Top 15 Lao Cai specialties that pack the full flavor of highland cuisine

1Attractive Lao Cai specialties you can enjoy

1.1 Thang Co Bac Ha – Famous Lao Cai specialty of the H’Mong people

If you mention Northwest highland cuisine, you have probably heard the name Thang Co at least once. This is a Lao Cai specialty, and is widely popular throughout the provinces in the Northwest region, and is very popular with tourists every time they come to this land.

Thang Co Bac Ha is a dish cooked from horse meat and organs, and combines many local spices to create a unique flavor. Nowadays, to give diners more choices, Lao Cai people also flexibly cook thang co from goat and beef meat to create more variety.

Suggested locations:

– Thang Co A Quynh Sapa: 15 Thach Son Street, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Thang Co A Phu Sapa: No. 05 Fansipan, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Cau May Restaurant: No. 92 Ngu Chi Son, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Thang Co Ngoc Cu: Luong Khanh Thien street, Duyen Hai, Lao Cai

– The old Hoa Dong Tien restaurant: No. 29 Cau May, Sapa, Lao Cai

Reference price: 200,000 VND/serving

See more: Revealing 6 delicious Sapa specialties that will make you remember them forever

1.2 Armpit pork

This is a local brackish breed that eats vegetables and leftovers so it has firm, delicious meat. Lao Cai people often use pork to prepare many attractive dishes, such as grilled pork and roasted meat.

Suggested locations:

– Thac Bac Restaurant: Km12, Thac Bac Tourist Area, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Gerbera Restaurant: No. 31 Cau May, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Lotus Restaurant: No. 34 Cau May, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Phuong Ngoan Restaurant: 13C Nguyen Hue, Sapa, Lao Cai

Reference price: 70,000 – 150,000 VND/dish

1.3 Sapa salmon

Famous as one of the places specializing in raising salmon on the largest scale in the country, fish meat in Sapa is fresh, delicious with eye-catching orange flesh, rich in nutrients. With this Lao Cai specialty, you can enjoy it in many ways, such as raw sashimi, hot pot, grilled or sour soup. Local people also use salmon to make delicious shrimp paste, suitable for you to buy as a gift for friends or relatives.

Suggested locations:

– Xuan Vien Sapa Restaurant: 39 Xuan Vien, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Song Nhi Restaurant: group 2, O Quy Ho ward, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Thac Bac Restaurant: Km12, Thac Bac Tourist Area, Sapa, Lao Cai

Reference price: 150.000 – 600.000 VND

1.4 Buffalo meat kept in the kitchen

This is a Lao Cai specialty that bears the mark of Northwest highland cuisine. Stove buffalo meat is a dish associated with the Black Thai people. It has a sweet, chewy and firm flavor, and the lean meat is not greasy. Black Thai people will marinate buffalo meat with spices, then put it on the stove to take advantage of the kitchen smoke to cook the meat. When cooked, Sapa buffalo meat will have a reddish brown color and a very attractive smoky aroma.

Suggested locations:

– Viet’s Farm: 26 Dong Loi, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Xuan Truong Supermarket: 46 Ngu Chi Son, Sapa, Lao Cai

Reference price: 750,000 – 850,000 VND/kg

1.5 Stream fish

Lao Cai specialty stream fish dishes are famous for their firm, delicious and nutritious meat, only appearing in the rainy season. Stream fish is processed into many dishes, but the most delicious is the fragrant grilled fish.

Suggested locations:

– Sapa Salmon King Restaurant: 15A Le Van Tam, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Chapa Restaurant: 40 Cau May, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Sapa Lotus Restaurant: 34 Cau May, Sapa, Lao Cai

Reference price: 100,000 – 275,000 VND/dish

1.6 Bac Ha sour pho

If you have the opportunity to come to Bac Ha region, sour pho is a Lao Cai specialty you definitely cannot miss. The special feature of this dish is the broth made from vegetables soaked in fermented sugar water, eaten with chewy noodles, fragrant roasted peanuts, soft fragrant pork, adding a little spicy chili sauce to make it even more delicious. .

