The pan sizzles, batter spreads thin across the surface in seconds, a spoonful of plump squid roe goes on top, and the pancake is folded in half and lifted straight off the heat. This is Nha Trang's take on bánh xèo — small, unfussy, and cheap enough to eat off a street corner without a second thought.
Nearly 70 years of family craft
VnExpress Du Lịch's 2023 feature 'Quán Bánh Xèo Mực 70 Năm ở Nha Trang' interviewed shop owner Phan Thị Như Hà by name on Trần Kim Hùng Street; she took over the family trade at age 14, and the business now spans nearly 70 years and several generations. The batter is rice flour blended with mung bean, and the signature filling is mực trứng — squid roe — which bites with a distinctive granular texture that's the dish's most recognizable trait.
Not the coconut-milk version you'll find in the south
If you've had bánh xèo in Ho Chi Minh City or elsewhere in the south — big, rich with coconut milk in the batter, heavy on egg — Nha Trang's version might catch you off guard. It's noticeably smaller, the batter skips the coconut milk, and each piece runs just 5,000 to 10,000 VND — this is street food priced for casual grazing, not a plated restaurant dish. You'll usually need to order several to actually fill up.
How to Order for a Full Experience
- The pancakes are small, so order several at once and wrap them with lettuce and herbs for more depth.
- Squid roe is the signature filling — first-timers should try the classic version to get the full effect.
- Eat them fresh off the pan; they lose their crispness the longer they sit.
Don't Compare It to the Southern Version
- Nha Trang's version is smaller and skips the coconut milk found in the common southern style.
- It's priced as street food — 5,000–10,000 VND a piece — not a plated restaurant dish.
- Owner Phan Thị Như Hà's family craft has been documented by name in VnExpress, with a verifiable track record of nearly 70 years.
This small squid roe pancake carries nearly 70 years of unbroken family craft — and this fishing port's blunt, honest commitment to 'cheap and good.'