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In Saigon, as the sun sets and a light drizzle falls, it's a time when emotions easily stir. The sudden showers, not heavy but gentle, like someone unintentionally sweeping away inner turmoil, leave behind a lingering sense of peace. At rush hour, crowds mingle in the vibrant rhythm of the city streets. But amidst all that hustle and bustle, there's a small, tranquil corner where one can find a little peace in the rain – a roadside stall selling dim sum under oil lamps.
In the midst of that damp afternoon, there was a simple yet incredibly appealing dish that captivated countless diners: steamed dumplings served in oil lamps.
Just step around the small corner on Hai Ba Trung Street, where the warm yellow streetlights shine down on the glistening raindrops, and you'll see simple tables and a few plastic chairs arranged around a pushcart. The pushcart itself is unremarkable, but it contains a simple yet captivating dish – dim sum served in oil lamp-style bowls.
"Siu Mai in a small bowl," a name that sounds unusual but has easily become familiar to Saigon residents recently. The round siu mai dumplings are steamed in small bowls, just enough for one serving. The rich, brown sauce, fragrant with onions and garlic, infused with the natural sweetness of the meat, is the soul of the dish. Sometimes, just a bowl of siu mai with a warm, crispy baguette is enough to chase away the chill of an afternoon rain.
The flickering oil lamp in the middle of the table has become a distinctive trademark of this dim sum stall.
The food is just bread and dumplings like at any other eatery, but it's the flickering oil lamp in the middle of the table that has created a unique brand for this dumpling stall. And so, every rush hour or on rainy Saigon afternoons, you hear the familiar invitation: "Hey, want to go eat dumplings under the oil lamp?"
The setting of the dimly lit dim sum stall is unpretentious. A few tables and chairs are neatly arranged on the sidewalk, under the soft yellow light of small oil lamps. This hazy light, combined with the steam rising from the hot dim sum bowls, creates a truly unique scene, one that can only be found on rainy Saigon afternoons.
Sitting beside simple tables, biting into a crispy baguette, dipping it into a bowl of sweet and fragrant steamed dumplings, you'll feel the interplay between the hustle and bustle of the city streets and the tranquility of your soul. It's a moment when the hurried pace of Saigon life slows down, giving way to profound emotions that fill your heart.
The plump, fragrant dumplings alongside a plate of crispy bread warm you up on a cold, rainy afternoon.
After work, gather with friends over familiar food.
Saigon is a city of constant change and development, yet it still retains its peaceful corners, places where people can find solace in the simplest things. The dim sum stalls by the roadside, lit by oil lamps, are one such place. Each time you visit, amidst the afternoon rain, sitting down and savoring this simple yet flavorful dish, you'll find peace, as if you've found a temporary refuge from the hustle and bustle of life.
Looking at the street after the rain...
The rain will eventually stop, and the streets will become crowded again. But perhaps the warm, intimate feeling that the dim sum served under the oil lamp will remain in everyone's memory, as an unforgettable part of a rainy Saigon afternoon.
