Despite the high price, customers are still captivated.

Mrs. Thai Thai Phuong's (67 years old) "stainless steel beef" restaurant is located in a house on Chau Van Liem street (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City), and has been around for almost half a century.

Why is it called 'stainless steel beef'?

I met Mrs. Phuong one scorching midday in Ho Chi Minh City, when customers were regularly coming to her restaurant for meals. Upon seeing me, the owner greeted me warmly, while her family members busied themselves preparing dishes to serve the diners.

Ms. Phuong's restaurant has a unique name, "stainless steel beef," and the tables and chairs inside are also made of stainless steel.

My first impression of this restaurant was its unique and unusual name, "stainless steel beef," displayed on a sign made of stainless steel. Inside, there were dozens of gleaming stainless steel tables and chairs. I immediately asked the owner about this.

Slowly, the woman of Chinese descent recounted that the reason many things in the shop are made of stainless steel stems from the special preference of her late father, Mr. Thai Xuan (who passed away in 1996 at the age of 73).

"When my father was alive, he loved stainless steel so much. He would buy stainless steel items for himself and his collection, no matter how much he earned. People called him a stainless steel enthusiast. Back then, it wasn't as common as it is now, and stainless steel items were very expensive. He was so obsessed with stainless steel that when my mother passed away in 1992, he even crafted incense burners and candlesticks from stainless steel to honor her," she recounted.

The owner sat beside one of the two stainless steel tables that her late father had bought years ago.

The owner continued, explaining that in 1976, when her house was still located near the central post office in Cholon, Ms. Phuong opened a shop selling porridge and coffee to make a living; her father helped out. Later, she switched to selling fried eggs (served with pate, sausage, and bread). The business was very successful, and Ms. Phuong said that at that time, the shop was packed with customers, sometimes requiring long queues.

Pointing to the two long, gleaming stainless steel tables placed at the back of the restaurant, Mrs. Phuong explained that these were the two tables her father bought and that the family has carefully preserved to this day. Because of her father's fondness for stainless steel, all the tables and chairs in the restaurant have remained stainless steel ever since.

Ms. Phuong also added that her father's two stainless steel tables will now be used to serve customers on weekends when the restaurant is busy.

Many customers have been eating here for decades.

Speaking about the current business situation of the restaurant, the owner said that it's not as good as it used to be, with more and more restaurants popping up. However, she is still happy to serve her heartfelt meals to customers near and far every day.

Ms. Thuy and her husband are regular customers of the restaurant.

When they first opened, the owner said they only sold fried eggs. But later, to cater to the diverse needs of customers, the number of dishes increased to more than a dozen. Currently, the cheapest dish at the restaurant is the fried egg, priced at 55,000 VND. The most expensive is the beef steak, priced at 90,000 VND. In addition, the restaurant also sells other dishes such as Italian pasta, stir-fried noodles with beef, etc.

The prices are steep, but the owner believes that you get what you pay for, and customers won't regret spending money on food at her restaurant. Ms. Thuy (from District 8) and her husband came to Ms. Phuong's restaurant for lunch today. She said she's been a customer here for 30 years, since her father brought her here to eat.

"Since then, this has become my regular restaurant. Later, when I got married, I brought my husband here to eat, and it's been 20 years now. The food here is delicious and suits my taste. What I like most is the beef, which is incredibly fresh and retains its moisture, unlike anywhere else I've eaten. Whenever we have the chance, my husband and I come here. This restaurant also holds memories for me and my father!" the female customer added.

The prices of dishes here range from 55,000 to 90,000 VND.

Thanks to this restaurant, Mrs. Phuong raised three children who grew up to be successful. Now, two of her children live and work in the US, while her son and his wife have inherited and developed their mother's restaurant. Previously, the restaurant was open in both morning and afternoon, but for many years now it has only been open from 6 am to 1 pm each day, due to Mrs. Phuong's declining health.

“I can’t bring myself to close the business, because this eatery is the result of my hard work and the culmination of my life’s efforts. Even though business is difficult and there aren’t as many customers as before, I’m happy to see customers every day and to cook with my children, grandchildren, and sisters. Looking at this stainless steel table, I remember my father…,” she expressed.

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