Explore Can Tho through a food tour of the specialties of three merged provinces
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After the merger of Soc Trang and Hau Giang, Can Tho City became a new culinary paradise with vermicelli salad, fish hotpot, Cai Rang grilled spring rolls and duck hotpot cooked with congee.
Can Tho is not only famous for its floating market, Ninh Kieu wharf or fruitful orchards, but is also an ideal destination for Western food lovers. After merging the administrative boundaries with Soc Trang and Hau Giang, the map of delicious dishes in “Tay Do” becomes even more rich and unique.
Tourists coming here now not only enjoy the famous specialties of Can Tho, but also have the opportunity to experience the culinary quintessence of two neighboring lands – all converging in an attractive food tour.
Duck hotpot cooked with porridge: Iconic dish of Can Tho
Indispensable in any culinary journey in Can Tho, duck hotpot cooked with congee conquers diners with its rich, fatty taste. The duck is raised in the fields so the meat is firm and fragrant, combined with the simmered broth from chao chao – a type of fermented tofu – and loose taro to create a unique flavor that is hard to mistake.
Suggested addresses: Thanh Giao restaurant (Ly Tu Trong street), Ut Cung restaurant (Tran Khanh Du street), Cam Tu restaurant (Ly Tu Trong street)
Cai Rang grilled spring rolls: Eat once and remember forever
Cai Rang grilled spring rolls – a rustic yet sophisticated dish – is a blend of pureed pork mixed with fat, grilled over charcoal, served with banh hoi, raw vegetables and thick, fatty peanut sauce. This is a dish that is always on the “must try” list when coming to Can Tho.
Suggested addresses: Thanh Van restaurant (Hoa Binh street), grilled spring rolls 98 (De Tham street), grilled spring rolls Ba 6 (Nguyen Trai street)
Bun Goi Da: Delicate sweet and sour taste from Soc Trang
Considered a “combined version” of vermicelli with fish sauce and vermicelli with Thai vermicelli, vermicelli with vermicelli salad is a dish that bears the mark of Soc Trang. The hot vermicelli bowl includes sliced boiled pork, fresh shrimp, bean sprouts, roasted peanuts, served with a broth mixed with shrimp paste, tamarind juice and palm sugar – creating a harmonious sweet and sour taste, very stimulating to the taste buds.
Suggested addresses: Ms. Hang’s restaurant (Nguyen Van Huu street), My Anh restaurant (Vo Van Kiet street)
Lac fish hotpot: Famous delicacy from Hau Giang
A Western hot pot dish that is hard to miss is strabismus fish hot pot. The fish meat is mashed and shaped into balls, naturally soft and chewy. The broth is clear and sweet from fish heads, tomatoes, lemongrass, chili and braised cilantro – creating a harmonious, mouth-watering whole, very suitable for family reunions or meetings with friends.
Suggested addresses: Xuyen Que restaurant (Tran Ngoc Que street), Tan Hau Giang restaurant (3/2 street)
If you have a day in Can Tho, start the morning with a bowl of vermicelli salad, enjoy Cai Rang grilled spring rolls at noon, sip on strabismus fish hotpot and end with a hot duck hotpot with chao. Each dish is a piece of the culinary puzzle, reflecting the cultural diversity and breadth of the “Tay Do” land after its expansion.
