Barbecued seafood, tangy spicy sauces, average dish price of 30k dong. This Vietnamese Phu Quoc restaurant is getting attention!
Restaurant Name:Quan Oc Binh Dan 30K Address: So 123 Duong Tran Hung Dao, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc
Note: This is an independent restaurant review based on my experience.
Exterior
Quan Oc Binh Dan 30K gets it’s name because most dishes cost around 30.000 dong! Also know as Ốc 30K, that is a mere €1.10 or USD$1.30 for barbecued goodness!
Four days into our stay on Phu Quoc island, we discovered the restaurant Quan Oc Bin Dan 30K while searching for traditional Vietnamese food with a good price. And this is where we ate every night after!
Our morning at the beach created quite an appetite. We stopped at a roadside restaurant called Bia Ruou Phu Quoc which we later found out also boasts the Bia Tuoi Phu Quoc Craft Beer micro brewery. It is conveniently located close to Coconut Prison and Emerald Bay so it was a perfect
Back in town after a morning of adventuring, hunger overwhelmed us and we went in search of Vietnamese Food. One thing is usually a guarantee, drive or walk around until you see a restaurant filled with locals. This is where you want to eat!
As we trawled the streets on our moped, Quan Ra Koi came into view. It was packed with locals so we decided this is the place for authentic cuisine. We parked out front on the sidewalk, walked in and found ourselves a seat. Based on all the shocked and smiling stares, I do not think they are used to foreigners.
Shrimps in salt chili, Grilled Scallops in pepper sugar with Okra, Greens in Garlic Oyster sauce
At first we were politely ignored, but we did not take insult as this usually means they spotted the foreigner and nobody working can speak any other language than Vietnamese. After checking out the rows of fish tanks filled with live seafood delights, we waved one of the waiters over.
With lots of pointing and smiles, we managed to place our order of Shrimps, Scallops, Greens, Rice and 2 beers.
The Food:
– The grilled Shrimps came with a side of salt chili and *lime which did a fantastic job of enhancing the bbq flavours with a gentle spicy pop.
– The Scallops were layered alternatively with Okra on a wooden skewer, barbecued and served with a pepper sugar mix and *lime.
– The Greens, (maybe bok choy?) were steamed in a garlic oyster sauce with an extra side of sauce.
– The steamed rice never arrived – lost in translation?!
– Our beer choices were Bivina for my husband and a Tiger Crystal for me – I saw that was what all the women were drinking!
Greens in Garlic Oyster Sauce
The food was incredibly delicious, and we had already decided we must come back. The total price was a bit of a shock; expensive when compared with other places, but the locals eat here, so there must be a reason. I am guessing super fresh food with great blending of flavours.
The hipster backpacker In place to be. Why we do and do not agree.
Note: This is an independent review based on my experience.
Restaurant Bar Name:Rory’s Beach Bar Address: 118/10 Tran Hung Dao, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc, Vietnam – Long Beach
Beach Lounge Area
Day 3 of our vacation found us checking out Long Beach, about a 5 minute drive from our hotel. Trip Advisor had great reviews for Rory’s Bar, so eventually, after sufficient beach walking, we headed there to chill.
For more info about Phu Quoc and the top things to do click the link. For my independent review of Gia Thanh Guest House, click the link.
It is a beautiful spot and a popular location; you will find many hipster backpackers, flashpackers, travel gap packers and partiers alike. Unfortunately, the small cocktails are quite pricey and the food is very expensive, but served with a smile. Beers and Strongbow Ciders are good options, still allowing you to soak up the beach front atmosphere and use the free wifi.
Our Bill was 230.000 dong / €8.60 / USD$10.10 for one Pina Colada, one 333 beer, and one Strongbow cider.
BLT Sandwich
The good: In the evenings, after dinner, we went back to Rory’s for drinks on the beach. You have to get your own drinks at the bar, but servers clears the empties. Fair priced drinks, fabulous atmosphere, bonfire, lots of people and a good DJ. BEWARE – they quickly swept by and took half a strongbow cider – we chased and got it back. Then she/he quickly went through and grabbed one of our glasses. Not nice!!?
The bad: you should not leave money here for food. The Chili cheese fries were a huge rip off – cold cheese gobbed on top of a few cold fries with a ketchup sauce costing 120.000 dong / €4.50 / USD$5.30, Baguette was ok at 120.000 but a large water for 30.000 is overpriced for the island. I ordered an Old fashioned Milkshake; it arrived in the old fashioned stainless steel cup, but that is all that was old fashioned – it tasted like strawberry milk over iced cubes?.
Chili Cheese Fries
Rory’s is an unfortunate place waiting to take foreigners naive money. Avoid food, long drinks, shakes and water. For an evening out it has great music and atmosphere – drink a beer Saigon or strongbow. For a Beach day, it is fine, but leave for lunch, take your own water and drink Saigons or Strongbows. Not outgoing staff, as so many stated in the reviews. Just because everybody says it is good, does not mean it is.
Rip Off? – Ding Cau Night Market, Phu Quoc, Vietnam. So many choices for food!
Note: This is an independent restaurant review based on my experience.
Restaurant Name:Quan An Mien Trung – Quán Ăn Miền Trung Address: Dinh Cau Night Market, Võ Thị Sáu, Khu 1, tt. Dương Đông, Tp. Phú Quốc, tỉnh Kiên Giang, Vietnam
Of course, when in Asia you must visit the local night market. The problem was, reviews really rip this market to pieces. Words like rip off, tourist trap, expensive and more flood the internet. We decided to check it out and see if it was as bad as they say. Well we found it an ok way to spend an evening and really not any better or worse than many Asian night markets. Also, it gave us the opportunity to eat at Quan An Mien Trung and following is my independent review.
Night Market
After walking the market twice to see the offerings and prices, we settled on Quan An Mien Trung Restaurant. Thevery friendly owner is from Da Nang, speaks English a little and understands a lot!
Seafood Display
He explained to us, as with most of the restaurants, seafood is sold by the kilogram, both live & frozen. This is very important to know before complaining about prices or ordering blind. The good restaurants will be honest about the freshness and whether it is farmed or not farmed.
Tiger Prawns
We picked out some tiger prawns with a side of steamed white rice and another dish of chicken fried rice. Phu Quoc fish sauce, lime chili sauce and black pepper sauce accompanied it as dips.
Chicken Fried Rice
The huge tiger prawns were barbecued to perfection and tasted exceptionally good when dipped into the spicy lime chili sauce! The simple local produced fish sauce makes everything taste good as does the incredible fresh black pepper sauce. Seriously, huge difference between supermarket black pepper and Phu Quoc black pepper! Try it and tell me what you think.
The owner chatted amiably with us while we waited for our meal as well as later when he proudly brought out the treats. He was super friendly, had lots of information tips and a great sense of humour. We will definitely be visiting this gem again!
Fish on Ice
Note: Yes, slightly more expensive than some Vietnamese restaurants, but way cheaper than at home! Think Fresh!
