Every day we sell… 'one cow'.

For many years, the pho restaurant owned by the family of Ms. Do Thi Lien (62 years old), located on Nguyen Oanh Street (Go Vap District), has evoked fond memories for many loyal customers.

For a decade… “without closing down”

This morning, Ho Chi Minh City was cool after the heavy rain the night before. What could be better than waking up early and enjoying a steaming bowl of pho in this kind of weather? I'd heard about Mrs. Lien's pho restaurant for a long time, especially the rumor that they sell 2-3 whole cows a day, but only now had the chance to visit.

The special bowl of pho at Mrs. Lien's restaurant is overflowing.

In the spacious, family-run restaurant with dozens of tables, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of food displayed at the counter. There were huge basins filled with beef bones placed at the front of the restaurant, a massive pot of broth, and piles of beef tails, brisket, tripe, meatballs, tendons, and ribs... all laid out in trays.

Seeing me, the owner greeted me warmly. Taking the opportunity, I asked about the famous reputation of this restaurant. "Is it true that your restaurant sells 2 or 3 cows a day, as people say?" I asked. Hearing my question, the owner smiled and said:

Before the pandemic, the restaurant was very busy. After the pandemic, the number of customers increased even more because Go Vap district has a large population. On some record days, my restaurant sold the equivalent of the bones and meat of 2-3 cows. But now, with the difficult economic situation , at peak times, we only sell about one cow a day!

Ms. Lien, the owner of the restaurant.

Pho here costs between 45,000 and 70,000 VND.

After hearing what the owner said, I was somewhat surprised. But looking at the steady stream of customers, the amount of food on display, and the restaurant's operating hours, I believed what she said was true.

Many regulars jokingly call this eatery "the one that hasn't closed for a decade," and there's a reason for that. According to Mrs. Lien, for over a decade, her family has decided to sell continuously without closing at any time of day. No matter what time customers come to eat pho, the restaurant is open to serve their needs. Before that, like most other eateries, she only sold from morning until midnight.

[CLIP]: Pho restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City open 24/7.

However, to achieve such sales, she and her family and staff have to take turns working in shifts to ensure they can maintain their health and continue selling in the long term. By now, everyone has gotten used to it.

This recipe has been passed down from my grandmother.

Here, each bowl of pho costs between 45,000 and 70,000 VND, depending on the customer's needs. The owner affirms that whatever customers want to eat, she and her staff will do their best to accommodate them.

Feeling hungry, I ordered a special bowl of pho for 70,000 VND with all the toppings. Besides the fresh, delicious beef, what I liked most was the cloudy yet rich broth. I'm sure the owner used bone broth simmered for many hours to achieve this flavor. Personally, I'd give the overall flavor of the pho at this restaurant an 8/10.

The owner said the restaurant sells about one cow a day.

The beef bones were placed on the counter.

Agreeing with me, Mr. Hoa (37 years old, residing in Go Vap District), a regular customer of the restaurant, also said that the broth of this pho restaurant is a big plus. Because his house is nearby, he and his wife usually come here to eat 2-3 times a week, and they've been eating here for 3 years now, since moving to this area. Besides the spacious and airy atmosphere and the clean way the pho is prepared, he also likes the enthusiasm and friendliness of the staff and the owner.

The broth and the harmonious blend of ingredients are the owner's pride. But for her, the most important thing in making a delicious bowl of pho is the "heart" that the seller puts into it.

If you cook without heart, then no matter how delicious the recipe is, it's all for nothing. For me, the relationship between the owner and the diners here isn't just about the bowl of pho; it's about the feelings people have for each other. That's what has kept this restaurant connected with so many customers for decades.

Ms. Lien, the owner of the restaurant.

The owner inherited the pho recipe from her grandmother and mother.

Speaking to us, Ms. Lien said that her maternal grandmother moved from the North to Saigon in 1932 to live and work. Later, her grandmother opened a pho restaurant, cooking according to the family's traditional recipe. Then, her grandmother passed away at the age of 70, leaving the pho restaurant and the recipe to her mother.

"There was a time when my family owned over a dozen restaurants in Saigon. But because we couldn't manage them all, we reduced the number to just two. More than 30 years ago, following my family's advice, I moved here from Hai Phong to do business, inheriting my mother's restaurant. Initially, I didn't like this profession, but I started to like it, and then fell in love with it without even realizing it," the owner said.

Now, the eatery has become a source of pride for Ms. Lien. She is happy to work with her sister every day to maintain the pho restaurant that belonged to her grandmother and mother, as well as to welcome her customers.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/quan-pho-3-doi-o-tphcm-ban-suot-24-24-moi-ngay-ban-1-con-bo-185230718134811638.htm