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Squid teeth
Previously, squid teeth were considered waste, often discarded because they were "worthless," but through skillful processing, they have now become a specialty, one of Phan Thiet's delicious dishes. From just one ingredient, it can be transformed into many tasty snacks.
The larger teeth are for boiling, the medium-sized teeth are marinated and skewered for grilling or stir-frying, and the smallest ones are added to a pot of seasoned batter for dishes like fried fish sauce or stir-fried with butter and garlic…
Around late afternoon or early evening, taking a stroll and stopping at a roadside stall to savor skewers of squid, dipped in spicy chili sauce and served with refreshing pickles, is truly wonderful. It's even more enjoyable when you're chatting and relaxing with friends and family.
In Phan Thiet, just follow Nguyen Tat Thanh Street (the road to Doi Duong beach) and you'll find plenty of restaurants to stop at and enjoy this dish that you can never get enough of.
Phu Long pork offal rice vermicelli
You can find rice vermicelli with roasted pork anywhere in Saigon, but for rice vermicelli with pork offal, you absolutely have to go to Phu Long, Binh Thuan.
Phu Long is famous for its uniquely delicious and flavorful dishes, made with readily available ingredients: rice vermicelli, pork offal, thin rice paper, fresh vegetables, and dipping sauce. However, the preparation requires a secret recipe that cannot be matched elsewhere.
The plate of offal must include heart, liver, kidney, intestines, and, most importantly, pork belly. The rice vermicelli noodles are thin, smooth, and not mushy. As for the dipping sauce, it doesn't contain fish sauce; instead, it's made from tamarind juice mixed with finely ground garlic and chili, sugar, and a little salt, creating a subtly sweet and sour flavor.
When eating, wrap the rice paper with the pork offal, add fresh vegetables in the middle, then dip and enjoy. Tourists can enjoy this dish right in the coastal city on Tran Phu Street in the morning. Or, for the authentic taste of the dish from its hometown, ask for directions to Phu Long, about 6 km north of Phan Thiet.
Dishes made with lizard meat
The monitor lizard is a specialty of the sand dunes region and one of Phan Thiet's delicacies. Seeing this animal, many people would likely shake their heads in fear and disgust. But dishes made from it are truly mouthwatering, making anyone who has tried them once crave more.
Lizards can be prepared into dishes such as lizard patties, lizard salad, or a hot, fragrant lizard meat porridge. However, grilled lizard with salt and chili is truly aromatic and flavorful. After the initial preparation, which not everyone can do, the lizard is marinated with spices for about half an hour. Importantly, the marinade must be made with high-quality, pure fish sauce from Phan Thiet.
Then, grill the monitor lizard over charcoal until both sides are golden brown, then arrange it on a plate and garnish attractively. Grilled monitor lizard can be eaten with grilled rice paper or with fresh vegetables, vermicelli, rice paper rolls, and tamarind sauce. A famous grilled monitor lizard restaurant in the city is located on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street; if you have the chance, be sure to visit so you don't miss out on this delicious dish.
Deep-fried catfish
This is a nutritious and delicious fish found in Phan Thiet. Many tasty dishes can be made from this fish, such as sour fish soup, braised fish with garlic, pepper, or chili, and the most appealing is fried fish in lard.
After cleaning, the fish is cut into square pieces and steamed. Pork fat is diced, fried until golden brown, and then topped with finely chopped scallions. Once the steamed fish is cooked, it's placed on a plate and drizzled with the scallion oil and roasted peanuts. This dish is delicious served hot with rice paper, various fresh vegetables, and a dipping sauce made with fish sauce, garlic, chili, sugar, and tamarind, along with mashed fish liver.
Deep-fried catfish is widely available in restaurants, from budget-friendly to high-end, in Phan Thiet, with many concentrated along Pham Van Dong Street.
Rice paper dipped in shrimp paste
Rice paper dipped in shrimp paste has captivated everyone from adults and children to students with its rich and unforgettable flavor. Delicious, fragrant shrimp paste is the key secret that determines the unique taste and character of the dish. The shrimp paste is scooped out, lemon juice and chili powder are added, and then it's mixed well.
Rice paper rolls are made with Vietnamese coriander, cucumber, sour mango, mashed quail eggs, and crumbled grilled rice paper, then rolled into a cylinder.
Slowly dip the roll into the freshly made shrimp paste sauce and enjoy the distinctive aroma of the shrimp paste, the crispy, nutty texture of the grilled rice paper, the chewy feel of the rice paper wrapper, all blended with the refreshing taste of the vegetables and the slight sourness of the mango.
This is a delicious Phan Thiet dish that's hard to resist when you visit, especially for women. It's sold in many places, such as Doi Duong beach and along Nguyen Tat Thanh street. If you want to buy the fish sauce to take home and make it yourself, you can visit Phan Thiet market or specialty food stalls.
Grilled rice paper with shrimp paste
This is a modified version of the traditional Vietnamese rice paper with shrimp paste dip. Instead of being eaten cold like the other dish, grilled rice paper with shrimp paste offers a unique sensation when eaten hot. Watching the preparation process while you eat is also quite enjoyable.
After brushing the rice paper with fish sauce, add toppings such as boiled chicken or quail eggs, fermented pork sausage, Vietnamese pork sausage, fried shallots, and chili sauce. Wait for the rice paper to cook slowly, then use chopsticks to roll it up and… eat.
Depending on the stall and the owner's secret recipe, the rice paper rolls may include pickled vegetables, shredded cabbage, butter, etc. But overall, they are all delicious. The combination of the warmth of the freshly baked rolls, the fillings, and the slightly salty taste of shrimp paste is truly memorable.
To try this local dish, you can go to Vo Huu Street or the restaurants along the Doi Duong beach.
Fish salad
Phan Thiet is a land of the sea, sunshine, wind, and fresh seafood. Therefore, Phan Thiet's fish salad is just as delicious as in many other places. Depending on the method and type of fish used, you will enjoy fish salads with different flavors.
Fish salad is eaten with rice paper, vermicelli, and various fresh vegetables. When you put a piece in your mouth and chew a little, you'll find the fish so sweet, the vegetables so crispy, and the dipping sauce so perfectly complementing them.
Feel free to enjoy the salad without worrying about stomach upset because the warming vegetables like garlic, chili peppers, unripe bananas, and herbs neutralize the cooling effect of the fish.
