"Old scent" in the heart of the city

“Fortunately, in today’s hustle and bustle, there are still some familiar old corners where everyone can come to meditate and recall some childhood feelings,” said Nguyen Van Hao (a son of the “silk land” Tan Chau) when telling me about his hometown. Compared to the past, Tan Chau town is now very vibrant, developed, civilized, and clean. During that process of change, there are still hundred-year-old pagodas, ancient houses, markets, or shops quietly living with time. Many people keep up with the changes in time, while others choose to keep their original style, considering it their own identity. The culinary field alone is too numerous to count.

Perhaps that is the reason why Tu Tho filter coffee shop (Long Hung ward, Tan Chau town) exists until now. Located on Nguyen Trung Truc street for more than 40 years, the old features are present right on the shop's signboard, the letters are painted in a simple, faded color. Unlike filter coffee, waiting for each bitter drop to fall slowly, some people think filter coffee will not be as strong in flavor. But no! Ms. Diep Thi Kinh (owner of the shop) revealed that the secret is that the kettle is always kept boiling on the stove, the coffee is brewed through a filter, then "water 1" is poured back in, soaked for a few minutes to get the pure, rich, characteristic aroma. Each cup of coffee sold in the morning is always fresh, hot, affordable and popular, a convincing proof of its appeal over time.

Street-style shops and sidewalks are still popular with many urban people.

Located in a small corner in front of Nguyen Du Primary School, Hai Lieu ice cream shop is a nostalgic address for people living in Long Xuyen, including visitors who only visit the city a few times. The owner of the ice cream shop is Mr. Duc, who has been in his family business for decades. The ice cream is not simple or ordinary, but is elaborate in the way of making ingredients, all processed at home. Each ball is fresh every day, combined with sticky rice, corn, soft coconut, crispy coconut jam, pineapple jam, peanuts... creating a fatty and sweet taste that is not too strong. This is the "winning point" of the ice cream, although the ingredients are often changed to create different versions.

Mr. Duc said that to facilitate his children's studies, his family decided to move to Long Xuyen City to live. Initially, he invested in a fairly convenient shop, with floors, rich and diverse drinks, serving many customers. But then, he realized that customers only liked his family's traditional ice cream when they could enjoy it in a simple and comfortable space. Once again, he changed the model back to the sidewalk like in the old days. Although there were days when the weather was inconvenient, customers still came regularly. In Chau Doc City, Mr. Duc's mother maintained the traditional sidewalk ice cream business, which also attracted customers.

“When I was young, Long Xuyen was a luxurious city. I motivated myself by saving money for snacks every week. When I got high scores on tests or exams, I would reward myself with my favorite food. Up to now, on both sides of Duy Tan Bridge, there are still many of my old “favorite shops”, including coconut ice cream, chive cakes, broken rice, fried flour, spring rolls…” - Mr. Nguyen Tan Duc (from Thoai Son district) shared.

There are many long-standing shops that have quietly survived through many ups and downs in the heart of the bustling city, but today, thanks to social networks, they suddenly "popularize" again. Whether they have a name or not, diners only remember them by their common names: "Banh canh nup hem", "Banh canh hem 5", "bun ca cho do cu", "bun rieu cho trai qua", "ca-ca vet co tuong Xeo Trom", "com tam Chua Ong Bac", "soybean cart truong hoc"...

Looking back at a few decades, the shops not only maintain a stable number of customers thanks to the old taste in each dish and drink, but also the prices are affordable to suit the type and habits of customers. Life will continue to change, but they - those who are attached to the old style - have created a familiar image for the city, deeply imprinted in the memories of many people.

HOAI ANH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/-huong-xua-trong-long-do-thi-a419545.html