True & memorable taste made with love and tradition
Our Culture and Values
We cook with passion and serve the best flavors of nature.
20 years of
experience local chef
Only fresh ingredients
from Cat Ba
Traditional recipes
We have been a part of culinary industry since 2012
More than 80% of the items on our menu feature local specialties such as seafood, vegetables, and fruits produced by local farmers. Our customers have reacted with delightful surprise to the flavors in their meals. After 11 successful years in the business, we have pondered seriously the question "Why don't we share the recipes of these dishes with our international friends?"
In 2023, we launched this cooking class.
OCEAN TREATS
$65/Adult
$35/Kid
Nom du du
Green papaya salad with peanut and green herbs.
Ban mai nuong mo hanh
Grilled half naked pen shell with spring onion oil and crispy shallot.
Bun cha ca thu
Local noodle soup with hand pounded fish patty, deep fried fish fillet, “doc mung” vegetables and fish bone broth. Serverd hot on mini stove.
Che ngo nep cot dua
Vietnamese sweet soup of corn and coconut cream.
In this cooking class, you will learn how to shred papaya and mix your own salad dressing to make a loveable salad. You will also prepare and grill the half naked pen shell yourself. Pounding fish to make fish patties, frying fish fillets to make Bun cha ca thu and make a dessert yourself. You will cook a meal using the same techniques and ingredients as the locals.
LOVES FROM NORTHERN CUISINE
$65/Adult
$35/Kid
Nom ga hoa chuoi
A fresh salad of banana flower, shredded chicken and traditional salad dressing.
Nem ran
Fried spring roll served with fresh noodles, green herbs and “dưa góp” – vietnamese pickles.
Pho bo
Famous noodle soup from aromatic beef broth.
Banh troi nuoc
The outer layer of the cake is soft and chewy, with a scent of jasmine. The rich and aromatic filling is made with black sesame seeds and coconut.
In this class, you will learn how to boil chicken so that the skin is shiny, crispy, and tender while the meat is juicy and flavorful. You will also learn how to roll Vietnamese spring rolls and cook the broth for Pho Bo. Additionally, you will get to make small, aromatic Banh Troi filled with sweet black sesame paste.
STREET FOOT TOUR
$65/Adult
$35/Kid
Nom ngo sen tom thit
Vietnamese rootlets salad with shrimp and pork belly.
Goi cuon tom thit
Vietnamese rootlets salad with shrimp and pork belly.
Bun cha thit nuong
Fresh noodles with grilles meat balls and green herbs.
Ca phe trung
The famous egg coffee of Hanoi Old Quarter Area.
In this cooking class, you will make a refreshing salad with crunchy and sweet lotus rootlets. You will also get to hand-roll fresh and delicious spring rolls. You will know how to make the world-famous Bun Cha dish with strong Cat Hai fish sauce. And finally, it is the Vietnamese egg coffee with a simple yet unforgettable recipe.
LOVES FROM NORTHERN CUISINE
$65/Adult
$35/Kid
Sup bi do va cot dua
Pumpkin soup with coconut milk
Bap cai cuon rau cu hap sot nam
Cabbage roll stuffed with veggie mixture
Ca tim chien xu
Crispy fried egg plant with homemade sauce
Nam nhoi dau phu sot tuong den
Mushroom stuffed tofu in hoisin sauce
Trai cay tron chua ngot
Fruit salad vietnamese style
Our every meal has
its own unique story we want
to share with you
Cat Ba’s tradition on your plate
The cuisine of Cat Ba is extremely diverse and colorful. A special land with sea, mountains and forests, valleys...Thanks to fresh and diverse ingredients, though the cooking methods are simple, the delicious taste of food is preserved from freshness to being served in front of diners.
Looking from another perspective, it is the quick and simple processing methods that Cat Ba people often call "fishermen's cooking" that helps seafood retain crispness, meat retain tenderness and sweetness, and vegetables retain freshness.
With just a mackerel, there are many ways to process it. The crisp afternoon sunshine, combined with the sweetness of the fish, will produce the “half dried” mackerel with tenderness, sweetness and juiciness. Or, instead of marinating and grilling elaborately in an oven, Cat Ba people wash the fish with ginger liquor and then steam until cooked. Making fresh spring rolls with local vegetables, served with ginger and garlic soy sauce. More elaborate is the Bun Cha Ca. The fresh fish meat is thinly sliced and then ground with traditional vegetables and spices, rounded into balls and then fried golden on both sides. The rich mackerel pieces are eaten with noodle soup made from fish bones, tomatoes, “doc mung” and fresh local herbs.
With over 30 years of experience, all the secrets of local culinary cooking will gradually be revealed by the chef of Catba Cooking Class in the courses.
Tradition passed thru generations
Cat Ba Cooking Class Itinerary
8:00 - 8:30 AMTour Pickup Information for Cat Ba Island Excursion
Our tour guide and the van will pick you up from your hotel in the center of Cat Ba town or Ben Beo. If you stay in other areas, please arrive at Republic Hostel or Sweet Potato restaurant before 7:45 am.8:30 - 9:30 AMCat Ba Market Tour to Discover Local Produce and Cultural Traditions.
The vehicle will stop at the market gate. The tour guide will take the group to check in at the Cat Ba seafood and agricultural market
- Visit the area of fresh seafood, poultry area, and purchase ingredients for cooking
- Visit the area selling various fish sauces and shrimp pastes – specialties of Cat Ba town
- Visit the dried seafood area: dried fish, dried squid, dried shrimp, and learn how coastal people preserve seafood. How they store food for stormy days when they can't go fishing.
- Visit the fresh vegetable and fruit area. Learn about indigenous herbs.
- Visit the dry spice stall: herbs, cinnamon, star anise, spices used in Vietnamese pho and traditional medicines for stew dishes to strengthen health
- Visit the grain product area such as noodles, rice, rice noodles, beans and nuts.
- Visit the paper crafts and learn a little about incense culture of the Vietnamese.
- Visit the outdoor market where vendors spread out tarps to sell homegrown agricultural products.
- End the market tour and say goodbye to the market vendors..
9:30 – 9:45 AMReturn to Republic Hostel After Cat Ba Market Tour.
The van will pick the group and tour guide at the market entrance and return to Republic Hostel10:00 AMCat Ba Cooking Class: Learn to Cook Authentic Local Dishes with Chef's Tips.
- Have a welcome drink
- The tour guide will instruct everyone to wear gloves and aprons, prepare to enter the kitchen
- Introduce the dishes that the group will experience in the cooking class
- Cook under the guidance of the chef and tour guide
- During cooking, the chef will share Cat Ba cooking tips to make the food fragrant and authentic.
11:30 – 12:45 AMEnjoy the Fruits of Your Cooking Class Labor with a Delicious Group Meal.
Sit down together and relish in the delicious flavors of the meal you handpicked and cooked yourself12:45 AMTour Conclusion: Departure from Cat Ba Island after Cooking Class.
Say goodbye to the new friends in the cooking class. The vehicle and tour guide will take you back to the hotel
Opening hours
For aspiring chefs, our immersive cooking classes are a full 5-hour experience that starts bright and early in the morning. From procuring fresh ingredients at the bustling market to savoring a delectable meal, our classes offer a comprehensive gastronomic experience.
- 800 AM - 1300 PM
