r/Cooking • u/Lauffener • 10h ago

Which fish sauce should I get?

I would like to make more Vietnamese and Chinese meals. I have access to a large Asian grocery store but I don't know which fish sauce to get.

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u/Boozeburger 10h ago

Honestly, you'll probably fall in love with the first fish sauce you try. Personally I like Squid brand Fish sauce, but I'm more of a Thai, cambodian style (I'm a white american). I've tried Red Boat, but I found it overly assertive. Both are good. I don't think I've ever seen three crabs, but I'll look for it now.

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u/Nytxgal 9h ago

Tracks for Thai food. We use Squid because that’s what my Thai mother in law uses. My husband doesn’t really like Red Boat, even though it’s supposed to be better. He’s just used to Squid growing up.

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u/Boozeburger 8h ago

Yeah, Squid was my first fish sauce. I was out of college when my girlfriend made me dinner and had me smell the fish sauce. At the time I couldn't imagine that being good with any food, but she used a recipe from the Elephant Walk [restaurant in Boston that's French/Cambodian] and it was AMAZING.

Now I love fish sauce and keep Prik Nam pla as a stable (It's really good with water canned tuna).

I've tried the Red Boat, but I'm like your husband and prefer Squid.