By Thúy Hằng

Last weekend, to get away from the wet and humid weather in Hà Nội, I flew to Phú Quốc, Việt Nam’s famous tourist island, to soak up the sun. After two years of the pandemic with so many restrictions on travel, I finally came back to this beautiful island to enjoy bright sun, serene atmosphere and idyllic beaches.

'Gỏi cá trích' or herring salad. — VNS Photo Thúy Hằng

For me, one of the best things about any trip is the food. Someone once said, "Travel is incomplete without food," and I completely agree.

 Although there is a long list of food that tourists should not miss in Phú Quốc, if you asked anyone local on the island for their suggestion of what to try first, I am sure the answer will be gỏi cá trích or herring salad – a famous specialty on the island.

'Bánh bao nhân gà rẫy chiên' (Buttermilk Fried Mountain Chicken Bao). — VNS Photo Thúy Hằng

Yes, the fish salad was also the first dish I had on the trip. The early morning flight made me skip breakfast and I was longing for a nice lunch after our arrival at New World Phu Quoc Resort – our 'home' during our few days on the islands.

The resort’s chef Nguyễn Anh Tuấn has carefully prepared a menu consisting of specialties from Phú Quốc as well as other regional Vietnamese dishes.

Our lunch at The Bay Kitchen, a high-ceilinged and spacious restaurant that can accommodate up to 1,500 people at a time, was opened with the most famous dish of the island – the gỏi cá trích.

Chef Tuấn said that the freshness of the fish that was caught earlier in the morning was one of the essential elements of the dish. The ideal size of the fish for the salad should only be about two fingers.

The Bay Signature Spice Marinated Toothfish served with Island Sweet Potato and Chive Flower. — VNS Photo Thúy Hằng

 “If the fish is bigger, the skin is thicker and causes the fish texture to be a bit chewy,” said the chef, who has worked for several international hotels and resorts across Việt Nam.

The fresh herring is cleaned, cut into fillets and then dipped in lemon juice to denature the proteins in the fish. The 'cooked' fish is then mixed with shredded coconut and sliced red onion. Herring salad is rolled with rice paper, forest herbs and vegetables, and dipped with sweet-and-sour fish sauce.

The second appetiser was Bánh bao nhân gà rẫy chiên (buttermilk fried mountain chicken bao), or simply ‘fried free-range chicken dumplings.’

Unlike what you expect from a round-shaped traditional dumpling, the version by chef Tuấn looks like a soft-coat taco filled with crispy coated chicken. It’s interesting to taste something new, and honestly, it was not bad at all. The taste was improved by a thick sweet-and-sour chilli sauce that was served with the dumplings.

'Rau đọt choại xào tỏi' (Wok-fried rock cape fern with oyster sauce). — VNS Photo Thúy Hằng

Our lunch also included a Western-style dish, The Bay Signature Spice Marinated Tooth fish served with Island Sweet Potato and Chive Flower.

The plate was nice looking with different matching colours – yellow fish, purple mashed potato, and green chives. The white fish dish was superb, buttery yet delicate.

Chef Tuấn likes to show off all the specialties of the Pearl Island and his menu also features ‘Assorted forest mushroom’ including nấm tràm or melaleuca mushroom – a kind of seasonal mushroom that grows naturally on the island at the beginning of the rainy season in September.

The all-day-dining The Bay Kitchen can accommodate up to 3,000 people at the same time. — Photo courtesy of NWPQ

As the mushroom’s natural taste is slightly bitter, Tuấn stir-fries the vegetable with softly sweet black garlic to balance its bittersweet taste. Many people hesitate to try the specialty mushroom due to its acquired taste, but I never miss any chance to eat it when I visit the island.

The vegetable dish, rau đọt choại xào tỏi (wok-fried rock cape fern with oyster sauce) was a surprise for me as well as my colleagues as we tasted the wild vegetable for the first time. The rolled young fern frond is slightly crunchy.

Another main course was ‘locally farmed braised pork belly with soft-boiled quailed eggs,’ a dish that is very popular in Vietnamese family meals. As I couldn’t eat more, I just picked an egg to taste. The egg yolk was perfectly jammy while lightly bearing the typical caramelised taste of the dish.

Pastry Chef Gayan Indika Gamachchige, puts a final touch on his signature fluffy butter pancake. — Photo courtesy of NWPQ

The dessert, a creation by Pastry Chef Gayan Indika Gamachchige, is a glorious riot of coconut. The handcrafted coconut ice-cream is adorned with tropical fresh fruits and a worthy treat for any visitors to the island.

During our stay in New World Phu Quoc, we were amazed several times by Pastry Chef Gamachchige’s creations, from the fluffy butter pancake for breakfast, to the ‘mango passion fruit sable with citrus aroma’ and ‘durian jack fruit parfait’ for lunch, not to mention the flambe fruit for a beach dinner.

Our trip to Phú Quốc was completed with not only white sandy beaches, turquoise water, and the stunning sunrise at Bãi Khem, but also with lots of good food at The Bay Kitchen.   VNS

The Bay Kitchen – All Day Dining Restaurant

Address: New World Phu Quoc Resort, Khem Beach, An Thới Ward, Phú Quốc City, Kiên Giang Province

Hotline for reservation: +84 297 371 6666 

Comment: Relaxed ambience by the swimming pool, a wide range of buffet and a-la-carte options. Desserts by Pastry Chef Gayan Indika Gamachchige are a must try.

Lunch set menu as around VNĐ1,100,000 per person