How many days would it take to "eat your way through Nha Trang"?

Seafood

Nha Trang is a coastal city, so it's easy to understand why seafood is the soul of its culinary culture. Whether it's crab, snails, shrimp, clams, or mussels, all the seafood is fresh, sweet, and has a firm, crispy texture. In addition, Nha Trang is famous for its sea urchins, grilled lizardfish with chili salt dip, scallops, mantis shrimp… All are exquisite delicacies from the ocean.

The most delicious and enjoyable way to enjoy seafood is to visit a fishing village early in the morning. You'll be able to buy the freshest seafood. Before cooking, the fish, squid, etc., are still swimming around. Simply choose your dish, and the chef will prepare it immediately (steaming or grilling is best to preserve the flavor), and you only need to wait a few minutes before you can enjoy it. Fishing villages near Nha Trang have restaurants located on the sea; the villagers will take you there by ferry. Besides seafood dishes, you can also enjoy grilled dishes. Grilled geckos with chili salt dip are very famous in Nha Trang; the chewy, fragrant, and sweet gecko meat will give you a new culinary experience.

Seafood restaurants along the waterfront are also popular with tourists because they can enjoy food while feeling the sea breeze and listening to the gentle sound of the waves. These restaurants are usually very busy every evening with authentic Nha Trang specialties. If you're on a budget, you can visit the area near Binh Tan Bridge, Ms. Xi's eatery at Cau Da Bridge, Tran Phu waterfront, Co Uyen's grilled fish restaurant at Hon Chong, or the snail stalls in Van Don alley.

Doc Let Beach (Ninh Hoa, 40 km from Nha Trang) is less crowded with tourists, has a beautiful gently sloping coastline, and offers a variety of seafood caught by locals and sold directly at the market. Therefore, you can buy and have them prepare it for you. Dai Lan (Van Gia, Van Ninh) is also a trusted culinary destination for many tourists, with restaurants serving very fresh and sweet squid hotpot and chicken hotpot with basil leaves; nearby is Diep Son Island with its unique walking path in the middle of the sea.

Meanwhile, Binh Ba Island (Cam Ranh) is praised for its market selling fresh, delicious, and inexpensive lobsters. Binh Ba lobsters are very large, with plenty of firm, meaty flesh and are rich in protein. There are many ways to prepare them, and usually, they are all delicious, from grilled lobster, steamed lobster, battered and fried lobster, to lobster blood soup...

If you're traveling for a relaxing vacation or with your family, you can choose delicious seafood restaurants with beautiful sea views such as Thuy Duong Restaurant, Nha Trang View Restaurant, Ngoc Trai Restaurant, Louisiane Draft Beer Restaurant (which also serves Japanese, German, and French dishes... and especially offers four flavors of French draft beer) or InterContinental Nha Trang.

On your way to Cam Ranh airport, you'll pass through Bai Dai beach, which is also very beautiful, and the seafood is fresh, delicious, and inexpensive.

Fish noodle soup, fish cake noodle soup, jellyfish noodle soup

Nha Trang cuisine is also famous for its fish noodle soup, fish cake noodle soup, and jellyfish noodle soup. These three popular dishes feature fresh minced fish, chewy sliced ​​fish cakes, fish balls, crunchy jellyfish, a few slices of tomato, and are served with fresh vegetables and chili peppers, making them visually appealing, refreshing, and delicious. Nha Trang food connoisseurs, when eating fish noodle soup, fish cake noodle soup, or jellyfish noodle soup, never forget to order the fish offal and roe, which add a rich and creamy flavor. The hot bowl of noodles is light, non-fishy, ​​nutritious, and easy to eat, making it a favorite for everyone. Tourists often choose this dish for breakfast to start the day feeling warm and energized. Many places also offer additional options such as tuna or mackerel, which are also very tasty.

Throughout Nha Trang, there are many fish noodle soup stalls, priced from only 25,000 to 35,000 VND per bowl, such as those on Tran Van On Street (open in the morning), and sidewalk stalls along Le Loi and Ngo Quyen streets, around Dam Market (open from afternoon until late at night).

Fish noodle soup originated in Ninh Hoa town. In the past, after scraping the fish meat to make fish cakes, the fish bones would be simmered to create the sweet and savory broth for the noodle soup. Nowadays, most fish noodle soup vendors don't make their own fish cakes, so they don't have fish bones to make the broth, and the traditional version lacks the delicious sweetness of authentic fish noodle soup. Most fish noodle soup restaurants in Nha Trang are somewhat... "industrialized." Therefore, if you want to eat authentic fish noodle soup, you have to go to Ninh Hoa. In Nha Trang, only one restaurant still preserves the traditional flavor of Ninh Hoa fish noodle soup: Hieu An restaurant on Lan Ong Street.

