Lang Son's cuisine captivates tourists.

Dishes embody the cultural essence of various ethnic groups.

“Dong Dang has Ky Lua Street/There is To Thi, there is Tam Thanh Pagoda…”. This familiar folk song always invites tourists from near and far to visit Lang Son. Lang Son boasts a system of more than 330 famous historical sites and scenic spots such as: Mac Dynasty Citadel, Dong Dang Mother Goddess Temple, Chi Lang historical site, Mau Son mountain, Tam Thanh - Nhi Thanh caves, To Thi mountain…

Lang Son's tourism potential lies not only in its historical sites and scenic landscapes but also in the unique cultural beauty of its ethnic groups: Nung, Tay, Kinh, Dao, Hoa, San Chay, and others. This ethnic diversity creates a rich cultural tapestry with unique customs, costumes, and cuisine , each with its own distinct flavor.

For the ethnic communities of Lang Son province, culinary culture is not simply about the presentation or preparation of dishes; it also reflects beliefs and the unique cultural characteristics of each ethnic group. The folk knowledge of the ethnic groups in Lang Son province is rich, ranging from agricultural production experiences and traditional remedies to methods of preparing specialty foods and drinks such as: roasted pork, roasted duck, braised pork belly, sausages, black sticky rice cakes, colorful sticky rice, hot pot porridge, braised pork belly, cao sang, cooc cakes, coong phu, phoong dam, five-colored sticky rice, Huu Lung grilled spring rolls, mugwort cakes, Mau Son wine… This is one of the favorable conditions for developing food tourism.

When mentioning Lang Son's specialties, tourists cannot fail to mention the famous roast duck, made from carefully selected That Khe breed of duck. When roasted, this breed of duck retains its thick, firm meat, has few bones, and its skin is crispy and flavorful but not greasy. Ms. Hong Xiem (from Lang Son city), born into a family with four generations of roast duck makers, shared: “To make a delicious, succulent roast duck, the most important thing is to choose a good, firm duck with a high lean meat ratio. After cleaning, the duck is marinated with over 20 kinds of spices, including essential ones like mac mat fruit, cloves, cardamom, star anise, fermented soybeans, etc. Then, the duck is inflated to separate the skin from the meat and create a crispy texture. To create a golden brown color, crispy skin, and tender, sweet meat, the duck is ‘bathed’ in a mixture of wild honey and water. Next, the duck is placed in an oven to air dry for about an hour. This step helps the duck absorb the spices evenly; the drier the duck, the more taut and glossy the skin will be when cooked. After air drying, the duck is put in the oven. After being roasted for 40-45 minutes, the duck will be cooked. When cutting the duck, the juices from the duck's belly are drizzled over each piece of meat.” When enjoying the duck, visitors can taste the fragrant aroma of mac mat (a type of spice) and the sweet, rich flavor of honey.

Tourists discover how to make the famous Lang Son roast duck dish.

Like roast duck, roast pork is an indispensable specialty dish in Lang Son's feasts, not only because of its delicious taste but also because it embodies the unique flavors of the local ethnic groups, especially the Tay people in Lang Son. Lang Son people usually choose the Mong Cai breed of pig, known for its small bones, firm meat, and lean flesh. The pig is cleaned and roasted whole, carefully prepared without tearing the skin so that it doesn't crack during cooking, preserving the juices and aroma of the meat. The seasoning for the roast pork includes various spices such as salt, pepper, and star anise leaves, which are stuffed into the pig's belly. A mixture of honey and vinegar is then carefully applied to the pig's skin while roasting to ensure a crispy texture and a deep golden color. Lang Son roast pork has a sweet, perfectly cooked flavor and a rich aroma of star anise leaves; once you taste it, you'll never forget it.

Besides roast duck, duck pho is also very famous here. The tender, sweet duck meat, rich broth, and the sourness of bamboo shoots create an irresistible appeal for Lang Son cuisine.

Each food, drink, and specialty fruit of Lang Son province embodies unique cultural characteristics, reflecting the personality, flavor, and results of a creative production process, customs, traditions, and precious folk knowledge that have been preserved, maintained, and upheld by the people for generations.

Tourists enjoy afternoon snacks such as duck-filled steamed buns.

