HCM CITY — Hundreds of dishes from the southern region will be offered at the Southern Cuisine Festival held from May 25 to 28 at HCM City’s Đầm Sen Park.

The festival will attract more than 30 hotels and restaurants from HCM City and southern and central provinces such as Kiên Giang and Phú Yên.

The restaurants will introduce around 350 popular dishes such as fried and fresh spring rolls, bánh xèo (sizzling rice pancakes), and a wide range of grilled dishes.

Nearly 100 kinds of chè (pudding), bánh (cake) and typical southern desserts will be served during the event.

Trần Quốc Khánh, general director of the Sài Gòn – Rạch Giá Hotel in Kiên Giang Province, said his hotel would send to the festival ten signature dishes of the province such as termite mushrooms with baby white shrimp of Phú Quốc Island, jellyfish salad with passion fruit of Hòn Sơn Island, and sea urchin pate with fresh bread from Nam Du Island.

The oganisers will host cooking demonstrations of traditional southern dishes at the event and conduct a vote for the eleven best dishes.

In addition, old-style southern markets selling ornament trees and fresh fruit and vegetables will be recreated at the festival.

The event will feature tài tử music performances, calligraphy art presentations, and tò he (toy figurines that are made of rice dough) craft.

The festival will open from 9am to 8pm at 3 Hoà Bình Street in District 11. — VNS