Amazed by the extremely unusual flavors of the 2020 Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes.

Traditionally, mooncakes have been an indispensable treat during the Mid-Autumn Festival. However, in recent years, variations in fillings, with both sweet and savory flavors, have offered interesting experiences for consumers. This year's mooncake market is also extremely vibrant, with numerous manufacturers releasing mooncakes with unique fillings, even causing some to be wary and skeptical about these seemingly "unconventional" combinations.

Mooncakes with sticky rice filling

The combination of the sweet crust and the slightly salty mung bean and scallion oil filling creates a unique mooncake with a sticky rice flavor for this year's Mid-Autumn Festival.

For many, just hearing the name might raise concerns about the quality and flavor of the cake. According to those who have tried it, the baked crust isn't much different from other mooncakes on the market, but the filling has a strong scallion oil flavor and the soft, chewy texture of sticky rice. Therefore, this type of cake is suitable for those who love sticky rice and can tolerate the rich aroma of scallion oil. However, some believe that mooncakes and sticky rice are an "unconventional" and completely incompatible combination.

• Address for purchasing cakes: Chang Hi Food & Dessert
• Cake price: 65,000 VND/piece (150g)

Mooncakes with preserved plum filling

Hong Lam, a famous preserved fruit brand from Hanoi, is also joining the Mid-Autumn Festival race this year by launching mooncakes with preserved fruit filling. Besides the familiar sweetness of the crust, the sourness of the preserved fruit in the filling makes the mooncake unique and distinctive.

With its candied fruit flavor, Hong Lam offers various fillings including green tea apricot, mung bean kumquat, and glutinous rice flake plum. All fillings are available in both soft and baked versions for consumers to choose from. Many who have tried this type of cake generally find the crust quite sweet, but the sourness of the filling somewhat balances the sweetness, creating a unique and delicious flavor.

• Address for purchasing the cakes: Hong Lam candied fruit store chain.
• Cake price: 90,000 VND/piece (150g)

Hong Kong-style seafood mooncake

Hong Kong-style seafood mooncakes include lobster-filled mooncakes and king crab-filled mooncakes. These mooncakes contain approximately 5% seafood and 10% Hong Kong-style sauce, with the remaining ingredients being egg yolks, candied winter melon, melon seeds, cashews, shredded pork floss, etc.

With these ingredients, the mooncake has a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. However, the inclusion of seafood and Hong Kong-style sauce makes this mooncake more expensive than the average on the market and suitable as a gift.

• Address for purchasing mooncakes: Hoi An Mooncake
• Cake price: 135,000 - 145,000 VND/piece (180g)

Mooncakes with black pepper and dried Phu Quoc fish filling.

Dried fish, a seemingly timeless ingredient typically paired only with white rice, has surprisingly become the inspiration for a high-end mooncake. A resort in Phu Quoc has created a mooncake with a filling of black pepper and Phu Quoc dried fish, offering diners a taste of the local sea combined with seasonal ingredients.

Many people who try this type of mooncake find it quite enjoyable due to its unique flavor. However, due to limited production, consumers may find it somewhat difficult to obtain and enjoy this one-of-a-kind mooncake.

• Address for purchasing the cake: Movenpick Resort Waverly Phu Quoc

Wagyu Beef Noodle Soup Mooncakes

Wagyu beef pho – the most expensive pho in Vietnam – now has a unique version served as a filling in mooncakes.

The manufacturer named this type of mooncake "Wagyu Beef Sky-High Pho" and claimed the filling was made from Wagyu beef imported from Japan, as well as Australian beef tail, brisket, and bone. The beef is simmered for 48 hours with herbs to create melted fat and tender meat. The filling is then concentrated for 5 hours until the beef is completely dry while still retaining its tenderness before being mixed with the other filling ingredients according to a unique recipe.

• Address for purchasing cakes: Vinpearl Luxury Landmark 81
• Cake price: 980,000 - 1,500,000 VND/box of 4-6 cakes

Minh Chi