A Phu Quoc Seafood treasure serving only the fresh catch of the day: BUP restaurant.

Hours: 14:00 - 23:00

Address: Bup Restaurant, Khu 1, tt. Dương Đông, Phú Quốc, Kien Giang, Vietnam

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Streatery goes off script to report on Phu Quoc Seafood, some of the best Vietnam has to offer.

108 Ba Mươi Tháng Tư, Dương Đông, Khu 1, Phú Quốc  | Hours 14:00 – 23:00

Travelers know Phu Quoc for a few main things, including it’s beaches, it’s pepper farms, it’s fish sauce, but what you really should be doing is eating the famous Phu Quoc seafood. Merge the fresh peppercorns, the highest quality Nước mắm, and the freshest seafood, cooked to perfection and you have yourself a dinner to remember. The quality of fish sauce on the island is superior to the rest of the country, and perhaps even the rest of Asia. You can visit the factory for the most famous fish sauce sold in America, Red Boat, which they make in Phu Quoc. We found ourselves heading towards a place that a few friends and online bloggers recommended, BUP seafood restaurant.

The Bup seafood experience

At first glance it’s obvious that BUP is slightly fancier than the typical seafood/beer hall restaurants on the island. Sitting down in nice wooden chairs, with pleasant music that fit the ambiance, we instantly starting enjoying the experience. We immediately ignored the menu and headed towards to tanks, and the price board for the daily fresh catch of the day. Paying by the KG, we ordered the following:

1. Sandal lobster, grilled with cheese 1250K / Kilo
2. Baby squid sauteed with fish sauce and fresh peppercorns 690k/KG
3. Flower Crab (steamed)  640K/KG
4. Grilled Sea Urchins 40k / each

*These are market prices and vary throughout the year. 

Crabs Crabs Crabs

We started with the steamed flower crabs. They prepared them with no seasonings, sauces or any extras. Simply steamed to perfection, the meat was sweet and decadent as it almost melted in our mouths. This is truly the only way to serve fresh crab.

RELATED: Try Streatery’s pick of Saigon’s top seafood spots, HERE.

The best squid in Vietnam?

Next was the plate of baby squids, which they had sautéed with the highest quality fish sauce and fresh green peppercorns, both famous staples from the island. Again it was a home-run, cooked perfectly, dancing with flavor thanks to the Nuoc Mam and peppers. 

Sandal Lobster, a delicacy of crustacean proportions.

At this point the waiters brought out the true star of the show, what most people were there for, the sandal lobsters. For those uninitiated, sandal lobsters look similar to regular lobsters except without the pincers, and with a flat tail. The meat was tasty with sweet undertones and meaty flavor, melting in our mouths with the help of the melted cheese.  It was decadent.

Sea Urchins, prickly yet delicious.

Last but not least, they brought us the sea urchins, grilled beautifully with the typical Vietnamese garnish of peanuts and spring onions. Not a second overcooked, the soft interior fused with the seasonings and crunch of the peanuts was wonderful. Freshness continued to be the name of the game her for BUP’s success, as the chefs delivered 4 grand slam home runs without missing a beat. Although BUP may not be as cheap as it’s rustic neighbors, we found it was worth every penny. 

For more phở-nomenal eats, head to our EATS section.