Hàm Ninh fishing village is on the east coast of Phu Quốc. True to its name, this is a ramshackle village where you can buy freshly caught live fish and shellfish in the market, or have it simply prepared at one of the many restaurants propped on jetties on the beach. There has been zero effort made to appeal to tourists, and no English is spoken. The pier is actually being demolished due to the local government’s concerns about overfishing and pollution.
You can’t walk along the beach to go restaurant to restaurant, you have to have to walk the side streets parallel to the beach to find the entrances. Some of the restaurants have prices listed as ‘market price’, which (if they’re handing you a menu saying that in English) is bullshit. You will be charged a different, premium price to the locals, and be told that you have to order a high minimum weight, or that you have to order a high weight to get anything other than a plain boil. I was told at one place the minimum order to have slipper lobsters fried with chili was 4 kilos, if I wanted to buy less than that they would be served boiled with no condiments. Just, why? I obviously can’t eat almost 9 pounds of shellfish, can’t we find a middle ground?
I recommend you find a place where the daily prices per kilo are clearly marked, and their weight minimum per type is one kilo. As a single person, many places will even agree to cook half a kilo each of different shellfish for you. For reference, that’s 3-4 large oysters, or 2-3 slipper lobsters. I was happy with the variety and freshness at Thuận Kiểu 2, but you can also check recent google reviews for other places. Even ordering the most exotic stuff, all you can eat, and a couple beers each, it’s really difficult to spend more than $30 per person at these places.
It may seem obvious, but Western seafood basics are not available here. There is no melted butter, corn, or bread, for example. The norm here for seafood is chili sauce, lime and salt; you can order typical Vietnamese accompaniments like white rice and water spinach.
Also, the preparations are not particularly skilled or nuanced. One of my favorite meals of all time was the conch I had at Café des Artistes in Key West twenty years ago now . . . I still remember it, it was that good. The conch I had here was inedible rubber. Likewise, it is tiny slices of processed American cheese melted over these oysters, hardly Oysters Rockefeller! Most things here are just served plain, boiled or grilled; the standard ‘seasoned’ preparation is a bit of garlic oil, lemongrass and peanuts.
Given the lack of sophisticated cooking, everything here is much more conveniently available at the night market. If you want to have a big variety for lunch, though, this is the spot. Likewise, if you are interested in trying all the local specialties in the shortest amount of time possible, this strip of restaurants is a great way to do it. I personally discovered a new love: sea urchins! They have a mellow, almost beefy taste. Highly recommend!