Hanoi vermicelli and tofu restaurant attracts foreign customers who love... shrimp paste

The owner opened the shop because… he was craving it.

Bun dau mam tom is one of the must-try dishes for many tourists when coming to Hanoi . After living in Hanoi for more than 4 years, I have noticed that many delicious bun dau restaurants are often located in small alleys. The tables and chairs are simple, the restaurant space is small, and even customers sit on the sidewalk, but everyone considers it normal. Some people say... that's the right way to eat.

I moved to Ho Chi Minh City to live for over a year now. Once when I went to an old apartment building on Pasteur Street (District 1), I saw many restaurants in this alley. The first thing that caught my eye was a vermicelli and tofu restaurant called Small Alley, Small Street.

Mr. Duy Anh opened a vermicelli and fried tofu restaurant because... he craved it.

I was greeted by Mr. Trinh Duy Anh (35 years old, owner, from Hanoi). "This is one of the first vermicelli and fried tofu restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City. My restaurant specializes in Northern dishes in Hanoi, so I wanted to find a unique name. In Hanoi, delicious restaurants are often located in small alleys, so I named the restaurant for that reason," said Mr. Duy Anh.

A portion of vermicelli with fried tofu at the restaurant in the small alley, small street

Furthermore, he shared that "the small alley, the small street where my house is..." is a line from the famous song Hanoi and I and when he opened the shop, that line kept appearing in his head so he thought of this shop name.

Beans are fried golden

Anh Duy Anh started studying at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music in 2009. He wanted to change his environment so he came to Ho Chi Minh City to both study and work. Because he really craved vermicelli with fermented shrimp paste but at that time he couldn't find any restaurant with the right Northern flavor, he decided to open a restaurant, selling and eating at the same time. In addition to his business, he is a vocal music lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City College of Culture, Arts and Tourism .

Boiled bamboo shoots served with

"In Hanoi, my house is on Hang Be Street, right next to Phat Loc Alley (Hoan Kiem District) with a famous vermicelli and fried tofu restaurant. Every day I "pay a deposit" there, eating vermicelli and fried tofu forever without getting bored. I came here because I craved it so much that I opened it. I love cooking, and so does my mother. She is a housewife, and both of us put our heart and soul into the restaurant," he confided.

Foreign visitors do not mind eating shrimp paste

"I see that Saigon people are very generous, love to experience, and happily accept new dishes, so when I opened the restaurant, I was very confident. After more than ten years, many people from other places wanted to buy the brand, but I did not agree. Now my mother still has to cook, so how can I feel secure in passing on the recipe to others?" he said.

Shop open from 10am - 9pm

I have eaten vermicelli with shrimp paste many times, but this is the first time I have seen a restaurant with boiled bamboo shoots. A portion of vermicelli with shrimp paste at the restaurant includes vermicelli, tofu, pork leg, green rice sausage, cucumber, boiled bamboo shoots, vegetables, etc. I was impressed with the fragrant, not sweet bowl of shrimp paste. The fried tofu is golden, crispy on the outside and soft and fragrant on the inside.

"The restaurant still maintains the original way of serving vermicelli with tofu, served with boiled bamboo shoots and lemon tea. When my parents ate vermicelli with tofu from street vendors, they sold boiled bamboo shoots on the street. I often eat at the restaurant, eating with customers all the time," he confided.

Being attached to the Bun Dau restaurant is a wonderful experience. He is happy because he always receives support from customers and considers it a motivation to continue to stick with it and open more branches.

"There are regular customers who have been eating there since the restaurant first opened until they got married and brought their wives and children to the restaurant. There is a Vietnamese American who did not return to the country for several years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As soon as the pandemic ended, he returned to Vietnam, came to the restaurant, hugged my mother and me because he missed the owner and the food. There was a Dutch couple who also ate shrimp paste. Before, they thought shrimp paste was hard to eat, but when they tried it and found it delicious, they even wanted to buy some to take home to eat again," he shared.

Mrs. Dung is a regular customer of the restaurant.

At 6 p.m., Mrs. Dung (in District 1) stopped by the shop and asked Duy Anh: "Where is your mother?". Duy Anh replied that his mother was tired and had gone home to rest, and said that this was a regular customer of the shop.

Anh Duy Anh and his mother put their heart and soul into the restaurant.

"I often bring guests and employees here to eat. The vermicelli with fried tofu here tastes like the ones in the North, the tofu is crispy and delicious, the vermicelli is fresh. I've been here since 2010, tried it a few times and found it delicious so I eat here continuously. At noon, I often have to make a reservation because there are no tables and it's crowded," Ms. Dung commented.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/mon-ngon-q1-tphcm-quan-bun-dau-ha-noi-niu-chan-khach-nuoc-ngoai-me-mam-tom-185230329125134284.htm