With its long coastline and countless rivers and deltas, Vietnam has one of the most exciting seafood traditions in Asia. If you have been looking for Vietnamese seafood in Ottawa — crispy salt-and-pepper shrimp, garlic-butter squid, caramelized fish or the legendary Hanoi turmeric fish — you will find all of it made the traditional way at Vietnam Palace on Somerset Street in Ottawa’s Chinatown. Serving the community since 1989, our kitchen treats seafood the way Vietnamese cooks do: fresh, boldly seasoned and cooked to order. Here is your guide to the best of it.
Why Vietnamese Seafood Is Special
Seafood runs deep in Vietnamese cooking. Coastal towns and the Mekong Delta supply the country with fish, shrimp, squid, crab and clams, and every region has its own way of preparing them. What ties it all together is balance: Vietnamese seafood is rarely drowned in heavy sauce. Instead, cooks use techniques that let the natural sweetness of the seafood shine, then lift it with aromatics like garlic, lemongrass, ginger, chili and fish sauce.
The result is seafood that tastes clean and vibrant. A plate of salt-and-pepper shrimp is crisp and fragrant rather than greasy; caramelized fish is rich but never muddy; garlic-butter squid is tender and aromatic. It is a style built on freshness and precise seasoning, and it makes for some of the most crave-worthy dishes on any Vietnamese menu.
The Seafood Dishes to Try at Vietnam Palace
Our menu features a wide range of seafood, prepared several different ways. These are the highlights.
Salt & Pepper Shrimp and Squid (Rang Muối)
A crowd favourite and the perfect introduction to Vietnamese seafood. Shrimp or squid is lightly crisped and tossed in our house salt-and-pepper blend, delivering a savoury, aromatic crunch with every bite. The shrimp can be served with or without the shell to suit your preference, and the squid comes out tender inside with a golden, crackly exterior.
Garlic Butter Shrimp and Squid (Rang Bơ Tỏi)
Rich, fragrant and hard to stop eating. Succulent shrimp or golden-fried squid is sautéed in garlic butter until glossy and aromatic. It is a more indulgent preparation that shows how well Vietnamese cooking adapts French-influenced flavours — comforting, buttery and deeply savoury.
Caramelized Fish in a Clay Pot (Cá Kho Tộ)
A home-style classic. A fish steak is braised in a clay pot with fish sauce, caramel and black pepper until firm and richly glazed. Served bone-in and skin-on the traditional way, it is bold, warming and made for eating with steamed rice — comfort food at its finest.
Turmeric Fish With Dill, Hanoi Style (Chả Cá Lã Vọng)
One of Vietnam’s most famous regional dishes and a genuine centrepiece. Marinated turmeric fish is grilled and brought to your table on a sizzling pan with mountains of dill and onion, served with rice vermicelli, shrimp paste or garlic-lime fish sauce, and peanuts on the side. It is interactive, aromatic and unforgettable — a true must-try for anyone serious about Vietnamese food.
Sizzling Seafood and Stir-Fries
For a bit of theatre, our sizzling mixed seafood arrives on a hot plate with shrimp, squid and scallop over vegetables. There are also lighter stir-fries — shrimp with mixed vegetables, or squid with green onion and ginger — that keep the focus on freshness. And to start, salt-and-butter calamari and crispy butterfly shrimp make excellent shareable appetizers.
How Vietnamese Seafood Is Cooked
Part of what makes these dishes so good is technique. A few methods come up again and again:
- Rang muối (salt and pepper): a quick fry followed by a toss in a seasoned salt-and-pepper blend for a crisp, savoury finish.
- Rang bơ tỏi (garlic butter): sautéing in garlic butter for a rich, aromatic coating.
- Kho (clay pot braise): slow-cooking in caramel and fish sauce for a deep, glossy glaze.
- Xào (stir-fry): fast, high-heat cooking with aromatics and vegetables to keep everything fresh and tender.
- Nướng (grilling): as in the Hanoi turmeric fish, grilling adds smoke and depth.
Each method brings out something different, which is why ordering two or three seafood dishes to share is such a rewarding way to eat.
Vietnamese Seafood by Region
Vietnam’s seafood traditions vary from one end of the country to the other, shaped by geography. Understanding the regions adds context to what lands on your plate.
- The coast: Vietnam’s long shoreline supplies an abundance of shrimp, squid, crab and fish, usually cooked simply — grilled, salt-and-pepper fried or steamed — to let the freshness speak for itself.
- The Mekong Delta: the fertile southern rivers are famous for freshwater fish and are the home of clay-pot caramelized fish and tangy sour soups. It is a cuisine of bold, comforting flavours.
- The north: Hanoi gave the world Chả Cá Lã Vọng, the celebrated turmeric-and-dill grilled fish, reflecting a northern love of herbs and subtler seasoning.
