The 10 Best Foods In Quy Nhon

1. Fish noodle – Bun ca

Among the countless types of noodle in Vietnam, Bun ca Quy Nhon is one of the most popular ones. It is so easy to spot a cart that sells Bun ca when you’re in Quy Nhon but the preparation requires a lot of effort.

Every ingredient has to be prepared separately the night before. From kneading, shaping, and boiling a mixture of rice powder and flour to make the vermicelli; to elaborately making the fish fillet and patiently stewing the fishbone and head for hours to make a flavourful broth, this dish will not disappoint. A bowl of fish noodles is usually served with a dish of fresh herbs. It tastes even better when you dip the fish fillet in the fish sauce.

2. “Jumping” shrimp pancake – Banh xeo tom nhay

Are you curious about the name of this dish? In fact, the term “jumping shrimp” is used to describe the freshness of the shrimp. This pancake is much smaller than the southern version.

The filling of central Banh xeo is rich. You can also eat this pancake with squid, egg, or rare beef which is then complimented by bean sprouts, onion, and green onion. This central pancake feast isn’t completed without a tray of greens herbs, rice paper, and sweet fish sauce.

3. Jellyfish noodle – Bun sua

The cook immerses the vermicelli noodles in boiling water, then moves it to a bowl when done. Next, the cook places slices of jellyfish, fried fish fillet, and pours a decent amount of broth (made of stewed pork bone) into the bowl. Just like other Vietnamese dishes, the veggies that accompany jellyfish noodles are mango to contribute a sour taste, slices of cucumber, and some greens like salad, coriander, and mint leaves. All of the ingredients are blended so well together and create a pleasant flavor in your mouth.

4. Grilled Nem – Nem nuong

Nem is a kind of meatball (usually pork) that often comes in the shape of a cube wrapped in banana leaves and herbs. Quy Nhon-Binh Dinh nem is a specialty that people usually buy to gift to their family and friends whenever they travel to this region. Normally, nem can be eaten without having been cooked. Besides that, nem is grilled until the surface is a little burnt,  then the cook will either use it for spring rolls or serve it with the greens, bitter banana, cucumber, and star fruit.

5.Thin Vermicelli served with pig intestine – Banh hoi long heo

It’s not an exaggeration to say that every province and city in Vietnam has its own exotic food. Though to Vietnamese, the intestine is a normal part of our diet. More or less, we eat it as a daily meal.

This dish is a favorite breakfast of people in Quy Nhon. Made of rice vermicelli, Banh hoi is another kind of noodle that the Vietnamese love. It is prepared with a spoon of oil and finely chopped chives, and the intestine is placed in the middle of the banh hoi plate. The side dish of banh hoi long heo is a helping of boiled bean sprouts, basil, salad, and coriander or a bowl of porridge. The sauce also plays a very important role in completing the taste of this delicacy. First, the fish sauce is cooked with sugar until it’s thicker. Second, ground garlic, lime juice, and a few slices of chili are added to the fish sauce. Later, it is poured into a small bowl.

6. Vietnamese rice pyramid dumpling – Banh it la gai

This pyramid dessert is a specialty of Quy Nhon-Binh Dinh. Locals wrap a cake with gai leaves and stuff it with coconut flesh, peanut, green beans, and ginger. A good quality cake is soft, bland, and not too sweet. Wait until you bite the sweet stuffing, it is probably unlike any dessert you have tried.

7. Water Fern Cake – Banh beo

This dish is not originally from Quy Nhon but beo cake is a flavorful snack with good flavor in this region. The water fern cake in Quy Nhon is made of rice flour, topped with chopped chives, dried shrimp, and ground peanuts. The best version of this dish has crunchy fried breadcrumbs on the top. Add a decent amount of sweet fish sauce and this snack will be ready to go. Since the cakes are served on a small plate, start an eating competition with your friends to see who can eat more water fern cake, and the winner doesn’t have to pay for their meal!

8. Beef ragu served with bread – Banh mi ragu

Another popular breakfast in Quy Nhon is beef ragu served with bread. The beef is stewed for hours to make it soft. A bowl of beef ragu contains a lot of nutrition. Besides meat, you will also find carrots, peanuts, and some other spices.

A banh mi is what makes this food even more addictive. The good smell of butter spread on bread is so alluring that you can’t help but keep thinking about it afterward. On a chilly day, nothing is better than holding a warm banh mi in your hands, tearing it apart, stopping for a second to smell the good scent of butter, bread, and beef ragu. Dip the banh mi into the broth and slowly relish the symphony of flavors in your mouth.

9. Grilled Coconut Paper – Banh trang nuong dua

The land of Tam Quan is famous in Vietnam for having many recipes that contain coconut in the ingredients. Coconut paper is the most popular one. It is made of flour, rice flour, sesame, and coconut juice. After coating a pan with the mixture, it will be left in the sun until dried. The grilled coconut paper is a favorable snack that tastes a little sweet because of the coconut juice and smells good due to the sesame. Locals usually bring it home as a Quy Nhon gift to their loved ones.

10. Fresh seafood – Hai san tuoi song

You can’t go to the beach without trying any seafood. So wake up early in the morning and pay a visit to the fishing village. With 72 kilometers of coast, seafood in Quy Nhon is very diverse! There you can easily find shrimp, sea snails, crabs, king crabs, clams, scallops, and more. You can buy seafood directly from the fisherman or in the wet market. If you enjoy the freshness of seafood, boiling or steaming it to taste the true flavor. But don’t forget to dip it in salt, pepper, and lime sauce.

Some dishes you should try are: sea snails sautéed with coconut, scallops/echinus grilled with oil and green onion, fresh oyster served with lime , steamed sea clams, Huynh De Crab sauteed with tamarind, or grilled fish.