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Is the food on the dragon boat authentic Hue dinner cuisine?

It’s not strictly authentic Huế cuisine — at least not in the traditional, royal-court kind of way that you’d get if you were sitting down in someone’s house in Phú Cát ward with a bowl of bún bò Huế made from scratch. But there are Huế dishes on the dragon boat dinner menu. Some versions are slightly adapted. Think of it more like a gentle nod to Huế’s food heritage rather than a full-on recreation.

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What you’ll usually find are the hits: Nem lụi (grilled lemongrass pork skewers), bánh bèo, maybe a mini bánh nậm or bánh ít if the kitchen leans toward the classic. Sometimes they serve chả Huế wrapped in banana leaf — simple, light, and perfect with a cold beer on the boat. Most of it’s made to be tourist-friendly, so don’t expect super intense mắm or fiery chili, unless you ask.

I was on the boat last April — it was the late sunset cruise, around 5:30pm — and they started with a small plate of bánh bèo. Not bad. The bánh was soft and the shrimp topping had a nice texture, though it didn’t have the smoky richness you’d get at Hàng Me or the vendors in Kim Long. Still, the setting makes up for it. Eating Huế-style food while drifting down the Perfume River, with the citadel glowing off in the distance — that combo’s kind of magical.

So yeah, you’ll taste Huế flavors. But it’s Huế with training wheels. Made for all palates. Not watered down, just… safe. If you’re looking for the full-on, fish-sauce-heavy, chili-loaded, deep-soul Huế cuisine, hit the street vendors in Đông Ba market or the family-run spots near Lê Huân Street. But for a soft, scenic intro to Huế’s food on a dragon boat — this works.