No need for delicacies, luxury restaurants, the eateries nestled in small alleys in the heart of the city also leave an impression of the unique features of Saigon cuisine. In this article, I will introduce to Travellive Magazine readers 3 delicious noodle, broken rice and beef noodle restaurants in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City.
Hu Tieu, the dish that "erases" the gap between rich and poor
Hu Tieu is known as a popular dish of the people of Saigon. Hu Tieu is available everywhere, from the main roads to the carts hidden in a small alley. Hu Tieu shops often open at night, and are frequented by many people: from the janitors with muddy hands and feet to the stylishly dressed people with dozens of sparkling branded items on their bodies.
Here, one can meet many different types of people, and here, one can clearly see the lack of distinction between rich and poor, without comparison or judgment.
There is a night noodle shop like that about 10 minutes walk from my house. It is called a shop but it is just a discreet cart neatly located in alley 220 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, without a sign. People only know that every evening, around 5 o'clock, a mother with her son and daughter-in-law will start cleaning up the area, setting up tables and chairs, preparing to light the stove and then start welcoming customers. The shop usually "closes" at 10 o'clock at night, because that is usually the time when they sell out all the food.
Hu Tieu is a familiar dish to the people of Saigon (Illustration photo)
I usually order a bowl of dry noodles for 20,000 VND. Dry noodles always come with a bowl of broth on the side. The noodles here are blanched to a moderate degree, so they retain their chewy texture and are not too soft. I usually add a few spoonfuls of broth to balance the moisture of the noodles, add soy sauce and don’t forget to squeeze in some lemon juice to enhance the aroma. The satay here is delicious, but you should only add a little to taste, otherwise it will be too spicy.
A bowl of 20k noodles will "check off" the toppings such as: thinly sliced pork loin, beef balls, bean sprouts and chives. Almost every time I eat here, I always ask for an extra bowl of broth. Slurp a bowl of broth with natural sweetness and richness, simmered from bones and radish, and rest assured that it won't smell of MSG if you're worried. You can serve yourself free iced tea right next to the noodle cart.
"Vedette" in Saigon's culinary scene is Com Tam
Besides Hu Tieu, Com Tam is also a popular dish, present almost everywhere on the streets of Saigon. When mentioning Saigon cuisine, people will immediately think of Com Tam. Because it is a dish that people can eat at any time of the day: from morning to noon, from noon to afternoon, from afternoon to evening. You can go to any street stall to eat Com Tam, at any time of the day. One very strange thing is that almost every stall will be delicious, or not too different in quality.
Just a two-minute walk from the noodle shop mentioned above, the 'Com tam dem 10' restaurant located in alley 294 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh is a place visited by many people. Young gourmets are certainly no stranger to this restaurant, because the quality of this popular restaurant is beyond expectation. Many times when coming home from work late at night and feeling hungry, looking around and only seeing this broken rice restaurant open, my heart is immediately filled with joy. Pull over, order a plate of broken rice with pork chop and a bowl of sour soup to warm my stomach right away.
This is a restaurant with a well-organized layout, from the service to the eating utensils. Broken rice in Saigon will be eaten on a plate, with a spoon and fork. Broken rice and the accompanying toppings will usually be placed directly on the same plate. But here, cucumbers/pickles and pork rinds will be served separately in a small bowl. Hot soup will be served in a stainless steel bowl, very clean from the cooking process to the eating. Just talking about the space and service, you will feel satisfied even before eating.
When talking about Saigon cuisine, people will immediately think of broken rice. (Photo collected)
The restaurant has many choices of toppings, such as grilled ribs, braised pork with duck eggs, braised pork with pepper, egg rolls, fried eggs, fried eggs, braised fish, etc. Most of the braised dishes will always be left in the pot, turned on the gentle boiling mode to ensure they are always hot. Egg dishes will also be made upon request, not pre-fried like many other places. Broken rice is carefully screened, cooked until soft and always guaranteed to be hot. Dishes such as ribs are also marinated and grilled to the right degree, not too burnt, soft but not tough when eaten. A portion of broken rice with ribs and rolls costs 50,000 VND.
Beef noodle soup, full of Saigon culinary flavors
If you are a "beef noodle shop", you really should not miss the beef noodle shop located right next to Thi Nghe market gate on Phan Van Han street. I often call this shop "Bun bo 3 co", because there are 3 sisters working together: one takes orders from customers, one prepares at the counter, the other brings bowls of noodles to customers. There are not too many customers, but the 3 sisters are always very lively, running back and forth continuously, occasionally arguing back and forth because they ordered the wrong dish for customers, looking very cute.
To comment on the food of the restaurant, I only use one word - quality. I usually order a bowl of pork shank, which will have toppings such as: pork shank, beef shank, crab patties or regular patties. A bowl like that costs 65 thousand VND, quite a bit more than other places but I must say it is worth it for the quality of a bowl of beef noodle soup with rich flavors in each topping.
Beef noodle soup, full of the rich flavor of Saigon cuisine (Photo collected)
The pork leg meat is large, boiled thoroughly so it is very soft, the more you chew, the more sweet and fatty it becomes. The beef brisket is also stewed thoroughly, cut into thick slices but not tough. The broth is seasoned with just the right amount of salt and sweetness, harmonious and very tasty. The beef noodle soup is served with chopped water spinach, bean sprouts, banana flowers and herbs. The satay here is the highlight because of the characteristic aroma of the combination of minced lemongrass and chili paste that are simmered, creating an unforgettable impression when combined in a bowl of beef noodle soup.
The restaurant usually opens around 6pm until sold out, but it usually opens early because many people come to eat or buy takeaway. A secret to eating delicious beef noodle soup is to come early, because then the broth will have the most original taste, not salty.
