Strange 'free-range' chicken rice in Ho Chi Minh City: The owner is a vegetarian and doesn't taste the food she cooks.

Ho Chi Minh City has a unique chicken rice restaurant called "hanging on a rope," which recently went viral on social media. The owner doesn't eat the food she cooks, and the special reason behind it isn't widely known.

Located in Khanh Hoi ward, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly District 4), Mrs. Nga's (64 years old) casual crispy chicken rice restaurant has been a favorite of many diners for over a decade. Recently, the restaurant has become famous on social media for its unique way of selling chicken rice served "on a string."

Why does the shop sell rope swings?

Around lunchtime, Mrs. Nga's rice restaurant is bustling with customers. Her family members, along with her children and grandchildren, are busy preparing steaming hot meals for diners, ensuring no one has to wait long.

Ms. Nga's "rope-dropped" chicken rice restaurant is going viral on social media for its unique way of delivering food to customers.

PHOTO: CAO AN BIEN

Most customers here buy takeout. It seems everyone is quite used to the scene of dropping off their order on a rope when they visit the shop. After warmly greeting the customers, Mrs. Nga calls up from downstairs to her grandson on the first floor to tell him what needs to be prepared.

A little later, the steaming hot chicken rice was placed in a bag and lowered down a string. The owner hurried to receive the rice and deliver it to the customers. And so it went, with one customer after another coming to buy, and the delivery drivers coming to pick up the orders and deliver them.

Before this unique selling method, Ms. Nga's eatery was just like any other restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City. "However, for more than a year now, due to space issues, my restaurant moved to my house to make preparing the dishes more convenient, and then I lower the food down to the customers using a rope."

Many people also like this approach. Because the food is prepared at home, customers can't see it, but the kitchen is always clean and tidy. Throughout the cooking process, I always prioritize hygiene," the owner proudly introduced, leading me into her kitchen for a tour.

Due to space issues, the shop sells rope-hanging food.

PHOTO: CAO AN BIEN

The landlady is a lifelong vegetarian and warmly welcomes guests.

PHOTO: CAO AN BIEN

Since switching to selling goods using the traditional method of hanging them on a string, the owner confided that business hasn't changed much. Customers still regularly visit and support the shop, just as they have for years. The shop is located opposite a school and next to an apartment building, so many of the customers are students and young people.

Ms. Nga has been selling herbal drinks in this area for nearly 30 years. However, she stopped selling them after her mother passed away. A few years later, in 2014, she decided to open this rice restaurant, which she has been running ever since.

Supporting my grandchild through university.

Not everyone knows that the owner of this vegetarian restaurant has been eating vegetarian food for decades. That's why she says she doesn't eat the food she cooks. However, with her years of experience running the restaurant, she has memorized how to cook chicken rice perfectly without needing to add any extra seasoning.

This very eatery, with the support of its customers, has sustained Mrs. Nga's family for many years, helping her raise her orphaned grandchild through university. For the owner, the restaurant is not just a means of livelihood but also a labor of love and a cherished memory with her family and loyal customers who have supported her for years.

The dish attracts many young people to come and buy it.

PHOTO: CAO AN BIEN

The shop was opened by the sisters in Mrs. Nga's family.

PHOTO: CAO AN BIEN

Each meal at this affordable restaurant costs between 20,000 and 30,000 VND, depending on the customer's needs. Among the dishes, the most popular is the crispy chicken rice, which has become the signature dish of Mrs. Nga's restaurant.

The restaurant is open from 9 AM to 9 PM every day. Nhut Hao (26 years old), a regular customer of the restaurant for nearly two years, says he's "addicted" to the crispy chicken rice. Occasionally, he also orders char siu chicken rice for a change of pace.

"My house is nearby, so I often come here to buy. I found out about this place online a while ago, and since it was close to home, I decided to try it. I liked the taste, and I've been a regular customer ever since. For the past few months, the shop has been selling the food on strings, which seems a bit unusual. I've recently seen some shops in Ho Chi Minh City adopting this style," the customer said with a smile.

Many people are regulars at the shop, already familiar with the way the food is sold by hanging it on a rope.

PHOTO: CAO AN BIEN

At her age, Mrs. Nga's happiness lies in spending each day with her family at the eatery, diligently serving heartfelt chicken rice to customers. She says she will continue this traditional method of selling from a rope until it is no longer suitable...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ky-la-com-ga-tha-day-o-tphcm-ba-chu-an-chay-truong-khong-nem-mon-minh-nau-185250912163705496.htm