The story of the shop owner standing behind the counter from morning till night.

As the third generation to inherit the family pho restaurant, Ms. Tran Thi Phuc Thinh, the owner, shared the reason why she always stands at the counter preparing dishes from morning till night without letting anyone replace her.

"Michelin has revived my family's pho restaurant!"

Accordingly, for the second year, Ms. Thinh's family's pho restaurant was named by Michelin Guide in the Gourmand Bib category, with the following comment:

"This humble eatery has proudly served traditional Vietnamese pho since 1958. The menu consists of only two dishes: chicken pho and beef pho. You can freely order additional ingredients such as chicken skin, egg yolks, beef brisket, and beef tendons. The broth is clear, rich, and has a harmonious sweetness."

Quán 'phở Michelin' ở TP.HCM mở từ năm 1958: Chuyện chủ quán đứng quầy từ sáng tới tối- Ảnh 1. — Ms. Thinh inherited her family's traditional pho restaurant.

On a weekend morning, we visited the aforementioned pho restaurant, located on a prime street front on Vo Thi Sau Street (District 3). Ms. Thinh was bustling about, busily preparing dishes for the continuous stream of customers enjoying the meal.

Speaking to the reporter, the owner said that since receiving Michelin recognition last year, the restaurant's business has improved, attracting more customers, especially foreigners.

"Normally, my restaurant is only busy on weekends, but for the past year, we've had a steady stream of customers almost every day of the week. Thanks to Michelin, not only new customers but also many old ones have come back to support us. Michelin has revived my family's pho restaurant!" Ms. Thinh expressed.

She says this because, for a short period after inheriting the restaurant from her mother, many regular customers turned their backs on the restaurant because the pho no longer tasted the same as before. Concerned about this, she dedicated much time and effort to rediscovering the original pho flavor from her grandparents' time, by reviewing the recipe and adjusting the ingredients. Now, she is proud to have rediscovered that original pho flavor, which is highly appreciated by customers.

Quán 'phở Michelin' ở TP.HCM mở từ năm 1958: Chuyện chủ quán đứng quầy từ sáng tới tối- Ảnh 2. — Customers keep coming to the restaurant.

Quán 'phở Michelin' ở TP.HCM mở từ năm 1958: Chuyện chủ quán đứng quầy từ sáng tới tối- Ảnh 3.

Quán 'phở Michelin' ở TP.HCM mở từ năm 1958: Chuyện chủ quán đứng quầy từ sáng tới tối- Ảnh 4.

Beef pho and chicken pho are famous at Huong Binh restaurant.

According to the owner, the pho restaurant was opened in 1958 by her grandmother, Mrs. Doan Thi Ran (deceased), at a time when many pho restaurants were springing up along this street. Her family ran both a motorcycle and bicycle parts business and a pho restaurant. Later, when her grandfather got older, they focused entirely on the restaurant business, which was supported by many customers.

To date, the pho restaurant has been passed down through three generations, from her grandparents to her parents, and then to her siblings. As the only daughter in a family of four siblings, Ms. Thinh inherited the family pho restaurant and has dedicated much of her heart and soul to the eatery built by her grandparents and parents.

Why is the owner always at the counter preparing the food?

Around lunchtime, the pho restaurant welcomed a large group of customers. One person in the group said they had been eating pho at this restaurant for over 20 years. Because they liked the flavor of the pho, especially the broth, they often came to eat there and also brought their relatives along.

Meanwhile, Quang Nhat (27 years old), who came to the pho restaurant alone, said that this was his first time here, having just seen the Michelin list. Since he was passing by today, he ordered a portion of chicken pho to try.

"The pho really suits my taste. The chicken is fresh, moist, chewy, and tender. The best thing about this bowl of pho is the broth; it's well-balanced, light, and just the right amount of sweetness, perfectly to my liking. The noodles here are also unique. Since I work in District 3, I'll often come here to eat," the customer expressed.

Quán 'phở Michelin' ở TP.HCM mở từ năm 1958: Chuyện chủ quán đứng quầy từ sáng tới tối- Ảnh 5. — Ms. Thinh is always at the customer service counter.

[CLIP]: The "Michelin-starred pho" restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City has been open since 1958.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, many people will see the owner constantly at the counter, next to the broth pot, from morning until late at night, preparing dishes for customers instead of letting her staff take over. Regarding this, Ms. Thinh explained that in the past, many customers commented that the pho she made tasted different from the pho made by her assistants.

"Since then, I've always been the one at the counter preparing the food for customers, while others help with serving, taking orders, preparing vegetables, etc. Only when I make the dish do I get the exact pho flavor that our regular customers want," she expressed.

Having started helping her family with their business at the age of 13, the restaurant holds a special childhood memory for Ms. Thinh. Every day, she diligently brings her heartfelt bowls of pho, passed down through generations of her family, to customers who come to support her restaurant…

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/quan-pho-michelin-o-tphcm-mo-tu-nam-1958-chuyen-chu-quan-dung-quay-tu-sang-toi-toi-185240623141009651.htm