Food in Nha Trang - what to try: exotic fruits and national cuisine

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Coming to another country, every traveler is interested not only in its sights and culture, but also in culinary traditions. Nutrition is not just an important and interesting topic for discussion anywhere in the world. It is also a vital necessity, a way of getting pleasure and one of the main items of expenditure. Food in Nha Trang, a Vietnamese tourist town, has its own characteristics, where Asian flavor is uniquely combined with Soviet cultural heritage.

The national cuisine of Vietnam has several hundred different dishes. Each of them is different from our usual dishes. Food in Nha Trang, according to tourists, is interesting and unusual. This town, located in the southeast of the Eurasian continent, has something to offer both lovers of delicacies and supporters of conservative culinary ideas.

First courses

Soups in Vietnam are loved not only by tourists. Local residents do not deny themselves the daily use of hot liquid food. One of the most popular is pho soup. It looks like our noodles in chicken broth, and thisIt is no coincidence: the basis of the dish is funchose (rice noodles) with vegetables and herbs. Pho soup is made with any kind of meat (beef, pork or poultry) cut into thin pieces. This dish is as popular in Vietnam as cabbage soup and borscht are in Russia. But if we eat such food mainly at lunch, Asians can eat pho soup for breakfast or dinner. Real Vietnamese food in Nha Trang is inexpensive, no more than two dollars per serving. This dish is served with chopsticks and a spoon.

Bun bo hue is an equally popular meat broth soup. Unlike pho, bun bo hue is more rich and is prepared exclusively with beef on the bone. The soup has a characteristic shrimp aroma and a spicy lemongrass flavor.

Fans of fish dishes should better get acquainted with Vietnamese cuisine, starting with bun cha ga - a fish soup with small pies, specific fish sauce and fragrant spices. The highlight of this first course is the pronounced garlic aroma.

Another story is hot pot soup. If translated from English, you get a "hot pot". In establishments where hot pots are prepared, each client is left with space for imagination: soup in a pot is prepared from the ingredients that he chooses. The visitor is served a saucepan with boiling broth, mounted on a gas burner, and many plates with various ingredients (vegetables, seafood, meat). The minimum price of soup in restaurants and eateries in Nha Trang is eight dollars. According to the responses, a portion of hot sweat can satisfy the hunger of not one, but two or three at once.tourists.

The most exotic snacks

What influences the traveler's menu to a greater extent? Of course, from the budget. Anyone who is not limited in funds can safely go to any institution they like and try everything their heart desires. If the goal is to spend a vacation with minimal costs, including food, you will have to be more careful in choosing a place to eat. In any case, visitors should try dishes from turtle, ostrich, crocodile, snake, scorpion, frog and other specific ingredients. In some cafes they are more expensive, in others they are cheaper.

Along with specific types of meat, nem nuong cutlets and crispy pancakes with seafood are also popular here. Balut is considered to be the most exotic local delicacy, which only daredevils dare to try. This is a non-standard delicacy, which is a boiled duck egg. Inside the shell is a formed fetus, a duck embryo. That is why even those who consider themselves to be gourmets, it is better to find out in advance about the composition of a particular dish before ordering and eating it.

Besides, in Vietnam, as in another Asian country, one should not forget about hygiene and safe food rules. Sanitary standards here are different from those in force in our country, and therefore anyone who neglects security measures runs the risk of serious poisoning. Buying food directly on the streets of Nha Trang is undesirable. The most common diagnosis among local tourists is intestinalinfection.

What's for dessert?

We have already said about what dishes to try in Nha Trang in the first place. But for some, a hearty meal seems incomplete if, in addition to the main delicacies, sweets are not served at the table. Vietnamese desserts are different from the sweets and cakes that Europeans are used to pampering themselves with. Almost all confectionery in this country is made from local fruits. The candy is like soft toffee wrapped in a thin, edible rice wrap. Mung bean halva and fruit chips are the favorite among locals and tourists.

According to visitors, sweets with durian have the strangest taste, so it's better to buy just a little bit for testing first. Curious sweets in Nha Trang are viscous dark candies made from dried banana. As for the “standard” desserts (puding, soufflé, mousses, ice cream, etc.), it’s easy to find them even here in Southeast Asia. Such products are available in almost every supermarket or decent cafe.