Suggested locations:

– Bac Ha market: Bac Ha, Lao Cai

Reference price: 40,000 VND/bowl

1.7 Lam rice

Lam rice is a dish associated with the cuisine of the Northwest highlands. Lam rice tubes are made from sticky upland sticky rice, grilled over charcoal to have a dark brown crust, but the rice inside is still pure white and fragrant. To fully enjoy the flavor of this Lao Cai specialty, you can dip it with sesame salt or eat it with grilled chicken or grilled skewered pork.

Suggested locations:

– Sapa barbecue area: Cau May street, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Cat Cat village: Sapa, Lao Cai

– A Quynh Restaurant: 15 Thach Son, Sapa, Lao Cai

Reference price: 30,000 – 50,000 VND/tube

1.8 Five-color sticky rice

As a traditional dish of the Nung ethnic group, five-color sticky rice has an eye-catching appearance like its name. Sticky rice is cooked from leaves and forest fruits, creating a beautiful color while still ensuring safety for diners to enjoy. With this Lao Cai specialty, you can combine it with grilled meat and sesame salt.

Suggested locations:

– Muong Khuong district area, Lao Cai

Reference price: 50,000 – 100,000 VND/piece

1.9 Suture of humiliation

This dish originates from Chinese cuisine, however, when introduced to Lao Cai, local people flexibly varied it to suit the indigenous cuisine. Khau Hui has an eye-catching cockroach brown color, made from blocks of pork belly with enough lean fat. The meat will be marinated and simmered, eaten with white rice, very delicious.

Suggested locations:

– Lao Cai humiliation shop: 153 Ngoc Uyen street, Ta Chai, Bac Ha, Lao Cai

– Hong Ha Vien Restaurant: 188 Duyen Hai, Duyen Hai Ward, Lao Cai

Reference price: from 160,000 VND

1.10 Effervescent rolls

Also known by another name, pho khan, bubbling rolls contain rice noodles, crispy roasted arrowroot, beef, herbs, roasted peanuts, pepper, chili, served with a special thick sauce. When enjoying this Lao Cai specialty, you can mix it well, then eat it with raw vegetables.

Suggested locations:

– Ong Ha Restaurant, 591 Dien Bien Phu, Sapa, Lao Cai

– Shop for spring rolls, wonton noodles and dumplings: 068 An Phu, Lao Cai

Reference price: 35,000 – 50,000 VND/bowl

2Lao Cai specialties bought as gifts

2.1 San Lung Wine

This is a famous wine of the Dao people, made from upland sticky rice according to a specific recipe. The wine has an attractive aroma and does not cause headaches when drinking.

Reference price: 69,000 VND/bottle

2.2 Seng Cu Rice

Seng Cu rice is a Lao Cai specialty that appears mainly in Muong Khuong and Bat Xat areas. This type of rice is famous, sticky, fragrant, and very popular with gourmets.

Suggested locations:

– Lao Cai Products Supermarket: Bitexco Urban Area, Tran Hung Dao Avenue, Bac Cuong, Lao Cai

– Anh Nguyen clean food store: 109 Hong Ha, Coc Leu, Lao Cai

Oanh Vinh Agent: Sapa New Market Gate, N1 Street, Group 3B, Sapa, Lao Cai

Reference price: 35,000 VND/kg

2.3 Tam Hoa plum

This is a type of product that only Lao Cai region owns. Tam Hoa plum has a very attractive sweet and sour taste, and will be in season from May to the end of June.

Suggested locations: Sapa Market

Reference price: 10,000 – 50,000 VND/kg

2.4 Bac Ha corn wine

This is a famous Lao Cai specialty of the H’Mong people. The wine is brewed from firm yellow corn and has a very attractive sweet aroma.

Suggested locations: Cao Son Market

Reference price: 35,000 – 45,000 VND/liter

2.5 Apple cider

Cat cider is a Lao Cai specialty of the Dao people. This is a wine brewed from wild apples, has a cockroach brown color and a fragrant scent. Local people often drink wine after breakfast to gain more energy.

Suggested location: Cao Son Market

Reference price: 100,000 VND/liter

Lao Cai specialties contain the aftertaste of Northwest highland cuisine, so they possess unique features that are unique to this place. If you intend to travel to Lao Cai, don’t forget to save this article from Vietnamtravelio as your luggage for your upcoming trip.