With a wide range of tasty foods everywhere in the town, Nha Trang is definitely a great destination for foodies. Here are the top 10 authentic Nha Trang dishes that should not be missed

Nha Trang seafood is very diversified in terms of quality and stability. Rarely marinated, the diners can always feel its freshness. Here are some great choice you should try: lobster, sea urchin, mantis shrimp, crab & flower crab, squid, jellyfish etc.

Nha Trang’s pancakes – Bánh xèo are beautiful, molded in circular molds made of terracotta or iron. They have a round shape that is as big as an adult’s hand. It is the favorite breakfast and dinner of many locals. They are made with ground rice flour diluted with water plus chopped green onions or chives. Depending on the preference of the cook, the pancakes may be thick or thin, soft or crunchy, brownish in color (natural powder when cooked) or yellowish (turmeric powder). The pancake often has bean sprouts, sliced onions with meat / shrimp / squid / eggs … The vegetarian version usually has straw mushrooms, sliced chayote and tofu. The Pancake is usually served when it is still hot with sweet and sour fish sauce made from fish sauce, pineapple, tomato, chili, garlic, sugar and coconut water (or just plain water). Fresh vegetables (aromatic herbs, bitter vegetables, lettuce) are served with pancakes as well as chili and lime.

Nha Trang’s mini pancakes – Bánh Căn look like Vung Tau’s mini pancakes – Bánh Khọt, but the powder is fresh rice flour. It’s dense and molded in a mold made from soil. No oil is used so the cake is nicely cooked, crispy gold. The original mini pancake is just a plain dough cake with fish sauce. It is a cheap and rustic dish for the poor. The richer might add eggs to make it more colorful and tastier. Nowadays, the mini pancake is considered more “high-class”. The vendors add shrimps, squids, chopped pork or beef and priced it at 70.000vnd (3$) or 80.000vnd (3,5$) a plate. This is the highest price that I know, but considering what it is, it’s not so expensive. Anyone who likes the older version of the dish can find it easily at some food shops on the streets, both in morning and evening. The price is very affordable.

The broth of thick noodles soup (Vietnamese udon soup) – Bánh Canh is basically made from fish and fish bones, but some cook secretly use pig bones. But no matter, the most important ingredient is the fish cake. In the past, the soup was simply fish with a fried fish cake and covered with some coriander, fried red onions and black pepper puree. Now, the more modern version is more glossy with these: steamed fish cake, bird’s egg, fried pork skin, fish eggs etc. That makes the soup more attractive. To give the dish more flavor, you can add chopped chili and lime. You can also order a hot loaf of bread, shred it  into small pieces and dip it into the soup or the sweet fish sauce, that is so tasty.

While Hue is famous for Bún Bò (Beef fresh noodle) and the Mekong Delta is known for Bún Mắm (Fish sauce noodle), in Nha Trang, it’s Bún Cá – Fish Fresh Noodle. The broth of fish noodles is similar to Bánh Canh – Vietnamese udon noodles, but there are more tomatoes and pineapple so that it tastes slightly sour, a very stimulating taste. The noodles for this dish are standard fresh noodles or a noodle cake called “bún lá” in Vietnamese. The noodle cakes are noodles whisked together to form a large round vermicelli shaped like a human hand. The noodle cake is usually kept warm in the steamer to make it soft, smooth, ready to be served to the customers. A good bowl of fish noodles must have fish cake (steamed or fried), fish, some pieces of tomatoes and served with a plate of raw vegetables with a little sliced or banana flower and bean sprouts. Those who like a stronger taste might want to add some shrimp sauce. 

Normally, the places that are offering fish noodles will also offer jellyfish noodles, because the broth of those two dishes are very similar. So, many people order a 2 in 1 bowl to enjoy these dishes at the same time. Jellyfish are cleaned, chopped and scalded over the boiling water. They will be crunchy and juicy and won’t taste fishy. Some people like this soup but some don’t. In case you still want to try jellyfish but not the soup, then I recommend a jellyfish salad.

Nha Trang grilled pork rolls – Nem nướng Nha Trang are so delicious, and enjoyed by all, from the locals to the tourists. They are prepared by chopping lean meat and fat, wrapping the meat around a bamboo stick then grilled on charcoals. After cooked, the meat is cut in half, vertically, and then wrapped again, this time with shallots, raw vegetables, minced mango, sliced green banana, cucumber, and crispy fried rice paper. A red sauce made of grated meat and sticky rice accompanies the dish.

One of the oldest and certainly one of the most popular restaurant in Nha Trang – Lac Canh Restaurant. It is known for its marinated beef that you cook yourself. Unique in its taste, any meat lover will surely appreciate this place, who can get a little crowded and smoky with all the cookers on each table. The restaurant offers chicken, pork and seafood as well as a nice variety of vegetables. Be sure to try their toasted bread, it’s delicious.

Vietnamese steak and egg – Bò Né, a very popular breakfast and dinner for the local people, it consists of an egg, a piece of beef steak, some chopped onions and a special sauce served on a sizzling hot plate along with a bread baguette. Some places also add a sausage as well, a meatball or a side sauce of mayonnaise with some lettuce and chopped carrots. Just make sure to step back in your chair when they bring the dish as it can splash some unwanted oil on your clothes! And careful not to burn yourself on the hot plate… Usually around 45.000vnd.

Vietnam has two places that are very famous for chicken rice: Hoi An and Nha Trang. Here, the steam rice is cooked in boiled chicken water (that means you cook the rice in the water you used to boil a chicken) and that’s what gives it the yellow color along with the chicken fat and a bit of turmeric powder. The chicken rice is served with shredded boil chicken, Vietnamese mint, cucumbers, pickles, ginger sauce and yellow fatty sauce. This dish also includes a small bowl of hot soup cooked from chicken broth and radishes, green onions and a few bird’s eggs. You can eat at the restaurant but it’s also one of those dishes that’s easy to take away.

Photos: Hai Trinh Fotography