Best places in Nha Trang

Where to eat in this town? For most tourists, especially those who are in Vietnam for the first time, their eyes run wide from the abundance of cafes and restaurants. Again, the choice of institution depends on the budget. Although there are several options that will suit even the most budget-conscious travelers.

Grill Garden

By the way, the owners of this restaurant are a Russian married couple. Most tourists who have been here do not recommend passing by a colorful establishment. Unusualbuffet-style menu format and original presentation of raw, non-thermally processed products that you need to cook yourself - that's what distinguishes "Grill Garden" from competitors. To make it clear how the service is arranged in this institution, we note that on the table of each visitor there is a miniature brazier with kindled coals. The visitor can take as many plates as he needs. The menu here is the most exotic: from frogs and marine reptiles to crocodile and ostrich.

Hawai reataurant

The establishment is located on the third line, on Nguyen Thien Thuat street. Prices are not the lowest, but not the highest either. A particularly nice bonus is cheap beer. The most remarkable here is the cuisine: the menu includes all popular exotic items. In addition, the restaurant serves so-called combo lunches at a better price than the cost of each dish separately. The average price of a dinner for two is about a thousand rubles.

Features Hawai reataurant with excellently trained staff. This is one of the few places where the Vietnamese will bring you food in Nha Trang, who speak both English and Russian equally well. High-quality service is a rarity for the Asian outback, but this establishment really has a decent level of service.

Cafe des Amis

The most delicious seafood in Nha Trang is cooked in this interesting place. Unlike colorful Vietnamese cafes, the interior of the restaurant is made in a youth style. Cafe des business cardAmis - birds in cages on the second floor. To feed them, you need to climb the stairs. In addition to seafood and turtle soup, the menu includes many dishes from European cuisine. Visitors are lured by a Russian guy standing at the entrance. By the way, in the specified institution there is an opportunity to pay with a plastic card, which is quite rare in Nha Trang.

Quan

Many tourists from Russia prefer the simple and atmospheric Vietnamese cafe Kwon. This place is perfect for a first acquaintance with traditional national cuisine. It is located at the intersection of Hung Vuong and Nguyen Ti Minh Khai streets. Locals also speak well of the Kwon cafe, although the prices here can hardly be called the most affordable in Nha Trang.

Average prices

So, we got to the most burning issue - the cost of food. Of course, we will not list the prices of all dishes in all restaurants, but nevertheless we will dwell on the main points.

Let's start with Vietnamese money. In this country, everything is measured in thousands of dongs: 6,000, 12,000, 380,000, but for convenience, local residents and tourists use abbreviations - 6, 12, 380 dongs. At the time of publication of the article, the exchange rate of the Russian ruble against the dong is approximately 1:3, that is, one thousand Vietnamese money can be exchanged for almost three thousand rubles. To understand how much this or that dish will cost in rubles, you need to multiply its cost in dongs by three.

In general, a full meal for an adult will cost 800-1000 rubles here. However, the cost of onethe same product or dish may vary depending on the place of purchase. For example, a coconut in the market will cost half as much as on the beach.

Unknown fruits

When talking about food in Nha Trang, many people first of all imagine the variety of fruits. For vegetarians this is a real paradise. In Asia, there are delicious and varied fruits that cannot be found in Europe, despite the fact that many of the exotics are sold in chain supermarkets. Nha Trang is rich in pineapples, mangoes, citrus fruits. But since these fruits no longer surprise anyone, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with other curiosities of Vietnamese fruit crops.

Longan is a small, round fruit with a thin skin that, despite its toughness, separates very easily. Longans grow in clusters on branches, sold in bunches in the markets of Nha Trang. Inside the fruit has a juicy transparent pulp and a huge hard bone. The taste of longan is difficult to compare with anything. It has a refreshing aroma and leaves a pleasant tart aftertaste. Outwardly, longan resembles rambutan. How to eat these fruits?

Rambutan has a denser skin with a shaggy cover. By the way, the very name of the fruit is associated with the word "hair". Inside the rambutan is a large bone. The pulp is especially tasty. Before eating this fruit, you need to know how to eat rambutan. The thing is that a plate from the bone “sticks” to its pulp. To separate it, you will have to work hard: it bites off with difficulty. This feature of rambutan makes it difficult to enjoy iteating.