Fish cake noodle soup is also a popular dish in Nha Trang, with options like the cyclo-style fish cake noodle soup on Le Thanh Ton Street, the fish offal noodle soup on Ngo Quyen Street, and the nighttime fish noodle soup on Le Loi Street. The broth is made from sea fish, giving it a sweet and rich flavor. The fish cakes (steamed and fried) are also made from fresh fish, resulting in a soft, chewy texture that highlights the sweetness of the fish and is even more flavorful when served with the garlic and chili dipping sauce. The fresh, delicious fish cakes, along with the noodle soup and fish, create an irresistible taste. Don't forget to add some onions and tomatoes to your bowl before eating and enjoy it with fresh vegetables.

Jellyfish noodle soup in Nha Trang is famous for the type of jellyfish caught right in the local waters: small, finger-sized, opaque white jellyfish with thick walls, best in early summer. The broth is also special because it's made entirely from fish and other seafood, not pork bones, and uses very few spices. Therefore, Nha Trang jellyfish noodle soup has a subtly sweet taste, not greasy. To enjoy Nha Trang jellyfish noodle soup at its best, you must eat it with finely chopped fresh vegetables, lime, and chili peppers while the broth is still hot.

Banh Can

Banh can, similar in shape to banh khot, is made from rice flour and prepared according to a special recipe. The rice is soaked in water until soft, then ground into a liquid batter. To make the cakes delicious and crispy, a small amount of dried leftover cooked rice flour is added before baking. The batter is mixed with water, then chicken or quail eggs are added to the mold (without oil or grease), and the cake is rolled in a bowl of finely chopped onions before being covered and left to cook. The molds for banh can are also special, usually made of earthenware with many round holes for placing the batter. After pouring the batter into the mold, fresh shrimp or squid are added as fillings. The shrimp are whole and firm, while the squid is small but meaty. In some restaurants, banh can only have egg, beef, or minced pork fillings.

Banh can (rice flour pancakes) are usually eaten with a diluted garlic and chili dipping sauce or fish sauce. The dipping sauce can also include minced pork, some fried shallots, shredded mango, chili peppers, and fresh herbs. Banh can enthusiasts believe that the anticipation of waiting for the pancakes to come out of the oven and the satisfaction of enjoying them further enhances the dish's appeal. Imagine sitting by the charcoal stove on a cool or slightly rainy day, watching each pair of golden-brown pancakes cook – nothing beats that! No wonder, in the late afternoon and evening, along To Hien Thanh and Mac Dinh Chi streets, from spacious restaurants to small sidewalk stalls, they are always packed with customers.

Vietnamese savory pancake (Banh Xeo)

In the Nha Trang culinary style, banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) is usually small, fitting neatly in a small pan about the size of two palms. The crust is golden brown and crispy. Nha Trang banh xeo fillings not only contain bean sprouts or meat but also include fresh shrimp and squid. The fresher the filling, the chewier, sweeter, and more satisfying it is to eat. Many banh xeo stalls in Nha Trang also add quail or chicken eggs to the center of the pancake, similar to banh can (another type of Vietnamese pancake). Banh xeo is wrapped in rice paper, served with fresh vegetables, and dipped in a sweet, sour, and spicy fish sauce – that's the authentic Nha Trang banh xeo experience.

Banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) is usually sold from afternoon to evening as a snack, but it's incredibly delicious in Nha Trang. A single banh xeo costs only about 5,000 VND, and four to five pieces are enough to fill you up. Locals often eat banh xeo at stalls located on Ngo Duc Ke, Pham Van Dong, and Thap Ba streets...

Chicken rice

It's not just Hoi An's chicken rice that's famously delicious; Nha Trang's chicken rice is also very popular with tourists. Each grain of hot, sticky, golden rice is served with shredded chicken, sweet ginger fish sauce, coriander, fried onions, pickles, cucumber, and a bowl of soup for a complete flavor. Discerning diners often order extra chicken necks and wings if they like gnawing on bones, or a plate of chicken offal to savor at their leisure.

When a serving of Nha Trang chicken rice is served, just looking at the colors is enough to whet your appetite. Chicken rice must be eaten hot to fully appreciate its undeniably delicious flavor. You can enjoy chicken rice for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a late-night snack. A famous chicken rice restaurant in Nha Trang is Tram Anh on Ba Trieu Street.

Bread with dipping sauce

Banh mi cham (bread with dipping sauce) is considered a comprehensive meal that incorporates most types of Vietnamese banh mi fillings. It's truly a delicious, nutritious, and affordable breakfast in Nha Trang. The dipping sauce includes egg yolk sauce, chili sauce, cucumber, scallions, shumai, quail eggs, fried eggs, and plenty of fish cake, all served with a dense, authentic Nha Trang-style baguette.

