Due to the difficult economic situation, many diners in Ho Chi Minh City say they are limiting eating out at restaurants and mainly cooking at home to save money. In addition, many people are choosing to stick with delicious, affordable restaurants instead of more expensive ones to tighten their spending. There are quite a few good, budget-friendly restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City. The restaurant run by Ms. Gai (46 years old) and her husband on Tan My Street (Tan Thuan Tay Ward, District 7) is one such example, with a bowl of rice costing only 20,000 VND.
A different dish every day
On Wednesday morning, I visited my sister's eatery and was surprised to see that even though it was past 7 a.m., more than a dozen plastic tables and chairs inside were already occupied. Next to them, a crowd of customers were waiting outside to buy takeout.
Sister Gái's small eatery was packed with customers.
In front of the food counter is a simple sign that reads: "Noodle soup 20K". The owner, along with her husband and two assistants, are working non-stop to ensure customers don't have to wait long. However, due to the overwhelming number of customers, the owner is feeling a little overwhelmed.
I was quite surprised myself; I didn't expect such a busy mid-week breakfast spot to be so crowded. I noticed that the customers were mostly working-class people, students, and even office workers… I wondered to myself, were they buying here for the cheap price or for the delicious taste of the noodle soup?
I asked the customer sitting at the same table, Mr. Trung (54 years old, residing in District 7), about that. After hearing my question, he laughed and said that the restaurant only sells food for about 3 hours each day, from 6 to 9 a.m. Accordingly, they sell a different dish each day, and are closed on Sundays.
"However, with dishes like noodle soup or chicken vermicelli, everything is sold out in just over two hours, and latecomers have to go home hungry. Today is Wednesday, and we're selling noodle soup, so it's very crowded. I've been waiting for five minutes and it's still not my turn," the customer said, watching the owner busily preparing the dishes continuously.
The owner is always busy standing and selling for 2-3 hours at a time.
Upon inquiry, it was revealed that this eatery sells a different dish each day, a fixed schedule from the beginning. Accordingly, on Mondays they sell vermicelli soup with meatballs; on Tuesdays chicken vermicelli soup; on Wednesdays rice noodle soup; on Thursdays pho; and on Fridays beef vermicelli soup. Each dish is sold by the owner at an affordable price of 20,000 VND per serving, and customers can order more if they wish.
The variety of dishes is also the reason why Ms. Ha My Phung (44 years old, residing in District 7) brings her son here to eat every day when dropping him off at school. A regular customer for the past 3 years, Ms. Phung says that the dishes at Ms. Gai's restaurant are so diverse that she can come and eat every day without getting bored.
"My favorite dish is the noodle soup; the broth is fragrant and sweet, the noodles are chewy and soft, and the meat is fresh... I love the broth the most; I don't know how the owner seasons it, but it's incredibly delicious. Each serving only costs 20,000 dong, but it keeps me full until lunchtime. With prices rising now, I'm coming here more often to save money," the customer said with a smile.
Selling at a low price, determined not to raise it because…
The aroma of the noodle soup from the customer sitting next to me made my stomach rumble. A little later, my bowl of noodle soup was served. Looking at the simple meal of noodles, a few slices of meat, onions, fried garlic, and pork cracklings submerged in broth, I thought it wasn't much different from the ones I'd eaten at other places.
A bowl of affordable noodle soup costs 20,000 VND.
[CLIP]: A noodle soup stall in Ho Chi Minh City offers surprisingly cheap noodles for only 20,000 VND per bowl, selling out in just two hours.
The restaurant provides a self-service serving of vegetables and bean sprouts. Mr. Trung, sitting at the same table, readily offered me some as well. The bowl of noodle soup looked simple, but it was surprisingly flavorful. The real highlight was the light, sweet broth, the chewy noodles, and the tender meat.
For a bowl of noodle soup costing 20,000 VND, it's a satisfying and delicious breakfast, I couldn't ask for more. In my opinion, considering the taste and price, the dish deserves a 9 out of 10. I secretly thought that if I lived nearby, I would probably come here to eat every day.
"Seeing is believing," at just after 8:15 AM, the shop had sold out all the last portions of noodle soup. Ms. Gái and her husband began cleaning up. At this time, dozens of customers arrived, asking the same question: "Is there any left, Ms. Gái?" Those who arrived late received only a shake of the head and a bright smile from the owner, then left disappointed.
My sister shared that she opened this restaurant nearly 15 years ago. Before that, she sold rice dishes. However, the owner wanted to try something different. Thanks to her delicious cooking and knack for business, she has received enthusiastic support from customers.
Affordable prices and flavorful dishes have made the restaurant very popular.
My Sister, the Owner of the ShopThanks to this restaurant, she raised her two children to be successful adults. Being busy with the restaurant each day, cooking meals with dedication, and hearing customers praise her dishes is a great source of happiness for her and her husband…
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