Even though they arrived late, the customers happily ate... plain porridge.

"I'll keep selling until my health no longer allows it ."

Aunt Ty's beef porridge stall is located on the sidewalk, right at the intersection of Nguyen Trai Street and National Highway 1 in Ward 1, Dong Ha City. The stall is always crowded with customers, and everything sells out between 10 am and 12 noon.

Gánh cháo bò vỉa hè Đông Hà, nắng bán mưa nghỉ nhưng tồn tại những 20 năm - Ảnh 1. — Aunt Ty's simple beef porridge stall and plastic chairs on the sidewalk in Dong Ha City.

Aunt Ty is nearly 70 years old this year and lives in Block 5 (Ward 2, Dong Ha City). Because she lives alone and is elderly, she only cooks one pot of porridge at a time, selling it until it's all gone, as she doesn't have the strength to cook more.

Aunt Ty doesn't remember exactly when she started selling porridge, but she estimates that this porridge stall has been around for over 20 years.

Gánh cháo bò vỉa hè Đông Hà, nắng bán mưa nghỉ nhưng tồn tại những 20 năm - Ảnh 2. — For over 20 years, Aunt Ty has been selling her wares here.

"I've been selling this for a very long time. On sunny days, customers sit down to eat in large numbers, but if it rains, many people ask me to deliver or buy it to take away. Every day, the porridge is usually sold out by around 12 noon. Many people ask me why I don't cook more to sell, but unfortunately, this old woman is already exhausted from all the chores, from going to the market to buy ingredients, to preparing the porridge, and finally carrying it out to sell. Where would I find the strength to cook more?" Auntie Ty said.

Gánh cháo bò vỉa hè Đông Hà, nắng bán mưa nghỉ nhưng tồn tại những 20 năm - Ảnh 3. — Many people in Dong Ha City cannot resist the allure of Aunt Ty's beef porridge.

With no sign and no contact number, whenever Auntie Ty takes a few days off due to fatigue or heavy rain, customers keep asking around to find her... People love her because they miss the taste of her porridge and feel sorry for her, even in her old age, still selling it. In return for that affection, Auntie Ty is determined to continue selling until her health no longer permits it.

A simple dish, but a "masterpiece".

Beef porridge is a favorite dish of the people of Quang Tri , but not everywhere can offer the unforgettable flavor of Aunt Ty's simple beef porridge stall.

The porridge is cooked with broth made from beef and beef bones, along with diced carrots to create a subtly sweet flavor without the need for MSG or seasoning.

Gánh cháo bò vỉa hè Đông Hà, nắng bán mưa nghỉ nhưng tồn tại những 20 năm - Ảnh 4. — Scallions, herbs, pepper, chili sauce... these are all essential ingredients in Aunt Ty's beef porridge.

Although the pot of porridge is small, it comes with a full range of toppings to suit everyone's preferences, such as beef tenderloin, beef tendons, beef bones, beef trotters, blood pudding, etc. Diners can choose whatever they like.

Each bowl of porridge sold by Auntie Ty costs only 20,000 - 25,000 VND, which is quite cheap for a quality bowl of beef porridge. Therefore, Auntie Ty's porridge stall is always crowded with customers.

Mr. Hoang Nhat Phi, a regular customer, shared that his whole family loves Aunt Ty's beef porridge. "When I was young, before I got married and had children, there were times when I ate beef porridge instead of rice every day because I craved it so much. I could eat it all the time without ever getting tired of it. Just thinking about it made me want to rush there to eat it immediately. Sometimes, when I arrived late and they ran out of meat, I would still eat the porridge alone," Mr. Phi said.

The porridge is continuously heated over a wood-fired stove, then scooped into a bowl, sprinkled with chopped scallions and basil, and served with a spicy, fragrant ginger-chili fish sauce. The beef is stewed perfectly, neither too soft nor too tough. Taking a spoonful of porridge and then biting into a piece of crunchy tendon is truly a "masterpiece," especially suitable for the cold winter months.

Gánh cháo bò vỉa hè Đông Hà, nắng bán mưa nghỉ nhưng tồn tại những 20 năm - Ảnh 6. — Aunt Ty's steaming hot beef porridge

When it rains heavily, customers can't sit and eat, they can only buy takeout, because Auntie can't set up a tarp on the sidewalk for them to sit under. "Luckily, the weather is kind; although sales are a little slower when it rains, there are still many people buying takeout," Auntie Ty said.

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