Must-try cuisines in Cat Ba

1. Snout otter clam (Geoduck)

Snout otter clam is mollusca living in the marine environment. Snout otter clam is rare seafood with the high nutritional value and special taste. Many researchers point out that snout has 16 kinds of amino acids. Besides, snout otter clam is good for men. It is less familiar as clams, oysters, snails… but if someone has one chance to enjoy it, they will not forget the special taste of this seafood.

There have many dishes which are cooked from snout otter clam such as: grilled, salad roll, porridge, steam… Among them grilled snout otter clam is the most popular one. For this dish, you need stir-fry fried onions; mix it with fresh onions; sprinkle them evenly over the flesh of snouts, wrap snouts in foil ; then bake them at a temperature of 250 degrees Celcius in about 10 minutes. You can put snouts in oven, or grill them over burning charcoal until you smell the blended fragrant of snouts and spices.

For seafood, the most simple and wonderful way to enjoy is steam. It is recommended to enjoy snouts when they are hot when the flavors are remained and you can feel the strong taste of the sea, which is very distinct from flavors of other seafood species.

2. King-crab

King-crab has been cooked with many different foods such as: salad roll, sweet and sour foot of King crab, king crab with peppers, steamed crabs… The foods that are cooked from king crab are delicious and unique. You should eat with hot spices such as: lemongrass, chili …

Customers often eat the baked eggs of king crab. You can enjoy together with grapefruit, beets, herbs, nut, onion, garlic… In addition, king crabs are also used to make souvenirs with sophistication.

3. Song fish

Song fish belongs to warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. In Vietnam, there have about 37 species including several species with high value. In the Cat Ba, there have 3 species: “song mo” fish, “song den” fish and “song cao” fish. Song fish is a ferocious meat-eaten creature but very nutrient. People can cook many nutritious dishes from Song fish such as: salad roll, soup, hot pot, steamed, sauce, grilled… Besides tasty dishes from Song fish, tourists can also join Song fishing at night to have more experience.

4. Sea snake

Sea snakes have small body, 1-2 meters length, flattenedbehind as oars, venomous teeth located in the upper jaw. According to popular experience, sea snakes have higher value usages in food and medicine.

Sea snakes are called “hai xa nhuc” that is salty, fishy odor which has effective on anti-inflammatory, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal degeneration and pain, acute sciatica. In addition, snake gall has analgesic, sedative.

5. Lobster

Lobster is available in many places but if you go to Cat Ba to enjoy it, you will have an unforgettable impression.

Lobsters have a variety of different weight, depending on the number of customers that the restaurant can serve. Lobsters can be processed into many dishes such as steamed lobster, fried lobster with salt, lobster salad, etc.

Steamed lobster is the most popular dish because it keeps the full flavor of the sea. Lobsters are green when alive, turn to pink when steamed. Steamed lobster is decorated with onions and herbs, served with soy sauce or fish sauce. This dish is delicious and nutritious so it is commended as one of the best specialty in Cat Ba.