A breakfast like that costs around 15,000 - 20,000 VND, and if you add a cup of hot soy milk, it's enough nutrients to start the day. Bread dipped in sauce is sold at several noodle soup stalls, but the most famous is the Doan Ket bread dipped in sauce stall located in a deep alley, known only to locals. Anyone who sleeps in or arrives a little late will find there's no bread left. So, make sure to wake up early to have a chance to enjoy this dish.

Grilled spring rolls

Nha Trang grilled pork sausage (Nem Nuong Nha Trang) is an incredibly delicious dish that cannot be overlooked when visiting this beautiful coastal city. Also known as Ninh Hoa grilled pork sausage, it's made from finely ground fresh pork, seasoned to taste, and shredded pork skin, similar to Thanh Hoa fermented pork sausage. However, instead of banana leaves, it's wrapped in starfruit leaves or young carambola leaves to create a distinctive aroma. The sausage is shaped around bamboo skewers and grilled over charcoal, resulting in a fragrant, tender, and perfectly balanced blend of lean and fatty meat.

When you enjoy Nha Trang grilled pork skewers (nem nướng), you'll experience a harmonious blend of mild sourness, the aroma of the meat, and the spiciness of the chili. Served with papaya salad and a thick, warm dipping sauce, this dish is unforgettable. Alternatively, eating grilled pork skewers with vermicelli (similar to grilled pork vermicelli) is also incredibly satisfying.

In Nha Trang, there are many affordable grilled pork skewer (nem nuong) stalls, almost every street has one, the most famous of which are Ngoc Tien and Dang Van Quyen.

Beef noodle soup

The distinctive flavor of Hue-style beef noodle soup, upon its "migration" to Nha Trang, has been adapted to suit local tastes, resulting in a rich, savory dish with a unique Nha Trang character while retaining its Hue flavor. Although not originally a Nha Trang specialty, anyone who visits this beautiful city and doesn't try a bowl of beef noodle soup is truly missing out.

While Hue-style beef noodle soup includes beef or pork sausage, Nha Trang-style beef noodle soup does not. And while Hue-style beef noodle soup is served with mixed greens (lettuce, herbs), Nha Trang-style beef noodle soup is served with finely chopped vegetables. Another unique feature of Nha Trang-style beef noodle soup is the dipping sauce. Every restaurant provides a small bowl of thick fish sauce with finely chopped chili peppers for dipping the accompanying vegetables.

Famous and long-standing beef noodle soup restaurants in Nha Trang include O Thi on Phan Chu Trinh Street, Han Thuyen Street, Ngo Gia Tu Street, To Hien Thanh Street, Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Bach Dang Street... and countless other affordable eateries.

steamed rice rolls, pounded rice cakes

Banh dap and banh uot are two popular dishes in Nha Trang cuisine. Almost every street food stall offers both, but the best ones are found in Ninh Hoa. Thinly spread rice flour batter in a pan for about 30 seconds results in a chewy, fragrant, and pristine white banh uot. Some people like to add chicken eggs when making the banh uot, which makes the dish both rich and savory. Banh uot can also be rolled with shrimp and scallion oil filling, cut into small pieces with scissors, and eaten with fermented fish sauce or sweet and sour fish sauce.

Nha Trang's "Banh Dap" is essentially steamed rice rolls wrapped in a crispy grilled rice paper. When eating, you simply break them into small pieces with your hands for a delicious, crunchy, and satisfying chewing experience.

For delicious steamed rice rolls (bánh ướt or bánh đập), the dough must be fragrant and fresh, the shrimp filling fresh and well-seasoned, and the dipping sauce perfectly balanced. Although the dish is simple, the preparation process requires great care and the ingredients must be fresh and high-quality.

Pineapple Duck

From North to South, duck dishes are familiar to everyone. Almost everyone has tried duck meat at least once, but what is it about Nha Trang duck that makes so many tourists praise it? Why do people talk so much about Cau Dua duck in Nha Trang?

The duck dishes here are mainly made from Ninh Hoa ducks, which are raised on fertile, rich fields, making them very fatty. Cau Dua Duck Street offers a wide variety of delicious duck dishes such as duck blood soup, boiled duck, duck salad, duck porridge, grilled duck, etc., giving visitors plenty of choices. Each dish has its own unique flavor, but the general impression of the duck here is that the meat is fragrant, tender, lean, not mushy, and without the typical gamey smell of duck. Cau Dua Duck Street is only about 4 km south of the city center, located right on National Highway 1A, so take some time to come here to enjoy these delicious duck dishes.

Types of drinks

Most of the coffee in Nha Trang comes from Buon Ma Thuot, so it's very delicious, even at roadside stalls, costing only 10,000 - 15,000 VND per cup. In the summer, you can try young coconut water, pennywort juice, soy milk, fish mint, mung bean, and peanut drinks in Nha Trang, which are very refreshing. Additionally, at Xom Moi Market, you can find winter melon herbal drink, aloe vera and chia seed drink, herbal tonic dessert, and sago and pomegranate seed dessert... all refreshing and nutritious.

Gia Han