Not only boasting a breathtaking bay, traveling to Ha Long also attracts visitors with its rich cuisine featuring 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 offers a distinct difference.
Squid patties are likened to an "ambassador of Ha Long tourism"
The unique appeal of this dish lies in the traditional manual hand-pounding method. After being thoroughly cleaned, the squid is pounded by hand until it reaches a certain stickiness before being seasoned and deep-fried to a golden crisp. Squid patties are often served with hot steamed rice rolls or fragrant, chewy sticky rice. Don't forget to enjoy squid patties for an energetic morning when traveling to Ha Long!
Hand-pounded squid patties. Photo: Ha Long Hand-Pounded Squid Patties Fanpage
2. Peanut worms (Sa sung)
Peanut worms are among the most expensive and rarest seafood delicacies in Ha Long. This marine creature lives mainly in coastal sandbanks and has high nutritional value, making it highly sought after by food lovers.
Fresh peanut worms are typically prepared in dishes such as stir-fries with celery and garlic, porridge, or steamed dishes. When tasting, diners will experience their natural sweetness alongside a distinct chewy and rich texture.
Peanut worm porridge
In addition, dried peanut worms are also a famous specialty that many buy as gifts. After being toasted to a golden hue, peanut worms release an irresistible aroma and make a wonderful drinking snack.
3. Cu ky crab noodle soup
Cu ky crab noodle soup is a famous breakfast dish loved by many visitors when traveling to Ha Long. Cu ky is a type of stone crab with large claws, firm meat, and a delicate natural sweetness.
Cu ky crab noodle soup
To cook this noodle soup, the chef separates the crab bodies to simmer for the broth. Thanks to this, the broth possesses a uniquely light sweetness with an intensely fragrant seafood aroma.
A full bowl of cu ky noodle soup typically includes rich crab roe, firm and sweet meat, and thick, succulent crab claws.
4. Horseshoe crab
From a single horseshoe crab, Ha Long locals can craft an assortment of dishes such as steamed horseshoe crab, salad, stir-fried with lemongrass and chili, sweet and sour legs, stir-fried glass noodles, or crispy fried horseshoe crab eggs. Each dish offers a unique flavor profile while retaining the characteristic sweetness of the meat. The price of each horseshoe crab usually ranges from 50,000 – 70,000 VND depending on size.
Horseshoe crab prepared into various dishes
5. Mud clams (Ngan)
Despite carrying a rather peculiar name, mud clams are a specialty favored by many travelers when traveling to Ha Long. This species resembles hard clams but is much larger in size with considerably thicker meat.
Mud clams feature a sweet, distinctive taste and can be cooked in numerous delectable ways. Most popular are grilled mud clams with scallion oil, steamed with lemongrass, mud clam soup, or stir-fried noodles with mud clams.
Mud clam
6. Ruoc lo (Mini octopus)
Ruoc lo, or long-legged mini octopus, is a rather special seafood in the waters of Quang Ninh. They are related to the octopus but are significantly smaller in size.
The most intriguing feature of ruoc lo is their characteristically long tentacles. Their meat is naturally crunchy, sweet, and pleasantly tender without being tough.
Ruoc lo (mini octopus)
7. Gat gu rice cake
Gat gu cake is a famous rustic dish of Quang Ninh. The cake is prepared from finely ground rice batter steamed into thin sheets, which are then rolled into soft, elongated rolls.
Gat gu cake is usually enjoyed with steamed dipping fish sauce, crispy fried shallots, or richly flavored braised pork.
Gat gu rice cake
8. Ha Long pearl yogurt
Pearl yogurt is the ideal dessert to round off a culinary journey in Ha Long. This treat owes its deliciousness to the harmony of smooth, silky yogurt with a refreshing flavor and chewy tapioca pearls submerged in rich coconut milk. In addition, there are many other toppings such as dried toasted coconut, aloe vera, or fruit jellies.
Ha Long pearl yogurt – a dessert not to be missed