A Vietnamese menu that spans these styles lets you travel the whole country in a single meal — from a southern clay pot to a northern sizzling pan.
How to Build a Vietnamese Seafood Feast
The most enjoyable way to eat Vietnamese seafood is to order several dishes and share. A well-rounded feast balances textures and cooking methods so nothing feels repetitive:
- Start light: open with crispy butterfly shrimp or salt-and-butter calamari to share.
- Add a showpiece: the Hanoi turmeric fish or a sizzling seafood plate brings drama to the table.
- Bring something rich: a clay-pot caramelized fish adds deep, comforting flavour.
- Keep it fresh: a plate of stir-fried greens and steamed rice rounds everything out.
With that spread, everyone gets a little of everything — crisp, tender, rich and fresh all in one sitting.
Seafood Made for Sharing
Vietnamese seafood is at its best in the middle of a table, surrounded by friends and family. The dishes are designed to be passed around and enjoyed together, with rice and a light soup to round things out. A spread might include crispy salt-and-pepper shrimp, a rich clay-pot fish, a plate of sizzling seafood and a fresh vegetable side — a feast that suits a celebration or a relaxed weekend dinner.
That shareable, communal style makes seafood a natural choice for groups. If you are planning a get-together, our guide to the best Vietnamese dining for groups, families and date night has plenty of ideas for building a memorable table.
Appetizers and Sides to Start
A great seafood meal often begins before the mains arrive. Our menu has several seafood-forward starters that set the tone. Crispy butterfly shrimp and salt-and-butter calamari are golden, shareable and disappear fast. Crispy shrimp rolls (chả tôm cuốn) bring crunch and sweetness, and stir-fried baby clams with aromatic herbs, served with shrimp crackers, are a genuinely traditional way to open a Vietnamese seafood feast.
From there, a light soup keeps the meal balanced. The fisherman’s sour soup — made with your choice of fish, shrimp or chicken — is a flavourful, family-style bowl that pairs perfectly with richer seafood mains. Together, a starter, a soup and a couple of seafood dishes make for a complete and memorable spread.
Ordering Vietnamese Seafood for Takeout
Many of our seafood dishes travel well, which makes them a great option for a special dinner at home. Salt-and-pepper and garlic-butter preparations hold their flavour on the trip, and clay-pot fish arrives just as rich and comforting as it is in the dining room. If you are planning a seafood night in, call ahead so everything is cooked fresh and ready at its best. It is an easy way to bring a little of Somerset Street to your own table.
Freshness You Can Taste
Good seafood lives and dies on freshness and careful cooking, and both take experience. Overcook shrimp and it turns rubbery; rush a squid and it goes tough; under-season a fish and it falls flat. Getting each of these right, every time, is a skill built over decades.
At Vietnam Palace, seafood is cooked to order so it arrives hot, crisp and properly seasoned. That attention to detail — the same care that has kept Ottawa diners coming back for over 35 years — is what separates a memorable seafood dish from an ordinary one.
Finding Vietnamese Seafood in Ottawa
Ottawa’s Chinatown, centred on Somerset Street West beneath the Royal Arch, has long been the city’s hub for authentic Asian cooking, and it remains the best place to find genuine Vietnamese seafood. Vietnam Palace is at 819 Somerset Street West, an easy trip from downtown, Little Italy’s Preston Street and the Dow’s Lake area, with the same kitchen that has served the neighbourhood since 1989.
Whether you are after a quick plate of salt-and-pepper shrimp or a full seafood feast, you will find it here. Explore more of the menu through our ultimate guide to Vietnamese food in Ottawa’s Chinatown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vietnamese seafood spicy?
Most seafood dishes are mild to moderate. Salt-and-pepper and garlic-butter preparations are not spicy, while some stir-fries carry gentle heat from chili. You can always ask us to adjust the spice level.
Can I get shrimp without the shell?
Yes. Our salt-and-pepper shrimp can be served with or without the shell, and headless or head-on, depending on how you like it. Just let your server know.
What is Chả Cá Lã Vọng?
It is a famous Hanoi dish of marinated turmeric fish grilled with dill and onion, served with rice vermicelli, herbs, peanuts and a dipping sauce. It is aromatic, interactive and one of the most celebrated seafood dishes in Vietnamese cuisine.
Is the seafood fresh?
Our seafood dishes are cooked to order so they arrive hot and at their best. Careful timing and seasoning are the keys to great Vietnamese seafood, and that is exactly how our kitchen prepares them.
Dive Into Vietnamese Seafood on Somerset Street
From crispy salt-and-pepper shrimp to sizzling turmeric fish, Vietnamese seafood is fresh, bold and made for sharing. It is one of the most rewarding corners of the cuisine, and one of the best reasons to gather a few people around a table.
Browse our full menu, reserve a table, or call (613) 238-6758 to order takeout. You will find us at 819 Somerset Street West in the heart of Ottawa’s Chinatown — come hungry.