Food in Dak Lak mixes Kinh dishes from the lowlands with the cooking of the Ede and M’nong, built on forest herbs, bamboo shoots and grilled meat. Here are the dishes we tell every guest to try.
In Buon Ma Thuot
- Bun do: a red noodle soup with fish cake, tomato and chilli, a breakfast favourite in the city
- Banh uot ga: soft steamed rice sheets served with chicken, herbs and a sweet fish sauce dip
- Nem nuong: grilled pork sausage rolled in rice paper with herbs, green banana and star fruit
- Bun dau mam ruoc: rice noodles in a fragrant shrimp-paste broth
In the Villages
- Com lam: rice cooked inside a bamboo tube over the fire
- Ga nuong: chicken grilled over charcoal, often with chilli salt and wild herbs
- Canh ca dang: a soup of small bitter eggplants, a classic of Ede cooking
- Bamboo shoots: stir-fried, boiled or in soups
- Ruou can: rice wine shared from a jar through bamboo straws
Fruit and Drinks
Dak Lak is famous for its avocados, durian, jackfruit and passion fruit, all at their best in the summer months. Try an avocado smoothie, and of course the local coffee.
Eating Tips
- Breakfast is the best meal for noodle soups; many stalls close before noon.
- If you do not eat meat or have allergies, tell your guide; they can explain it to the cook.
- On our homestay tours dinner is cooked by your hosts from local ingredients.
