The aspiration to reach further from culinary "resources" - Part 2
With its natural endowments, Cua Lo's seafood is renowned for its freshness, rich flavor, and high nutritional value. If this advantage is fully exploited, Cua Lo will be able to win over even the most discerning tourists.
Lesson 2:
Fresh journey from the sea to the table.
With its natural endowments, Cua Lo's seafood is renowned for its freshness, rich flavor, and high nutritional value. If this advantage is fully exploited, Cua Lo will be able to win over even the most discerning tourists.
The "ecosystem" of the snapping squid.
"Freshly caught squid" is considered a specialty that has become a "brand" of Cua Lo. From a marketing perspective, Cua Lo not only sells fresh squid to tourists but also sells the story and journey of this specialty.
"Freshly caught squid" refers to squid that have just been caught, still alive, with translucent bodies and shimmering, sparkling spots on their skin. Typically, to ensure the squid is as fresh and flavorful as possible, fishermen in Cua Lo catch them in the nearshore waters between 4 and 8 PM. This is also why locals often sell freshly caught squid at night, or along the beaches, right after the boats dock. This age-old fishing tradition has become an interesting "side story" behind this renowned dish.
As a tourist from Hanoi, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, along with her husband and two children, had a memorable experience with "squid catching." "On the first day in Cua Lo, due to lack of experience, I bought squid that wasn't fresh at the seafood market. The next day, I was determined to try catching squid at sea. I bought an electric steamer from a shop to steam the squid myself after receiving them from the boat. My children got to experience the work of fishermen, witnessing the squid's flashing movements, and enjoying the chewy, crunchy steamed squid and the sweet, flavorful grilled squid with betel leaves… The journey to enjoy authentic squid catching made my trip even more special," Ms. Trang said. Based on her own experience, Ms. Trang believes that if the local authorities professionalized the process and organized ticket sales for squid catching, processing, and tasting experiences, it would certainly attract more tourists.
Driven by the local demand for this specialty, the "squid market" gradually formed along the road leading to Lan Chau Island in Nghi Thuy ward, always bustling and lively from dusk until midnight. Since 2023, to provide tourists with the best experience at the "squid market," Cua Lo town has planned and arranged a centralized squid selling point under the management of functional forces to ensure environmental hygiene and security. Accordingly, the People's Committee of Cua Lo town has assigned Thu Thuy ward to organize general cleaning, provide lighting, and deploy security forces to manage activities according to regulations, implementing measures to handle and collect wastewater, and ensuring environmental hygiene after daily selling hours. This prevents street vendors and touting that disrupt urban order and aesthetics.
As one of only two establishments meeting all stringent requirements regarding process, quality, and food safety, Ms. Hoang Thi Hien's family (Thu Thuy ward) has been granted a license by the local authorities to process squid for tourists right at the wharf. Sharing about this local specialty, Ms. Hien said: “The squid is caught, washed with clean water, then steamed with lemongrass or grilled over charcoal. No marinating or seasoning is needed. When eaten, the rich sweetness of the chewy squid blends perfectly with the dipping sauce and betel leaves. Recently, to diversify the experience, restaurants have also added new dishes from freshly caught squid such as salad, stir-fry, and deep-fry… But the most authentic way to enjoy it is definitely steamed or grilled.”
From a signature dish of fresh squid, tourists can have a wider variety of choices, locals can earn a stable income and maintain their fishing profession, and the area can gain a new tourist attraction. If the "ecosystem" surrounding this specialty dish is developed professionally, the benefits will be significant.
A long-term aspiration
Beyond just fresh squid, Cua Lo's seafood offers a wide variety of choices that leave visitors impressed and satisfied. Driven by the desire to bring the freshness of the sea to their dinner tables, many locals have been striving to upgrade their services and products.
Having traveled to many coastal regions and experienced a wide variety of seafood, Mr. Bui Van Duc - Head of the Culinary Arts Department at Nghe An College of Tourism and Commerce, shared: “With the characteristics of a salty sea, complex geology, and large waves, seafood caught in the Central coastal region in general and Nghe An in particular always has a richer flavor, firmer and thicker flesh, from squid to shrimp, crab, and fish... The seafood resources are abundant, but if we don't know how to utilize, exploit, and develop them, they won't make a difference. At this point, the decisive role belongs to the service providers and the team of chefs.”
Sharing the same philosophy, to provide customers with the best products, Ms. Tran Thi Tan, owner of a renowned restaurant in Cua Lo town, has been extremely strict in selecting raw materials and hiring chefs. “We sign long-term contracts with local fishing boats to obtain fresh seafood, and invest in facilities with seafood aeration tanks to maintain freshness. The advantage of long-term contracts is that we can return or refuse substandard products. To ensure the most delicious dishes, the restaurant needs a policy to attract talented chefs with deserving compensation. These factors, combined with a sincere and ethical approach to the profession, have helped the restaurant survive and thrive sustainably for the past 30 years. In the recent “Excellent Chef – Honoring Cua Lo Cuisine” competition, Ms. Tan's restaurant convincingly won first prize.”
Cua Lo's seafood is not only recognized for dishes prepared directly at restaurant tables. With dedication, creativity, and a willingness to take risks, many residents of this coastal town are striving to elevate, promote, and develop their local products. This has led to the emergence of OCOP products and processing factories with standardized processing procedures. In just three years, Cua Lo town has had over 20 products recognized as OCOP products, including 3 products with 4-star OCOP and 17 with 3-star OCOP. Besides familiar products like fish sauce, shrimp paste, and anchovy paste, many new products such as grilled mackerel, mackerel fish cakes, mackerel floss, squid cakes, and meat stewed with anchovy paste have also appeared on shelves. Alongside traditional processing methods, many new models have also been implemented.
“Fish sauce production is a traditional occupation of the people of Cua Lo, and I have always cherished the desire to elevate this product, making it even better and more branded. From that desire, I decided to invest in a fish sauce production facility using Cua Lo anchovies as the main ingredient. I hope that the superior quality, nutritional value, and hygiene of the final product will win over customers throughout the country,” shared Mr. Le Tuan Quynh, owner of the Hai Hoa fish sauce production facility in Cua Lo town.
During a conversation at the seafood market, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tai, owner of the Tam Tai Seafood brand, once confided: “We people of Cua Lo are very proud of the quality of our seafood and confidently assert that Cua Lo seafood can rank among the top in the country in terms of freshness and taste. With the current customer base of traders and local people, I don't need to work hard to build an OCOP brand to still have an ideal income. However, I want my hometown's products to reach more people, so I chose a longer, even more difficult, path.”
Ms. Tài's aspirations have been realized. No longer a simple kiosk with rudimentary processing methods at the seafood market of yesteryear, her grilled mackerel and mackerel floss are now displayed in a spacious showroom, produced in a modern factory, and delivered to all corners of the country… On the dining table, the fresh taste of Cửa Lò seafood is preserved in its fullest form.
