Banh beo
Besides many familiar snacks, banh beo is one of the rustic dishes loved by many Hai Phong people. The dish has a fairly simple processing method but has its own flavor, associated with the street food life of the port city.
Unlike banh beo in Central Vietnam, Hai Phong banh beo is made from soft steamed rice flour, cut into small pieces and then dipped in rich fish sauce, served with spring rolls and fried onions. Plates of hot banh beo, fragrant with onions, harmonious salty and sweet taste make diners "eat one and want to eat two".
In Hai Phong, it is not difficult to find long-standing banh beo shops that are well-known to many people. Some familiar addresses can be mentioned such as Banh beo Co May at Chu Van An market; Banh beo Thanh Thao (294 Lach Tray); Banh beo Lan; Banh beo on Le Dai Hanh street, or small banh beo shops in the city center area, where this rustic dish is still sought after by many people in the afternoons.
Puffy, sesame sweet soup
When the weather is chilly, a hot bowl of sủi dìn (banh troi tau) is a popular choice. Sủi dìn, a dish originating from the Chinese community, is sticky rice flour balls wrapped in black sesame or peanut filling, eaten with lightly spicy ginger broth.
Cau Dat street is considered a famous place for this dish. The round white beads float in a bowl of fragrant ginger water, sprinkled with a little grated coconut and roasted sesame, creating a characteristic sweet, warm and characteristic flavor.
Hoang Thanh Tam, a tourist from Hanoi, said: "The first time I tried bubbling, I found it quite interesting. The cake is sticky, the sesame filling is fragrant, and the hot ginger broth is very suitable for the chilly weather.
Next to the bouillon is black sesame sweet soup (chí mà phù). Black sesame sweet soup is scooped into a bowl when it is still hot, with a little coconut milk, sprinkled with grated coconut and roasted peanuts on top. The difference of Hai Phong black sesame sweet soup is that it is served with crispy fried sticky rice cut into small pieces. Crispy, fatty sticky rice pieces blend with smooth, hot sweet soup to create a delicious and rich flavor.
Coconut coffee, coconut bean
Besides snacks, coconut milk coffee and coconut sweet soup are also popular drinks in Hai Phong. The coconut milk coffee impresses with its rich coffee flavor blended with a fatty coconut milk layer and toppings such as grass jelly, pearls, and shredded fresh coconut.
Meanwhile, coconut sweet soup is attractive because of the combination of young coconut flesh, jelly, pearls and thick coconut milk, bringing a mild sweetness, easy to enjoy. Many young diners also consider coconut milk coffee shops as familiar rendezvous points.
Coconut milk coffee in Hai Phong has a very characteristic taste, both fatty and fragrant. Every time we gather with friends, we often choose coconut milk coffee shops in the central area," shared Nguyen Duc Kien, a student in Hai Phong.
Some addresses that many people suggest when wanting to enjoy coconut milk coffee can be mentioned such as: Co Hanh coconut milk coffee, Co Hang coconut milk coffee or Co Ha coconut milk coffee.
Chamomile tea
Chrysanthemum tea is a simple drink but associated with the daily life of Hai Phong people. Tea is often mixed with dried chrysanthemum flowers, red apples, kumquats and licorice, creating a gentle aroma and light sweetness. A cup of chrysanthemum tea with the right taste is usually golden brown, when drinking you can clearly feel the slightly bitter taste of chrysanthemum flowers, the mild sour taste of kumquats and the characteristic sweet and fragrant aftertaste.
In Hai Phong, chrysanthemum tea is sold in many locations, including familiar shops that are mentioned by many people such as Minh Khai Chrysanthemum Tea, Chu Huy Chrysanthemum Tea, or Phan Boi Chau Chrysanthemum Tea... These are familiar addresses for many local people when they want to enjoy a cup of chrysanthemum tea in the evening.
Not fussy about appearance, many Hai Phong snacks still conquer diners thanks to their rich flavor and very unique simplicity. Each dish contributes to the attractiveness of the port city cuisine, making many people visit once and then want to return.
