No flashy signboard, no loud advertising, but this small restaurant has become a familiar destination for many generations of Hanoians. With over 30 years of experience, from a simple street vendor, Ms. Hue's snail noodle soup has now become a "legend" in the hearts of those who love traditional cuisine.
Ms. Hue's snail noodle shop currently has two locations opposite each other on Nguyen Sieu Street - a short but busiest old street in Hanoi. The space of the shop is not too large, each side has about ten simple, clean plastic tables, serving about 50 customers at the same time. But the special thing is that even for a short lunch, both locations can still be full of people, customers have to stand and wait to get a seat.
Ms. Hue's snail noodle shop on Nguyen Sieu street
The “golden” time at the restaurant is usually at noon, from 12:00 to 13:00, when office workers and passersby stop by to eat. On the contrary, early morning is when the restaurant is quieter, those who want to enjoy a full bowl of snail noodle soup in a quiet space should come in the morning.
"Every day I pick up hundreds of tons of snails and sell them continuously without stopping. I sell for fun, and if my customers are happy, they are also happy. If I come in the morning, it's sparse, but at noon, there are so many customers that there are no seats" - Ms. Hue shared.
Customers come and go continuously, the place is always full.
From a quiet street vendor to a bowl of noodles with the soul of Hanoi
Few people know that Ms. Hue, the owner of the snail noodle shop, started her business as a street vendor. Every early morning, she would carry a pair of poles, walk around the streets, and sell each hot bowl of noodles. After many years of doing business, she was able to set up a permanent shop as it is now. But even though she moved to a home-based shop, Ms. Hue still kept the spirit of the old snail noodle dish, simple, refined, and full of Hanoi flavor.
Every morning from 4am, Ms. Hue and her family begin to prepare the ingredients. Among them, snails - the soul of the dish - are the most carefully prepared part. Every day, the restaurant prepares several hundred kilograms of snails, a number that surprises many people. The snails are chosen to be large, fat, and shiny, crunchy but not tough. Small snails - the traditional snails in Hanoi's vermicelli with snails - are also available, carefully prepared by Ms. Hue, without any sand or grit, clean and fragrant.
From a street vendor, now has 2 locations opposite each other.
After being cleaned, the snails are soaked in rice wine, a “secret” ingredient that helps remove the fishy smell and at the same time brings out the natural aroma of the snails. Then, the snails are boiled until just cooked to keep their crispiness and avoid being tough or mushy.
Unlike many modern snail noodle dishes today with ham, beef, ribs, etc., Ms. Hue's snail noodle dish only focuses on snails and broth. It is this simplicity that creates a difference that is hard to confuse. The restaurant's broth is simmered from bones, ripe red tomatoes, and the highlight is the light but rich sour taste.
Rich and sour broth
This broth is not too sour, but has a light, gentle taste on the tip of the tongue. Together with the fragrant perilla, the hot bowl of noodles becomes warm and pleasant. Each spoonful of broth has a layer of flavor that sticks to the tip of the tongue, along with each soft white noodle and crunchy snail.
In addition to hot vermicelli with snails, the restaurant also serves cold vermicelli with snails - a "cooling" dish that many people love in the summer. With the same broth but cooled, served with raw vegetables and cold vermicelli, cold vermicelli with snails creates a completely different way of enjoying but still retains the soul of Hanoi.
Sell up to several hundred kilos of snails every day
A full bowl of snail noodle soup for 50 thousand dong
Snail cake - a unique creation bearing Ms. Hue's mark
An interesting point at the restaurant is the appearance of snail sausage - an "invention" thought up by Ms. Hue herself. After being ground, the snails will be mixed with spices, shaped into balls and then fried. When eaten, each snail sausage ball is fragrant, soft inside, crispy outside, bringing a completely new experience.
Each full bowl of noodles costs 50,000 VND and is called a “full snail and sausage” portion. Customers can request more sausage if they like. The noodles are served with raw vegetables, a little shrimp paste or chili sauce for a perfect taste.
In the midst of the “innovation” of noodle dishes everywhere, Ms. Hue’s snail noodle soup still maintains the traditional way of making it, from ingredients to service style. The restaurant is always bustling with customers coming and going. Some are regulars, some are recommended by friends, and there are also quite a few tourists who stop by, try the dish, and then come back.
Rustic snail restaurant on Nguyen Sieu street
What has kept the restaurant going for more than three decades is not only the delicious food, but also the heart of the cook. Ms. Hue, with her gray hair and gentle smile, still works diligently every day at the small counter, pouring drinks and asking after regular customers. Such small gestures, in a simple restaurant, make people remember forever.
Many people jokingly say that Ms. Hue's vermicelli with snails is a part of the "heritage" of Nguyen Sieu Street. A place where people can stop, eat a bowl of vermicelli, and clearly feel the very real, very slow pace of life of the old town. If you have the opportunity to wander in the heart of Hanoi's old town, don't forget to stop by Ms. Hue's vermicelli with snails, where a simple bowl of vermicelli is enough to make you unforgettable. Because there you not only get to eat delicious food, but also get to touch a part of the soul of Hanoi - rustic, gentle and profound like the sweet broth in that simple bowl of vermicelli.
