Bun Quay is the type of noodle that you are going to find out in this paper. Taking a Phu Quoc tour without trying this dish will be a massive regret for you.
Participating in a Phu Quoc food tour, you can never miss Bun Quay. It is the one and only type of noodle which can stand out in your memory after you take the first bite. According to some newspapers and local people, Bun Quay was formerly shrimp noodle in Binh Dinh Province.
After the fishermen brought it to Phu Quoc Island many years ago, they made several changes. And gradually, it was transformed into the noodle today.
All of the greatest features of Phu Quoc cuisine will be revealed when you try Bun Quay. The fresh ingredients are usually the most impressive thing about the dish. Shrimps, ground fishcakes, ground cuttle-fishes, and chopped parsley are the most common ones.
There is a significant amount of seafood on Phu Quoc Island. Hence, the fishes and shrimps in a bowl of Bun Quay are extremely fresh and authentic. Nevertheless, the best part of the dish is not the seafood. It lies in the noodle and broth.
The noodle in restaurants on Phu Quoc Island is hand-made instead of being bought from markets. Perhaps, this is why no cooks in Vietnam can create such a unique flavor for Bun Quay as those in the restaurants on the island.
Every night, the cooks have to steep the rice into the water. When it starts getting soft, they will grind it to create rice flour. Then, the flour will be crumpled up and put into a noodle machine. And this is where the noodle strands come out.
Unlike other types of noodle processed before being served, the strands of Bun Quay are healthier and more flavorful. Combining with the broth made from seafood, the dish is even more flawless for a fine meal.
Bun Quay was introduced to the citizens on Phu Quoc Island many years ago. Specifically, it was from about 1995 to 1996. And the spot that had been closely related to the popularity of this dish is Kien Xay Restaurant. Not only tourists but also the local people come to this over-20-year-old restaurant every day.
It seems that enjoying a bowl of Bun Quay here is one of the best things in Phu Quoc. As stated by numerous travelers, Bun Quay in Kien Xay is differently served.
In other restaurants, you will be given the menu and the food will be dished up after you are seated and order. But in Kien Xay, you need to line up and start looking for a table only after you get your food. One interesting characteristic of this is that you can see how your noodle is made.
The chef will put ground fishcakes and shrimps which have been marinated into an empty bowl. After that, beef and other spices are added. Noodle strands coming out from the press machine are boiled in a large pot of broth. Finally, a kitchen porter will scoop the broth together with the noodle into your bowl.
This method is to ensure that the seafood flavor remains and the broth is hot enough for the ingredients to be cooked through. The entire process is clearly demonstrated so you will not have to wonder about the sanitation and food hygiene.
Another fascinating thing about Kien Xay Restaurant is that you can make the sauce yourself. Bun Quay without the sauce is a mistake that you never want to make. Entering the restaurant, you will see the table of spices next to the kitchen.
There are sugar, seasoning powder, lemonade, soy sauce, fish sauce, and so on. You can mix anything you like with one another but the best sauce to come with Bun Quay needs to have Phu Quoc peppers. When all of the condiments are blended, the last step is to "quay." It is a Vietnamese dialect word, meaning "to stir" in English.
This is probably the source of the name "Bun Quay" according to Kien Xay chef and plenty of Phu Quoc citizens.
When having the food with the sauce, hardly any type of noodle can be compared. There are a large number of reasons for you to love Bun Quay, such as the sapid broth, the tough strands, the tender beef, and the sweet shrimps as well as ground fishcakes. One bowl of Bun Quay in Kien Xay Restaurant takes only 40,000 dongs ($1.72), which is ideal for your Phu Quoc tour.
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