Developing culinary tourism tours.

During the "Lang Son Food Tour" experience organized by the Lang Son Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center at the end of November 2024, Ms. Nguyen Thuy Hien (Sen Vang Tourism Company) enthusiastically said: "I have experienced cultural and culinary tourism in many places, but with the 'Lang Son Food Tour,' I found it more interesting, novel, and diverse than any other. I like the phoong dam cake. I learned that this is a long-standing dish of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups in Lang Son, with the main ingredients being sticky rice and pork. To make the filling for phoong dam cake, people stir-fry pork, add wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, vermicelli, pepper... and stir well over the fire for about 15 to 20 minutes until the meat is firm and fragrant. Lang Son has many delicious dishes. However, Lang Son needs to be more selective about its specialties, and restaurants and eateries need to be better equipped." "With eye-catching and vibrant presentation, the owner and staff should wear costumes that reflect the national identity of the dish to attract more domestic and international tourists."

Ms. Thuy Duong (Mosaic Tour) said: “During the food tour, I got to enjoy the unique dishes of Lang Son. Especially on the cold days in the mountainous region of Lang Son, it was wonderful to enjoy the chewy, hot coong phu dumplings, savoring the spicy ginger flavor and the sweet aroma of sugar. I was quite impressed and took pictures of the dishes to share on social media, my personal page, and received many responses and comments from relatives, friends, and tourists. They will take the time to visit the scenic spots of Lang Son as well as enjoy the local cuisine. I love Lang Son and appreciate even more that the identity and cultural beauty of the ethnic groups here are preserved and promoted.”

Ms. Tran Thi Bich Hanh, Deputy Director of the Lang Son Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion, said that in recent years, culinary tourism (or food tours) has become a new trend in Vietnam, boosting the development of the tourism industry. Recognizing this trend, Lang Son has invited experts to survey, evaluate, and develop the "Lang Son Culinary Tourism Tour" product; organized registration for restaurants, eateries, hotels, and agricultural cooperatives in the province; created trailers introducing Lang Son's culinary products and experiences; developed a Lang Son food tour map; and advertised to reach tourists through newspapers, media, and social media platforms so that more people from all over the world can learn about, enjoy, and experience the local cuisine.

A unique hot pot porridge dish.

Lang Son encourages folk artisans to explore, collect, and actively add more local specialties to menus for tourists; to research and organize activities such as competitions, exhibitions, and demonstrations on culinary preparation; to visit local specialty production facilities; and to research and develop food streets and food corners in Lang Son... For example, the "Flavors and Colors of Lang Son Cuisine" competition showcased beautifully decorated booths; participating teams prepared and demonstrated delicious dishes and unique local products, attracting tens of thousands of tourists to visit and enjoy. The competition created opportunities for businesses to exchange ideas, introduce food tourism products and routes, and foster cooperation in developing tourism in the Northeast region.

In addition, the Provincial Tourism Promotion Center annually produces 2 to 5 videos; prints and distributes 3,000 to 4,000 leaflets and promotional publications about tourism, all of which incorporate the promotion of Lang Son's cuisine and local products. Notably, in all booths participating in domestic and international tourism cooperation, promotion, and advertising events, the center dedicates one booth specifically to showcasing Lang Son's cuisine.

In particular, since October 2020, when the Ky Lua pedestrian street in Lang Son city was put into operation, Lang Son's cuisine has gained a new space to showcase and affirm its value in attracting tourists. Currently, Ky Lua pedestrian street has stalls selling food and drinks with many diverse and attractive dishes such as: sour pho, roast duck, coong phu, cao sang, grilled dishes, etc.

...Through the "Lang Son Food Tour" experience, enjoying delicious dishes, tourists gain a deeper appreciation for the cultural beauty and customs of the ethnic minorities in the border region of our country.

Food tours are a type of tourism aimed at discovering and enjoying unique and memorable experiences related to food and drink. According to the World Tourism Organization, tourists typically spend an average of one-third of their trip expenses on food. Furthermore, over 80% of tourism organizations surveyed identified culinary tourism as a strategic element for destinations and a crucial driver of tourism development.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/am-thuc-xu-lang-niu-chan-du-khach-post533404.html