Tasty Treats in Hai Phong: A Foodie’s Guide to Indulging in Upscale Street Food, Port City Style

This area, dating back to the French colonial era, used to be the residence of a priest. Over time, a market formed as more and more people brought vegetables and fruits to trade, earning the name “Cho Co Dao” or “Priest’s Market,” which has persisted to this day. In the past, the market also offered some snacks like corn, boiled potatoes, and black bean desserts. Only in the last decade has the market expanded its culinary offerings.

In the mornings, the market primarily sells fruits, vegetables, and meat, but from 2 pm to around 7 pm, the entire street transforms into a culinary ‘sanctuary,’ as many locals call it.

Snacks with a “luxurious” twist

Turning left from Cau Dat Street into the market, you’ll immediately spot a stall selling crab rice vermicelli, a delicacy made with swimming crabs, which are more expensive than regular crabs but well worth the price. A bowl of this delicious dish will cost you around 30,000 VND. If you wish to indulge in some boiled crabs, be prepared to spend an additional 100,000 to 200,000 VND, depending on the portion.

One of the most prominent and “luxurious” dishes offered here is the crab spring rolls, a specialty of Hai Phong. There are three stalls in the market selling these spring rolls for 50,000 VND each. The filling for these spring rolls is similar to that of regular fried spring rolls, but with the addition of swimming crab meat, and they are rolled into a square shape, almost the size of an adult’s fist. Savoring these crispy, juicy spring rolls with rice vermicelli and fresh herbs in an air-conditioned room is an unforgettable experience at Cho Co Dao.

However, as impressive as the crab spring rolls are, they are outshined by another delicacy: the Thuy Nguyen rolls served with a unique wine sauce, sold by Ms. Nguyen Thi Thinh in front of house number 46 on Tran Nhat Duat Street. These rolls are a harmonious combination of shrimp, bacon, fried eggs, rice vermicelli, and fresh herbs, wrapped with a boiled green onion. The real star of this dish is the dipping sauce made from wine sauce, blended with garlic, tomatoes, and a few secret spices, resulting in a fragrant sweet and sour taste.

Ms. Thinh also offers another Hai Phong specialty: “gia be,” a dish made from small mollusks stir-fried with onions, garlic, turmeric, and a touch of flour to create a golden, silky sauce. A bowl of this delicacy costs 30,000 VND, a slightly higher price that doesn’t deter customers.

A melting pot of Vietnam’s culinary delights

Across from Ms. Thinh’s stall is a famous joint selling glass noodle salad with deboned chicken feet. The chicken feet are soaked in vinegar until they attain a satisfying crunch, then paired with bean sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, herbs, and roasted peanuts. A plate of this delicious salad will set you back 35,000 VND.

We must also mention the variety of cakes and pancakes available at Cho Co Dao. Stalls number 74 and 76 on Tran Nhat Duat Street stand out with their diverse offerings, including cakes and pancakes from all three regions of Vietnam: Banh Bot Loc Hue (Hue’s clear shrimp and tapioca dumplings) from Central Vietnam, Pho Cuon Hanoi (Hanoi-style rice noodles rolled with beef) from the North, Banh Khot (mini savory pancakes) from the South, Banh Xeo (savory Vietnamese crepes), and Banh Goi (fried dumplings) from the North. The stall owned by Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien (number 76) is particularly popular for its authentic Southern flavors.

In addition, the market boasts a variety of unique desserts. One such example is the Sương Sa dessert stall, owned by Ms. Tran Thu Hoa (number 45 Tran Nhat Duat), which is always bustling despite its modest 10m² size. For just 10,000 VND, you can enjoy treats like sương sa (a sweet soup with tapioca pearls and dried longan), lotus seed dessert, che Thai (a Thai-inspired sweet soup), or bánh da lợn (a layered steamed rice cake).

Moreover, Cho Co Dao offers a range of dishes such as snails, steamed rice cakes, squid cakes, bun dau mam tom (rice vermicelli with fried tofu and shrimp paste), and crushed fruit desserts. All these delicacies contribute to the irresistible allure of Cho Co Dao, a must-visit destination when in Hai Phong.