At this time, in most eateries and restaurants in the Western region, dishes made from linh fish are always on the "Vip" list chosen by diners, because this specialty fish only appears once a year. The fish appearing in floods as well as the flexible way people process it have contributed to affirming the position of Western cuisine: rustic, unique, and in harmony with nature.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuyen, an employee of Tra Su Melaleuca Forest Ecotourism Site (An Giang), informed that during the flood season, the tourist site welcomes an average of 300 - 400 visitors/day and most visitors choose to stay at the restaurant for lunch because they want to enjoy the linh fish from the source.
"The top favorites are fried linh fish with tamarind fish sauce and wild vegetables, followed by braised fish with sour tamarind or linh fish hotpot with dien dien flowers. In general, the dishes are all prepared cleanly and simply by the chef, preserving the natural flavors" - Ms. Xuyen said.
Ms. Xuyen also added that compared to the beginning of the season when the price of linh fish was up to 250,000 VND/kg, the fish is now only at 150,000 VND/kg. The price of raw materials has "cooled down", the restaurant has also changed the prices of dishes to suit the budget of diners. Therefore, when coming here, visitors will not have too much difficulty enjoying the hot dish with the flavor of the flood season in the West.
While squeezing the juice of the fruit into the braised linh fish, Ms. Vo Thi Yen Nhi, a restaurant waitress, introduced: "In An Giang, braised linh fish has a little bit of the flavor of the fruit. Many customers have questions, so we are willing to explain to them so they can better understand the cuisine of the delta, especially the cuisine of the flood season. I myself am very happy when serving here because many Vietnamese and Western customers keep praising it."
After admiring Tra Su cajuput forest, Ms. Truong Y Van, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, and her group sat at the table to enjoy a feast of linh fish.
Mrs. Van praised: "You have to come here to enjoy linh fish to fully feel the flavor of the delta. I am very satisfied."
