Northern sticky rice restaurant retains traditional flavor, arousing curiosity in strangers

Sticky rice and ham go by train and plane

Living and working in Ho Chi Minh City for more than a year, I found that sticky rice in the South is quite different from that in the North. Sticky rice in the South is usually soft, moist, and a little sweet, while sticky rice in Hanoi is dry and chewy, often eaten with braised pork, braised eggs, and fatty pate... Once, passing by Tran Trong Cung Street (District 7), I happened to see a sign for a Northern sticky rice shop. It had been a long time since I had eaten this dish, so I stopped by, ordered a portion of sticky rice and chatted with the shop owner.

Sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves

The owner of this sticky rice shop is Ms. Nguyen Thuy Duong (33 years old, from Hanoi). The shop is quite spacious, with simple tables and chairs. In front of the entrance, baskets of sticky rice are lined up side by side. Next to it, pots of braised meat, braised eggs, fried sausage, pork floss, fried onions... smell delicious and look very appetizing. The shop sells sticky rice with mung bean paste, sticky rice with corn, and white sticky rice.

Ms. Duong said that her parents have lived in Ho Chi Minh City for 20 years and she only moved here 6 years ago. Since 2020, she has opened sticky rice carts for take-away and online sales. The mobile sticky rice carts are located all over the streets of District 7. When the Covid-19 epidemic is under control, she opened this sticky rice shop in the hope that many diners will know about it.

According to the owner, her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother all used to sell sticky rice. In the North, women often buy baskets of sticky rice to sell on the streets, in front of schools. She also learned how to do business from her family's predecessors, starting her business with a pushcart to get acquainted with the market and understand the tastes of local diners.

Braised eggs served with sticky rice

"Before opening this sticky rice shop, I worked as an accountant and had my own coffee shop, but now I focus on selling sticky rice. I want to build a brand and make a strong family business. In my opinion, few people sell this dish in Saigon, so I want to keep my family's business," she shared.

According to Ms. Duong, there are ingredients that she has to buy from outside Hanoi such as sticky rice and ham. She still uses baskets to hold sticky rice to keep it hot, dry and sticky. In addition, she also chooses lotus leaves to wrap sticky rice. Hot sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves has a very fragrant flavor and this is also a way to contribute to protecting the environment, so it is supported by many diners.

"Take" a plane from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

"Customers choose their own sticky rice and side dishes such as pate, pork floss, braised pork, braised eggs, ham, sausage... The type of sticky rice I use to cook sticky rice is imported from the North. Sticky rice travels by train while ham travels by plane. Of course the cost will be higher, but my family has a stable source of goods and takes less profit to ensure the quality and flavor of the sticky rice," Ms. Duong shared.

Braised meat is a popular choice among customers.

Come back many times because of the taste

I tried a portion of sticky rice with pork floss, fried onions and sausage. The sticky rice grains, soft mung beans and fragrant fried onions. With the first bite, I felt the familiar taste of the Northern sticky rice that I often ate since I was a student.

Ms. Duong said that 50% of the customers are from the North and there are also foreign customers. Each portion of sticky rice costs 15,000 VND, and customers who want to eat side dishes will order more and pay separately.

Braised eggs at the Northern sticky rice shop

"There are customers from the North who come to eat and excitedly say that it's been a long time since they ate sticky rice in the countryside, and there are also customers who come to eat out of curiosity. They find the taste to be suitable so they come back to support. The support of customers gives me more motivation. My parents are also very supportive when they see their daughter continue to maintain the family's traditional profession," she said.

Sister Duong's homemade fried onions

Ms. Kieu Oanh (35 years old, living in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) came to the Bac sticky rice shop to buy corn sticky rice to eat with braised pork. She said that she is a regular customer of the shop because the food is delicious so she comes back many times.

"Every time I pass this street, I stop by to buy sticky rice. Because I'm busy with work, I need to eat quickly. The sticky rice here is wrapped in lotus leaves so it's delicious," she said.

Lotus leaves are used to wrap sticky rice.

"I have lived in Ho Chi Minh City since I was a child but I really like eating Northern sticky rice. There is this restaurant near my house, every time I crave sticky rice I come here to buy it for convenience. The sticky rice is very delicious, the restaurant opens from morning to night so I can buy it whenever I want," Ms. Ngoc (46 years old, in District 7) shared.

Customers visiting the restaurant

Ms. Duong used to be an accountant and now she has switched to selling sticky rice to preserve her traditional profession.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/mon-ngon-q7-quan-xoi-bac-giu-huong-vi-gia-truyen-gay-to-mo-cho-khach-la-185230323221611933.htm