At a beachside seafood restaurant in Đà Nẵng, choosing dinner can start at a tank. You point to the prawns you want, the server quotes a figure, and there is still a question between you and dinner. How much will the portion you’ve just picked actually cost? Vietnam’s tourism authority describes restaurants along the beach where diners select live seafood and pay by weight. Vietnam Tourism’s Đà Nẵng food guide.
Start with the unit on the board
Look beside the number for kg. To ask the price per kilo, try Bao nhiêu tiền một ký? Point to the particular prawns or fish you’re considering as you ask. If several sizes share a tank or display, have the server show you which price applies to your choice. Next, ask to see the weight of your selection before it goes to the kitchen.
Work out the cost of your selection
Suppose the board reads 300,000 đồng/kg and your prawns weigh 600 g. Six hundred grams is six-tenths of a kilo. Multiply 300,000 by 0.6 and you get 180,000 đồng for the prawns. These figures are an arithmetic example. Use the restaurant’s quoted price and the reading on its scale for your own order.
Show the amount on your phone if the room is noisy. Then ask whether your chosen preparation is included and what the total for that dish will be. A plain steam and a sauce are different kitchen orders. If you’re watching the budget, this is the moment to change the quantity or choose another dish.
Decide how much of the meal should be shellfish
A cook planning dinner for two has to think about what reaches the fork. A whole prawn includes its head and shell. A split lobster looks generous across a platter, but much of what gives it that shape stays on the plate. Ask how many pieces your selection yields and think about what else the two of you want to eat.
For a smaller order, look for seafood already built into a dish. A shrimp-filled bánh xèo brings pancake, sprouts and greens to the same plate. Ask whether the menu price covers one pancake or a serving of several. That gives you a portion you can compare with your budget and appetite.
At a shared table, settle on the seafood first, then decide whether rice, greens or another pancake would round out the meal. When the bill comes, the weight, unit price and preparation you agreed on give you three things to check. For the rest of the order, see how to order for a shared Vietnamese table and how to eat bánh xèo with its greens.
Leave a Reply