Vegetarian restaurant nearly half a century old in Ho Chi Minh City: Will the third generation keep the old flavor?

In alley 702 Hong Bang, District 11, known as the "vegetarian food alley" in Ho Chi Minh City with nearly half a century of experience, Thien Y is considered the most famous vegetarian restaurant.

First vegetarian restaurant

The reason why this vegetarian restaurant is recommended by many diners in Ho Chi Minh City is partly because it is the first restaurant to open in this "vegetarian food alley", and partly because the food is delicious and suits many people's tastes.

Quán chay Thiên Ý gần nửa thế kỷ ở TP . HCM và hành trình giữ gìn hương vị xưa - Ảnh 1. — Mrs. Hanh's family's vegetarian restaurant is known as the oldest in the "vegetarian food alley" of Ho Chi Minh City.

But perhaps, no regular customers still remember the name of the restaurant, because for a long time, people still call it Aunt Nam's restaurant, the affectionate name of the owner. Aunt Nam, the first person to open this vegetarian restaurant, is also the grandmother of Ms. Hanh (49 years old).

I have heard about this restaurant for a long time, but today I finally had the chance to visit it on a normal day, not a vegetarian day. It took me a while to find this restaurant in the alley, because the sign in front was so faded that I could no longer read the words on it.

The restaurant, which is also the home of Mrs. Hanh's family, radiates light, creating a warm atmosphere. Many regular customers regularly visit the restaurant as if they are very familiar with this place.

Looking up at the sign with nostalgic handwritten words, with the simple content of the restaurant's name - "Thien Y Vegetarian Restaurant" and a menu of nearly ten dishes with prices ranging from 25,000 - 35,000 VND, Ms. Hanh sighed, saying that her father, Mr. Tran Minh Duc, passed away a few months ago at the age of 75.

Quán chay Thiên Ý gần nửa thế kỷ ở TP . HCM và hành trình giữ gìn hương vị xưa - Ảnh 2. — The small signboard in front of the shop is full of nostalgia.

Before, Mr. Duc was the main seller, and she and her siblings all had their own jobs and only helped their father when they had free time. But since his sudden death, the sisters in the family, although they were not mentally prepared to take over the restaurant, decided to put aside their work and wholeheartedly inherit their father's restaurant. That was also a way for Ms. Hanh and her siblings to remember the memories of their late father.

"However, I am still wondering whether my sisters and I will be able to inherit the restaurant," she mused.

So, this restaurant, which has been around for nearly half a century, has been passed down to the third generation, from her grandfather, father, and then to Mrs. Hanh. Having helped her family run the restaurant since she was young, she said that she has memorized the recipe, and the taste is no different from when she or her father cooked.

Dear Aunt Nam's shop!

The reason why Mrs. Hanh and her siblings are so attached to their family restaurant is because so many of their memories are wrapped up here. Witnessing alley 702 from its heyday, when vegetarian restaurants were next to each other, to now gradually thinning out, she feels happy that the restaurant is still supported by customers for many years.

Living in District 11, a customer said she and her husband stopped by to eat here "recently". "In the past, my father bought vegetarian food for me here, and now that I have a family, I come here to eat again. I still like the restaurant's stir-fried noodles the most", the customer said.

Quán chay Thiên Ý gần nửa thế kỷ ở TP . HCM và hành trình giữ gìn hương vị xưa - Ảnh 3. — Her father passed away suddenly, so Ms. Hanh's sisters inherited the restaurant together, even though everything was beyond plan.

Quán chay Thiên Ý gần nửa thế kỷ ở TP . HCM và hành trình giữ gìn hương vị xưa - Ảnh 4. — Simple vegetarian dish, but has been loved by many diners for decades

Selling a variety of dishes, hu tieu, noodles, beef stew, rice vermicelli, vermicelli with crab, stir-fried noodles, stir-fried hu tieu... Mrs. Hanh's family restaurant sells at affordable prices. She said that the secret lies in the flavor, the way of seasoning is somewhat rich. That is the reason why on vegetarian days, the restaurant is crowded with customers.

Ms. Chi, the owner of a vegetarian restaurant nearby, also said that Ms. Hanh's family restaurant is the oldest restaurant here, although hers has been open for nearly 40 years. Having been in the vegetarian food business together for decades, everyone is always happy, friendly, and helpful to each other.

Every day, the restaurant opens from 6am to nearly 10pm. Every day, she and her siblings wake up early to cook vegetarian dishes with flavors passed down from their grandmother to the customers who have supported them for many years.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/quan-chay-gan-nua-the-ky-o-tphcm-the-he-thu-ba-co-giu-huong-vi-xua-18525041820494778.htm