From working as a domestic helper in Ho Chi Minh City, she's now her own boss.

It's none other than Sinh Ky Chicken Curry restaurant, owned by Mr. Tran Quoc Uy (54 years old) and his wife, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thuy (46 years old), a place that few residents of Cho Lon area are unfamiliar with.

Having started helping out at the age of 10, she is now following in her parents' footsteps.

In the afternoon, it was drizzling in Ho Chi Minh City, and the weather was cool and pleasant. Nothing beats enjoying a steaming bowl of curry in this kind of weather, so I sped from District 8 to my usual eatery on Trieu Quang Phuc Street (District 5). At that moment, Mr. Uy and his wife had just set up their stall, and the fragrant aroma of curry filled my nostrils, making my stomach rumble.

Mr. Uy is meticulous with every meal he prepares for his guests.

The chicken is marinated with spices until well-seasoned.

The restaurant is small, with only a few tables and chairs. As usual, I sit down and order my favorite chicken curry (with thigh meat) accompanied by a bowl of blood pudding, the restaurant's "best seller." At this time, it's not too crowded, so I leisurely enjoy my favorite dish while gazing out at the bustling street filled with people and vehicles.

The food here is delicious, but the story behind it also intrigues many long-time customers, who have passed it on by word of mouth year after year. Mr. Uy confirmed that the first person to open this restaurant was his father, Mr. Tran Tieu Sanh.

Mr. Sanh is from Guangdong, came to Saigon long before 1975 and worked for a Chinese-language newspaper in Saigon, also on this street where the food stalls are located.

Chicken curry is cooked entirely over a charcoal fire.

With seven children, Mr. Sanh's journalist salary and his wife's tailoring job weren't enough to make ends meet, so the couple thought of additional ways to support their family. That's when he decided to open Sinh Ky restaurant, selling chicken curry, even though it wasn't a traditional Chinese dish.

Initially, the restaurant relied on the support of acquaintances, but later, due to its delicious flavor, it became famous in the area, attracting a steady stream of customers. "My father said he chose Indian curry because at that time, curry was still a relatively new dish in Saigon. The restaurant's success is partly due to its delicious food, and partly because it's located near many schools and has high foot traffic," the youngest son commented.

Before 1975, Mr. Sanh's restaurant sold duck curry. Later, he switched to chicken curry and it became very popular with customers.

When he first opened the restaurant, curry powder was very scarce, so Mr. Sanh had to use turmeric powder. Gradually, buying Indian curry powder became easier as the dish became popular and an indispensable part of the local cuisine .

Recalling those times, he said that at the age of 10, he and his siblings helped their parents sell chicken curry. Back then, their curry stall was just a street vendor's cart, but it was always packed with customers. It was only in the last fifteen years or so that his family started renting a storefront and establishing a stable business there.

The owner of the shop is special.

In this way, this curry shop has supported Mr. Uy's family for nearly half a century. Nine years ago, Mr. Sanh passed away at over 90 years old. Two years ago, his wife also died at the age of 90 from Covid-19. The passing of their parents is an irreplaceable loss for Mr. Uy's siblings.

Ms. Thuy has been selling curry for 20 years, ever since she became a daughter-in-law in Vietnam.

Mr. Uy inherited the curry recipe from his father.

After their mother passed away, his siblings dispersed, each pursuing different careers instead of staying together to run the business as they had done before. He, along with his fourth sister, Tran Tu Thanh (57 years old), continued to inherit the restaurant that their parents had been passionate about their whole lives.

In the shop, there was also a very special owner, Mr. Uy's wife. As a valued customer, she told me her life story, about how 25 years ago she came from her hometown in Tien Giang to Ho Chi Minh City to work as a domestic helper, as she herself put it simply.

[CLIP]: The owners of Sinh Ky chicken curry restaurant warmly prepare dishes for customers.

It was also here that she and Mr. Uy had the opportunity to meet, fall in love, and officially get married in 2003. In their 20 years of marriage, she gave birth to three children: two sons and one daughter.

From a girl from the Mekong Delta who came to Ho Chi Minh City to work as a domestic helper, Thuy has now dedicated her life to her husband's family's restaurant.

Ms. Thanh is the fourth child in Mr. Sanh's happy family, inheriting their parents' restaurant along with her younger brother.

Since marrying into the family, she has helped her husband's family sell curry and was determined to learn her parents' cooking techniques. Because of her diligence, hard work, and eagerness to learn, she earned the love of her husband's family, and for the past two years, she has been the owner of this long-standing restaurant, inheriting and developing her parents' legacy alongside her husband and sister-in-law.

"I wouldn't say I'm rich because I only sell enough to eat and live comfortably. But I feel happy and peaceful selling this with my family. I've been doing it for 20 years now, and I'm used to it. I wouldn't know what to do if I stopped. What's special here is that we cook using a charcoal stove, so the pots get very dirty, but I clean them every day until they shine like new, and I've been doing that ever since," the owner said with a witty smile.

Each serving of curry here costs between 70,000 and 80,000 VND.

Next to him, Mr. Uy added, saying that he and his wife were extremely grateful to this restaurant for raising his parents, his siblings, and now his children. He was proud that his children were studying at university.

"My second child, who is only in 9th grade, has dropped out. I hope that if he has the opportunity, he will inherit our family restaurant. I don't force him; it's his choice that matters. Normally, when the kids have free time, they come to help their parents and aunt," the father said about the next generation of the family.

The appeal comes from the "exceptional" blood pudding dish.

Mr. Sanh's youngest son said that initially, the restaurant only sold curry noodles and didn't offer bread. When customers asked for bread and had to go buy it multiple times, the restaurant decided to add bread to the dish. Thus, they now offer chicken curry and chicken curry sandwiches.

According to Mr. Uy, before 1975, the restaurant sold each bowl for 3-4 dong, but now each serving here costs between 70,000 and 80,000 dong, depending on whether the customer wants curry noodles or curry bread.

Curry noodles are a favorite dish among many customers.

The blood pudding is a favorite among many customers.

"I've preserved my father's recipe from the old days, and it hasn't changed over the years. Customers still love it. What they like most about the restaurant is the blood pudding served with curry; some people come and buy 5 or 6 portions to take home," the owner proudly said.

To be honest, this curry restaurant suits my personal taste perfectly. The chicken is tender and marinated well. The curry aroma isn't overpowering, just subtle, so it's not unpleasant. The curry sauce, made by the owner using his own recipe, is truly rich and flavorful, with a sweet aftertaste that suits Southerners like me. Although I'm not a fan of blood pudding, the chewy and tender blood pudding here is worth trying. Personally, I'd give it a 9/10.

Ms. Vân likes the curry at this restaurant.

Ms. Van (51 years old, residing in District 5) stopped by Mr. and Mrs. Uy's restaurant this afternoon on her way home from work with her husband and pet dog to buy a portion of curry. She said she is a regular customer, so much so that she can't remember when she started eating there, only that she loves the flavor of their chicken curry and often comes back to buy it.

"The blood pudding here is incredibly delicious, there's nothing to complain about. Of course, food is a matter of personal taste, but this place suits my palate best. This restaurant is very famous; everyone around here knows it," she said, then bid farewell to the owner.

And so, every day from 5 PM to 11 PM, Mr. Uy's family diligently works by the charcoal stove, preparing curry dishes imbued with the passion of generations of his family, serving them to many diners in the Cholon area…

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