Daring coconut has long been a popular and familiar cooling dish for the people of the port city. In the past few years, when Hai Phong food tours have emerged as a fever, Hai Phong dried coconut has become an even more "incentive" dessert.
Wandering through alleys on Lach Tray, Luong Khanh Thien, Quang Trung streets..., diners can easily find long-standing specialty shops selling cold-pressed coconut cups. A glass of thick, fatty white coconut milk mixed with the sweet and fragrant taste of milk, the rich and crispy taste of young coconut, pear, coconut jelly and dried coconut jam.
Ms. Hien, owner of Hien Beo District Coconut shop - one of the long-standing famous addresses in Hai Phong, shared that usually on holidays or weekends, the shop welcomes a large number of diners to enjoy on-site or buy take-away.
However, from the end of May until now, when the weather started to heat up, bean sprouts have become the most popular and best-selling summer cooling dish. Some snacking restaurants can sell hundreds of cups of bean sprouts on peak days.
On weekends, there are often many groups of tourists from far away coming and ordering a few dozen cups to take away, said Ms. Hien.
As for Phuong Mai, a "regular customer" of sugarcane shops in Hai Phong, shared that even though he studies away from home, every time he comes to Hai Phong, he visits familiar shops to enjoy a refreshing, fatty glass of sugarcane shops, a flavor that cannot be found anywhere else.
For the children of Hai Phong, bean sprouts are no longer a summer snack, but also a part of childhood memories and the love and pride in culinary culture every time they return to their hometown.
Khanh Linh, a tourist from Hanoi, expressed that although there is no shortage of bean sprout coconut restaurants in the capital, there is no place that has a "standard" flavor like the bean sprout coconut glasses in Hai Phong.
"Darming coconut in Hai Phong has scored points with me since the first try, not only with its fresh ingredients but also for its delicious, rich flavor blending together. Every time I come to Hai Phong, I order a few dozen cups to bring home for my family to enjoy, you said.
The best time to cool down with a glass of sugarcane is at noon or in the afternoon, after hot hours. Coconut has the function of adding water, minerals or balancing electrolytes for the body, especially after exercise or in hot weather. However, if you eat a lot of coconut in the evening or before bed, you will easily have a cold belly, bloating, indigestion and affect sleep.
When coming to Hai Phong, visitors can find some "broths" of local people such as: Hien Beo restaurant, Co Tuyen restaurant on Lach Tray street, Co Hanh bean sprouts in Luong Khanh Thien, or restaurants along Lach Tray, Ngo Quyen, Lam Son, Le Chan streets.
These addresses also sell coconut milk coffee, a famous refreshing dish that is loved by many diners.
For tourists who love to explore the cuisine imbued with the culture of the port city, bean sprouts are an ideal dessert, the perfect ending for a memorable Hai Phong food tour.
