ngán with lemongrass, ngán soup, and stir-fried noodles with ngán.
The ngán clam
6. Ruốc lỗ (baby octopus)
Ruoc lo, or long-legged octopus, is quite a special seafood from the coastal waters of Quang Ninh. They are related to octopuses but are much smaller in size.
The most interesting feature of ruoc lo is its characteristic long legs. The meat is naturally crisp, sweet, and not tough.
Ruoc lo
7. Banh gat gu
Banh gat gu is a famous rustic dish of Quang Ninh. It is made from finely ground rice batter steamed into thin sheets, then rolled into soft, long rolls.
Banh gat gu is usually served with prepared dipping fish sauce, fried shallots, or flavorful braised pork.
Banh gat gu
8. Ha Long pearl yogurt
Pearl yogurt is the ideal dessert to wrap up your Ha Long culinary journey. This treat is delicious thanks to the combination of smooth, silky yogurt with a refreshing taste and chewy pearls submerged in rich coconut milk. In addition, there are many other toppings such as toasted coconut flakes, aloe vera, and fruit jelly.
Ha Long pearl yogurt – a dessert not to be missed
