A street food dish in Hai Phong, with its distinctive flavor and warming quality, left a British tourist both satisfied and pleasantly surprised by its affordable price of just $0.60 per bowl.
Ellis, a travel blogger from the UK, has explored many countries across Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
On his personal YouTube channel, which boasts over 150,000 followers, Ellis regularly shares engaging videos about the cultural and culinary experiences from the places he visits.
In Vietnam, Ellis and his girlfriend have explored several major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Gia Lai, and Da Nang, spending considerable time enjoying a variety of vibrant street foods.
Among these destinations, Hai Phong made a strong impression on the British traveler. Known as a “culinary paradise,” the city offers an array of delicious and affordable local specialties.
Ellis visited Hai Phong and sampled some of the city’s most famous dishes.
Ellis visited Hai Phong during the early days of winter, when the weather was cool and ideal for enjoying warm seasonal dishes not typically found in summer.
“We arrived in Hai Phong and enjoyed some of the most incredible street food that you can only find in this city,” Ellis said.
“We tried the famous spicy breadsticks, a few bowls of sui din, and finally another snack that was really unusual!
In my opinion, this region has some of the best street food in Vietnam,” he shared.
Ellis tries the traditional Hai Phong dish sui din on Hang Kenh street.
One street-side dish that caught Ellis’s attention was sui din. He said he had to double back to the vendor after being drawn in by the delicious aroma.
Sui din is a well-loved treat in Hai Phong and a staple on the city’s culinary map. The dish traces its origins to the Chinese community that once resided in the area, eventually becoming popular among the broader population.
Because it is served hot, sui din is mostly available during the colder months, making it perfect for chilly or frosty days.
Ellis tries the traditional Hai Phong dish sui din on Hang Kenh street.
Sui din resembles smaller versions of banh troi (glutinous rice balls). The dough is made from sticky rice flour, filled with a sweet mixture of sesame seeds and peanuts, and served in a lightly thickened syrup with a subtle sweetness and a bold ginger flavor.
Depending on the vendor, the filling may include crushed roasted peanuts, black sesame seeds, and shredded coconut, lightly stir-fried over low heat.
The cooked rice balls are served with a dark amber syrup made from sugarcane molasses, often topped with shredded ginger or simply drenched in ginger-infused sugar syrup.
Sui din is a favorite wintertime treat in Hai Phong.
At first glance, Ellis noted that sui din looked like tiny mochi balls from Japan, served in a steaming brown ginger broth. He guessed the dish would be sweet and fragrant after catching the scent from the steaming pot.
The British visitor also enjoyed watching the vendor prepare the rice balls fresh on-site for customers to enjoy immediately.
“I’ve never tried anything like this before. It looks delicious, but it’s really hot, so I had to wait a bit for it to cool down,” Ellis said.
Sui din is a favorite wintertime treat in Hai Phong.
Upon tasting the syrup, he described it as mildly sweet with a rich ginger aroma. The peanuts were nutty and satisfying, and the combination with the ginger made the dish wonderfully warming.
Ellis also described the sui din as soft and chewy, with a uniquely tasty filling inside.
“Sui din is really delicious. It’s definitely a dish for cold weather. The vendor was even making the balls fresh right there, so the ingredients must be very fresh,” he said.
The British tourist was impressed by the flavor and texture of the sui din.
At the end of the meal, Ellis kept praising how good the sui din was. He was especially surprised by the low price: just $0.60 for a bowl containing five or six glutinous rice balls.
“We had two bowls for a total of $1.20. The vendor was kind enough to keep adding more ginger syrup for me,” he added.
The British tourist was impressed by the flavor and texture of the sui din.The British man enjoys banh duc tau on Cat Dai street. Photos: Skint Northerner
Besides sui din, Ellis and his girlfriend also sampled spicy breadsticks and banh duc tau – both popular local street foods loved by Hai Phong residents.
The British man enjoys banh duc tau on Cat Dai street.
Ellis found the flavor of banh duc tau quite unique. The rice cake was soft and jelly-like, topped with sweet braised shrimp and crunchy green papaya. The ingredients blended together to create an appetizing street food dish.
“It’s really hard to describe the flavor, but it’s delicious and definitely a fun culinary experience,” Ellis said.
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