Another strange fruit is the chirimoya. Varieties of this plant grow in the south of Europe, but there they are larger and slightly different in structure. In Nha Trang, chirimoya is called "sugar apple". This is a very tasty and nutritious fruit with a limited shelf life: it is not worth taking them home as a gift.

It is impossible not to mention the mangosteen fruit, which is especially popular among tourists in Vietnam. If you believe the reviews, this strange fruit helps to restore metabolism and lose extra pounds. The mangosteen has a dark purple skin and white, juicy flesh that is shaped like a clove of garlic. The fruit has a delicate and delicate taste, therefore it is considered one of the most expensive in Nha Trang.

Bananas are also different here. These fruits are completely different from what we are used to seeing them. Those bananas that are on the shelves of our stores are called fodder here. In Nha Trang, small and sweet fruits are sold in large bunches, whole bunches. The color of Vietnamese bananas can be both yellow and greenish, and the rich yellow color does not always indicate the ripeness of the fruit.

It is worth paying attention to the pitahaya fruit. How to choose it, how is it? Pitahaya means "dragon's eye" in Vietnamese. It's actually not really a fruit. Pitahaya is a type of cactus. The fruits of the plant look very impressive, have a dense peel of a bright color with small growths. Inside the fruit there is a lot of white pulp with black seeds that you can eat.

Among the fruits in Nha Trang, durian, the king of Asian cultures, stands out separately. This is an unusual thick-skinned fruit with prickly growths. It takes a lot of effort to eat it. Inside the durian is the most delicate creamy pulp. Asians - admirers of the fruits of this plant, consider them a delicacy, but for Europeans, the aroma and taste of durian often remains incomprehensible. The fruit smells specific, and the scent is so strong that it was even forbidden to be carried on airplanes.

What to try in Nha Trang from food: reviews

The most controversial opinions are usually about tasting durian. Reviews about the "nauseous" fruit and its terrible smells are not fiction. But after studying them, we can say that some people still like durian. If you are in doubt whether you should try it or not, be aware that you are unlikely to be able to taste it anywhere else, not in Asia. Ultimately, it's better to focus on the smell - if it doesn't make you sick, you should definitely try the durian.

Affordable food prices in Nha Trang allow even the most frugal tourists to try everything they want. In addition to fruits, various fresh juices are sold here - they are made right in front of the buyer. An interesting option that you can't try anywhere else but in Asia is sugarcane juice.

Although Nha Trang is located on the coast of the South China Sea, seafood here is not as affordable as many mistakenly think. But still, you can try sea reptiles even with a limited budget. In cafes and restaurants, seafood costs fabulous money, and you can cook such dishes yourself inapartments without a kitchen, few dare. You can taste delicacies from the depths of the sea by contacting the chefs from the nearest establishment with a request to prepare a dish for a nominal fee. An alternative way to taste all the fun at minimal cost is suitable for everyone who is in the mood for experiments and vivid emotions.

In general, the local catering industry in Nha Trang is highly developed. There are many more street stalls and simple bistros than pompous restaurants. Mid-range cafes are found literally at every turn. In addition to these establishments, the city has many markets and grocery stores. It is unlikely that you will be able to buy marine life or durian in supermarkets - it is better to look for such curiosities in the market. In Nha Trang, street vendors of souvenirs, food stalls, large Perekrestok and Maximark stores are especially popular among tourists.

Usually, tourists who come to Nha Trang are satisfied with the local food prices. When it comes to water, sweets, snacks and other snacks, many travelers recommend shopping at Perekrestok. In comparison with the shopping center "Maximark" there are lower prices and no less wide range. In addition, they are located in different parts of the city within walking distance.

For the sake of interest, some decide to visit the Xom Moi food market, but not everyone, judging by the reviews, gets a positive impression. For Europeans, such a market seems to be a very specific place with terrible mixed smells, annoying hucksters. There is no trade here, andprices are above average. In addition to Xom Moi, Cho Dam Market is popular with locals.

In general, tourists are advised to shop in the shops and shops of the European quarter of Nha Trang. According to the majority, this place has an unusual surroundings and a comfortable atmosphere. Also, experienced travelers are advised to use common sense, not to take anything of value with them, not to keep large sums of money in sight, and to carefully look after your wallet. You should also be careful about treats from strangers, do not wear expensive watches and jewelry.