1Tien Yen hill chicken – A Quang Ninh specialty you’ll never forget
On your journey of discovery across Vietnam, you have surely enjoyed many appealing dishes from different regions, such as Tra Vinh, Quang Binh, and Yen Bai specialties... Among them, Quang Ninh cuisine also leaves a distinctive impression that you should not miss. Tien Yen hill chicken is the first Quang Ninh specialty MIA.vn recommends, with a flavor that stays in the memory of anyone who has tried it even once. Free-range chickens are naturally raised on the hills, so their meat is very sweet and firm without being tough. Hill chicken can be prepared in many ways, including grilling, steaming, cooking into porridge, and boiling. However, to fully savor this chicken, you should try it boiled to appreciate the firmness of the meat and the richness of the skin.
In addition, grilled hill chicken is also highly regarded for its uniqueness. After grilling, the chicken usually has a vibrant golden color, tender, sweet, and fragrant meat. Tien Yen hill chicken is often served with fresh herbs and delicious crispy rice paper, creating a unique culinary experience for visitors.
Tien Yen hill chicken is a Quang Ninh specialty that stays in the memory of anyone who has tried it even once
2Tien Yen khau nhuc (khau nhuc)
When mentioning Quang Ninh specialties, MIA.vn cannot leave out the irresistibly delicious khau nhuc. Although this dish is made only from pork, its elaborate and unique preparation has turned it into a “delicacy” of Quang Ninh. “Khau” can be understood as steaming until very tender, while “nhuc” means meat; therefore, this dish can be described as meat steamed until it becomes extremely soft. Khau nhuc is usually prepared in a bowl, then inverted onto a plate when served, creating a shape like a round hill, with an attractive golden color. When you bite into a piece of khau nhuc, it seems to melt immediately on the tongue, creating an unforgettable sensation.
Nowadays, for greater convenience for visitors, Tien Yen khau nhuc is prepared hygienically and packaged in convenient containers so it can be taken home as a gift for friends and relatives.
Khau nhuc is a “delicacy” of Quang Ninh
3Nem chao
Nem chao, also called nem thinh, is a popular light dish usually made from pork skin and roasted rice powder. The ingredients for this type of nem are very simple: finely shaved pork skin cut into thin strips and mixed with thinh made from finely pounded roasted rice. Although simple, unique preparation secrets have transformed nem chao into an appealing delicacy and earned it a place on the list of Quang Ninh specialties.
Nem is usually enjoyed with fresh herbs, especially fig leaves. Wrap a few pieces of nem with Vietnamese balm and rice paper, then dip them in sweet-and-sour sauce for an excellent, unforgettable flavor. If you have the opportunity to visit Quang Ninh, you should definitely try this nem chao.
Nem chao is an appealing delicacy you must try when visiting Quang Ninh
4Dong Trieu cha ruoi
Ruoi is considered a gift from nature, and not every place is blessed with this precious offering. Dong Trieu is one of the fortunate areas in the country where ruoi can be harvested. Ruoi is prepared into many delicious dishes, the most famous of which is arguably cha ruoi, rich, fragrant, and irresistibly delicious. Once you try this dish, you will not forget its distinctive flavor, found only in Dong Trieu, Quang Ninh.
Dong Trieu cha ruoi is rich, fragrant, and irresistibly delicious
5Banh gat gu
Banh gat gu – a Quang Ninh specialty that the people of Tien Yen make by hand from a distinctive local type of rice known as gao xu. On the outside, banh gat gu looks somewhat similar to pho noodles, but when tasted, it has a much richer flavor.
In the past, people in Tien Yen liked to eat pho for breakfast but did not want the filling inside; they only wanted to enjoy the wrapper so they could savor the rice’s natural flavor. That was how banh gat gu came into being. The name “gat gu” comes from the way the cake sways and nods up and down when lifted with chopsticks, amusing diners.
Banh gat gu is handmade by the people of Tien Yen from the local gao xu rice
6Quang Ninh ca say
Ca say is a hybrid animal bred from a muscovy duck and a duck. Its meat is neither too dry nor too tender, creating a highly distinctive and unusual flavor. Like muscovy duck and duck, ca say can be prepared into many different delicious dishes, but steamed or grilled ca say are the varieties you should try most.
Grilled ca say is rich thanks to its thick, golden, pleasantly chewy skin. The meat, meanwhile, is very firm and sweet, neither too tough nor too soft. It is delicious on its own and equally good with rice. This is a Quang Ninh specialty that you should not miss when you have the opportunity to visit.
Ca say has an unusual and unique flavor that stays in the memory of anyone who tries it once
7 Fresh and dried seafood from Quang Ninh
Quang Ninh has more than 200 km of coastline. The tidal range here is considered the highest in the country, creating favorable conditions for abundant and diverse seafood resources and bringing more intensely flavored seafood dishes than those found in other coastal areas.
It is difficult to have the opportunity to try every unique type of seafood in Quang Ninh during a single trip, so you should prioritize specialties such as ngán, ruoc lo, Quang Yen sam, and sá sùng... Visitors who want to buy seafood as gifts can choose dried seafood such as dried squid, dried shrimp, and dried tiny shrimp paste, which are more convenient to preserve and transport.
Quang Ninh seafood dishes have a richer flavor than those from other coastal areas.
8Ha Long pearl yogurt
If you love snacks, you should definitely try pearl yogurt when you arrive in Ha Long – a signature Quang Ninh snack. Smooth pearls combined with refreshing yogurt and the rich flavor of coconut cream create an irresistibly delicious snack for anyone who tries it.
Smooth pearls combined with the refreshing yogurt of Ha Long pearl yogurt
9One-sun-dried mackerel
One-sun-dried mackerel, a Quang Ninh specialty, is one of the perfect choices when you want to bring a fresh and delicious gift home for your family and friends. After being caught, the fresh mackerel is carefully selected and cut into slices, then dried directly in the sun for one day, preserving nearly all of its nutrition and delicious flavor.
One-sun-dried mackerel can also be prepared into many appealing dishes, such as one-sun-dried mackerel in tomato sauce, grilled one-sun-dried mackerel, fried one-sun-dried mackerel, and one-sun-dried mackerel floss, …
One-sun-dried mackerel is one of the perfect choices when selecting a gift
10Hoanh Bo rice wine infused with leaves
A specialty wine of Quang Ninh, Hoanh Bo wine gets its distinctive fragrance from the fermentation process using forest leaves. Hoanh Bo rice wine has a unique sweet-and-sour taste that aids digestion and refreshes you on hot summer days. Hoanh Bo rice wine is very pleasant to drink, so many people think it is impossible to get drunk on it. However, if you drink too much, you may become heavily intoxicated and could take 2–3 days to recover. Once the effects wear off, however, you will not feel a headache and will still feel healthy.
Hoanh Bo rice wine has a unique sweet-and-sour flavor
Above are 10 famous Quang Ninh specialties that you should try at least once or buy as gifts for friends and relatives. Don’t forget to bring MIA.vn’s travel guide for a truly enjoyable trip and to avoid missing anything in Quang Ninh. Wishing you a meaningful and happy journey with your friends and loved ones.
