Customers who want to eat must arrive on time.

I'd heard about it for a long time, but only now had the chance to visit Ms. Xi's vermicelli soup stall, located in alley 571 on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street (District 10). Is it really as good as the rumors say?

Diners must… “take advantage of the opportunity”

We heard people saying that if you arrived at Ms. Xi's shop late, you might have to go home hungry, so we arrived just after 11 a.m., when the shop had just opened. To our surprise, a long line of customers was already waiting for the owner.

Ms. Xi's shop offers affordable prices and has been a favorite among customers for 30 years.

From what I observed, most of the customers here are neighbors, residents of the alley, and employees of the surrounding offices; some have been regulars for over a decade. The fragrant aroma from the broth wafted through the small alley, making my stomach rumble.

Ms. Dung (58 years old) was enjoying her favorite bowl of bun rieu (Vietnamese rice noodle soup). Seeing me approach and strike up a conversation, the customer smiled brightly and said that she had been eating there for as long as the owner had sold it, because she had lived in this alley for generations.

"Eating here requires a bit of speed. The owner sells out in an hour if things are busy, or in two hours if they're slow. If you arrive late, everything will be gone, and you might go home hungry or miss out on your favorite dish. That's why I always come here for lunch right on time. I've been eating here for decades and I'm completely hooked," Mrs. Dung recounted.

This bowl of noodle soup is simple, but many customers love it.

[CLIP]: Bun rieu (Vietnamese crab noodle soup) in Ho Chi Minh City sells out for 'even 10,000 VND', completely gone in an hour: The owner doesn't even need to… season it.

Pointing to the bowl of vermicelli she bought for 25,000 dong, she said the owner here is very nice, selling even for 10,000 or 15,000 dong. She especially loves the broth with its sweet dried shrimp and the rich, flavorful crab paste prepared by the owner – absolutely delicious!

Hearing what Ms. Dung said, we ordered immediately. It was delicious! The chewy rice noodles, served with crab broth, tomatoes, dried shrimp, tofu, and fresh vegetables, plus the piping hot, rich broth, were truly a delightful culinary experience. Considering the price and flavor, I'd give it an 8.5/10; it will definitely be one of my favorite places in the near future.

With a full stomach, I asked the owner, "Your cooking is so delicious, do you have any special secrets?" Hearing this, Ms. Xi chuckled and said, "There are no secrets, my dear! I cook just like everyone else. Back then, I taught myself, learning on the job, and that's how I developed the complete recipe I have now. Nowadays, I don't even need to add any seasoning; it's still delicious to my customers' taste. I'm just used to it."

Finished early

It was called an eatery, but in reality, it was just a small stall with a few plastic tables and chairs for customers to sit on. Suddenly, it started raining, and I thought to myself, "She probably won't sell out quickly today!" But I was wrong!

Each bowl of vermicelli costs 25,000 dong, but the owner sells it for 10,000 dong or 15,000 dong.

Despite the pouring rain, customers still flocked in, and by midnight, the owner's pot of broth was almost empty. So, the owner had a busy day, selling out in just one hour. Many latecomers had to leave disappointed.

Ms. Xi has run this eatery for almost 30 years to earn extra income to support her two children and cover family expenses. She smiled brightly, saying she doesn't know why she chose to sell this dish, perhaps it was fate.

"I only cook just enough and sell for a few hours at lunchtime because my health is limited. I only sell enough to eat and live on, I don't expect anything more. Usually, I take Saturdays, Sundays, and vegetarian days off, but I sell as usual during the week. I don't offer delivery and I don't use a phone, so if customers want to eat, they can only come in person," the owner noted.

The broth looks delicious.

The broth is rich and flavorful.

Ms. Xi's two children are now grown up. Every day, she starts working diligently at 4 a.m., meticulously preparing everything to be ready for opening. But she doesn't find it tiring; on the contrary, she is extremely happy to be selling to the customers who have supported her over the years.

Ms. Xi said she would sell until she no longer had the strength. As long as she sells with sincerity and passion, the owner is confident that customers will flock to her every day…

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/quan-bun-rieu-10000-dong-cung-ban-1-tieng-het-sach-khach-muon-an-phai-dung-gio-185230926132951335.htm