Dustin Cheverier, 36, from the US, is a well-known content creator in Vietnam, with over 830,000 followers on his YouTube channel.

Having lived in HCM City for 10 years, he frequently shares videos showcasing his travel and culinary experiences across various regions from the north to the south of Vietnam.

The American man finds Vietnamese cuisine fascinating, dedicating much time to exploring and experiencing unusual local specialties that not every foreign visitor dares to try.

Recently, Dustin and his friend Jesse embarked on a trip to Mekong Delta.

They chose Soc Trang as their destination and stayed at the home of Nguyen Van, a local, to immerse themselves in the life and culture of the region.

Dustin noted that Mekong Delta’s food impressed him the most, with its unique and flavorful dishes.

During the trip with his friend, Dustin wanted to introduce one of the unusual dishes, grilled rat.

Grilled rat is a rustic dish found in many Mekong Delta provinces like Ben Tre, Soc Trang, Vinh Long, and Bac Lieu. The materials could be small field rats or coconut rats.

In Soc Trang, Van showed Dustin and Jesse how to catch rats.

They traveled by boat along the canals, setting metal traps with bait inside at stumps, below canopies, where rats typically forage for food.

The western adventurers set 15 traps, waiting overnight before coming back the next morning. They caught 5-6 rats with the traps and took them home to clean and use as cooking ingredients.

Before cooking, Dustin and Jesse were shown how to clean the rats.

The process involved dipping the rats in boiling water to remove fur, disemboweling, and cutting off the head, feet, and tail. Next, they washed the rat meat with alcohol or diluted lemon or vinegar, followed by another rinse with water before letting it dry.

Once cleaned, the rat meat was seasoned with spices. When grilling, Van used a charcoal stove, applying honey on the rat meat when it was nearly cooked.

This technique infused the grilled rat with a smoky aroma, a beautiful golden brown color, and a sweet and savory taste.

As the hot dish was served, Dustin and Jesse began tasting. Dustin found the grilled rat visually appealing with its golden hue. Sampling it, he noted the tender and slightly chewy texture, rich with various seasonings.

Jesse, who ate three rats, commented that it was a delicious light snack, "firm, fragrant, with no fishy smell." 

Thao Trinh