Vietnamese Snail Feast: Your Ultimate Local Guide

Snails/Escargots (“Ốc” in Vietnamese) aren’t strange foods. In fact, Mediterranean cuisines like French, Italian, Spanish, and Greek all have their own ways of preparing snails.

In Vietnam, eating snails is a part of our culture. Local people love eating both freshwater and seawater snails. Freshwater snails are more popular in the North, while seawater snails and shellfish have become integral to Saigon’s street food scene.

If you’re visiting Vietnam, especially Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) or coastal cities like Danang and Nha Trang, and want to explore beyond classic Vietnamese dishes like Phở, Bún Chả, or Bánh Xèo , make sure to try the local snail eateries and enjoy a delicious snail feast.

Vietnam’s Love of Eating Snails – From Humble Snail Noodle Soup to an Escargot Feast

French cuisine is renowned for its snail delicacy, such as Escargot made from land snails. During the colonial period, Vietnamese cuisine adopted many French influences, such as Vietnamese coffee and Bánh Mì sandwiches. However, snails are not among these influences.

According to Vu Hong Lien, author of Rice and Baguette: A History of Food in Vietnam, archaeologists have found evidence that Vietnamese people have been eating snails for thousands of years, long before the arrival of the French.

Besides, Vietnamese people only eat water snails from paddy fields, ponds, rivers, or the sea. We don’t eat land snails.

Vietnam is an agricultural country with a long history of rice cultivation. Especially in northern Vietnam, people enjoy an abundance of foods made from freshwater creatures such as fish, crabs, eels, shrimp, and the humble snail.

Traditionally, these creatures were collected from rice fields, lakes, springs, and rivers, making them convenient and affordable for those unable to indulge in farm animals daily.

Many rustic Northern dishes highlight these ingredients, including Bún Riêu (crab noodle soup), Canh Bún (crab noodle soup with water spinach) and Bún Ốc (snail noodle soup).

According to Vũ Bằng, Vietnam’s very first food reviewer during the French colonization, in his book Miếng Ngon Hà Nội (Hanoi’s Delicacy) , “cold snail vermicelli soup” (Bún Ốc Nguội) is a light dish that epitomizes Hanoi’s fine dining artistry.

Vietnamese people also enjoy snails cooked in many different ways. Over time, this habit has evolved into the culture of “Snail Eating” (Ăn Ốc) in Vietnam. It’s kind of a Shell Tapas Feast but with a relaxed and affordable vibe.

The Ultimate Guide to Ordering at a Local Snail Eatery

“Ăn Ốc” (Snail Eating) is an integral part of the Nhậu culture (social eating and drinking) in Vietnam. The local snail eatery, known as “Quán Ốc,” offers a diverse menu beyond just snails.

In a Quán Ốc, you’ll find clams, oysters, cockles, mussels, scallops, shrimp and various other shellfish you may not have encountered before. These eateries sell seafood at a more affordable price compared to larger seafood restaurants, which often have fish tanks with live seafood but at higher prices.

The simplest snail dish you can find at a snail eatery is “Ốc Luộc” or “Ốc Hấp Sả.” These dishes can be made with either freshwater or seawater snails, which are boiled or steamed with plenty of lemongrass and ginger.

I remember as a teenager, these were the only types of snails available on the street food scene until I moved to Saigon for my bachelor’s studies. It was a real eye-opener.

In Saigon, Quán Ốc offers a wider variety of snails, mostly sea snails, prepared in numerous ways and paired with diverse sauces. Snails’ chewy and crunchy texture is ideal for soaking up and showcasing the flavors of these sauces. This style of Quán Ốc has since become extreme popular throughout Vietnam.

You might find the menu at a local snail eatery a bit overwhelming. But don’t worry—I’m here to help.

1

Types of Snails

First, you should pay attention to the types of snails. Some popular shellfish you might encounter are Ốc Hương (babylonia snails), Ốc Len (mud creepers), Ốc Móng Tay (razor clams), Sò Huyết (blood clams), Ốc Bươu (Pila snails), Sò Dương (elongate cockles), Sò Điệp (scallops), Sò Lông (ark clams), Hàu (oysters)…

In addition to snails, you’ll also find other choices like mantis shrimp (tôm tít/bề bề), mini lobsters (tôm hùm), sea urchins (nhum), squid teeth (răng mực), quail egg balut (trứng cút lộn), and octopus (bạch tuộc), blue crabs (ghẹ)…

Next, think about the cooking methods and sauces that complement the snails. Here are some popular choices:

To fully enjoy your Vietnamese snail feast, you can’t forget the dipping sauces (Nước Chấm). In Vietnam, Nước Chấm refers to dipping sauce in general, not just the sweet and tangy fish sauce.

Here are some popular dipping sauces for Ốc:

• Dipping Fish Sauce (Nước Mắm Chấm)
• Ginger Fish Sauce (Nước Mắm Gừng)
• Green Chili Sauce (Muối Ớt Xanh)
• Red Chili Sauce (Muối Ớt Đỏ)
• Lime Pepper Sauce (Muối Tiêu Chanh)
• Lime Pepper Milk Sauce (Muối Tiêu Sữa)

In addition to dipping sauces, there are some popular accompaniments:

• Vietnamese Baguette: Perfect for soaking up every bit of the sauce.
• Vietnamese Sesame Crackers (Bánh Đa)
• Cucumbers and various Vietnamese herbs like Vietnamese coriander, Thai basil, and lemon basil.
  

While there are countless combinations at a snail eatery, here are a few specific dishes you might want to try:

How to Eat

Quán Ốc (snail eateries) are popular spots where locals gather to nhậu (eat, chat, and drink beer socially) or where teenagers and workers can enjoy a light, relaxing meal after a hard day of work or study.

These eateries are often bustling from around 4-5 PM (snack time) until 7-10 PM (nhậu time).

You’ll be given utensils to eat the snails, typically bamboo toothpicks or safety pins. The process is simple: pluck a snail from its shell, eat, take a sip of your cold drink, chat with friends, and repeat. This creates a nice, enjoyable rhythm.

Your hands will get messy from the sauce, but you can use wet tissues to clean up.

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