VI
EN
Mr. Hoa lived for a long time in the South, having been adopted by a family from the South. Perhaps that period significantly influenced his cooking style and the flavors of his dishes. Upon returning to Hanoi, he and his wife opened a small restaurant selling beef noodle soup – a dish he believes is "the most authentically Vietnamese."
A bowl of Southern Vietnamese beef noodle soup at Mr. Hoa's restaurant.
"As long as we have the strength, we will keep fighting."
Mr. Hoa, the owner of a Southern Vietnamese beef noodle soup restaurant in Khuong Thuong.
Despite his advanced age, Mr. Hoa still works diligently in the kitchen every day. He smiles kindly and says, "As long as I have the strength, I will keep fighting." The small restaurant has two rooms facing each other, with a simple and familiar atmosphere. He and his wife serve customers together, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere like a family.
His bowl of noodle soup isn't fancy, but it has a unique characteristic that's hard to find anywhere else. That's what keeps the restaurant, despite being tucked away in a small alley, always crowded. Many customers, after finishing their meal, exclaim: "I've never tasted a bowl of Southern Vietnamese beef noodle soup like this anywhere else."
Located in a small alley, the restaurant consists of two rooms where customers can sit and enjoy their meal.
The most unique aspect of visiting Mr. Hoa's noodle shop is witnessing his skillful "fire dance" whenever he stir-fries the beef. A small gas stove and a frying pan become familiar props in his expert hands. Only when a customer orders does he light the fire, gently but gracefully shaking the pan. The marinated beef sizzles on the hot pan, the fragrant aroma of lemongrass and spices filling the small space, creating a captivating "performance."
He was previously famous for his skillful "fire dancing" talent.
Mr. Hoa shared: "Stir-frying beef requires quick hands and a fast heat so the meat cooks through, becoming tender and juicy. After doing it for a while, you get used to it; just shaking the pan makes the flames flare up." However, he has now reduced the amount of "flame manipulation." He said: "Now I cook with a smaller pan, shake it more gently, and use just enough heat. It reduces smoke and is also good for the environment."
The "most authentically Vietnamese" flavor
According to Mr. Hoa, Southern Vietnamese beef noodle soup is not served with broth like in the North, but rather combines dry noodles with fish sauce, fried onions, peanuts, fresh vegetables, and beef, all mixed together before eating. He uses a fish sauce mixture with lime juice and sugar, with just the right balance of saltiness and sourness, and a subtle aroma of good fish sauce. The fish sauce is his secret ingredient, determining the dish's deliciousness.
Each bowl of vermicelli soup is meticulously prepared, including perfectly cooked stir-fried beef, crisp bean sprouts, fresh green lettuce, crunchy roasted peanuts, and fragrant fried onions. All the ingredients blend together, creating a refreshing, rich, yet not greasy overall flavor. According to him, the best time to eat Southern Vietnamese beef vermicelli soup is in the summer because "a bowl of refreshing vermicelli, fresh green vegetables, and a touch of sweet and sour fish sauce is simply unbeatable."
Each bowl of vermicelli is meticulously prepared, including perfectly cooked stir-fried beef, crisp bean sprouts, refreshing green lettuce, crunchy roasted peanuts, and fragrant fried onions.
The price of a bowl of vermicelli here is very reasonable, ranging from 35,000 to 50,000 VND, depending on the portion size. On weekends, the shop is usually packed with customers. Some days, he sells more than 100 bowls, his hands never resting.
Over time, despite many people offering to buy the recipe for Southern Vietnamese beef noodle soup – at very high prices, even billions of dong – he has consistently refused. Mr. Hoa confided: "I won't sell this recipe. In the future, I will only pass it on to my children and grandchildren."
The kitchen is clean and tidy.
Mr. Hoa plans to expand and franchise his Southern Vietnamese beef noodle soup model in the future. "He hopes that every province and city across the country will have a high-quality Southern Vietnamese beef noodle soup restaurant like this one. The flavor will remain unchanged over the years, so that everyone who eats it will remember it forever." This is not just a business dream, but also a desire to preserve a rich culinary tradition.
"He hopes that every province and city across the country will have a high-quality Southern Vietnamese beef noodle soup restaurant like this one. The flavor will remain unchanged over the years, so that everyone who eats it will remember it forever."
Despite the restaurant being tucked away in a small alley, with simple seating and inconvenient parking, few people are discouraged. They still come with unwavering patience and trust, because there they can find a bowl of Southern Vietnamese beef noodle soup unlike anywhere else, and an owner who is always gentle and dedicated to each customer.
The image of Mr. Hoa, his hands nimbly stirring the pan over the blazing fire, his focused gaze and gentle smile beneath the smoke, has become a familiar memory for many. When the flames flared up, the aroma of stir-fried beef with lemongrass filled the air, and that's when people understood his words: "As long as I have the strength, I will fight." It wasn't just a casual remark, but a spirit of dedication and passion for the profession and the food he considered an integral part of his life.
