Stay awake with the flavors of Long Xuyen night.

As night falls, many streets in Long Xuyen ward become bustling with affordable eateries. From broken rice dishes and sticky rice to familiar late-night snacks, each flavor contributes to the unique character of the nighttime culinary scene here.

Long Xuyen broken rice is delicious. Photo: Phuong Lan

Nestled in the heart of Long Xuyen ward, Le Minh Nguon street appears quiet and sparsely populated during the day, with only a few street vendors and hurried passersby. However, when the streetlights are simultaneously switched on, this short street, only a few hundred meters long, becomes as bustling as any busy corner. The air thick with the aroma of cooking smoke, the sizzling of hot pans, and the lively chatter of laughter transforms it into a hub of affordable street food , inviting food lovers to indulge.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Linh (33 years old), who was born, raised, and has lived in Long Xuyen for over 30 years, said while ordering a box of rice noodles with coconut milk: "Every evening, whether I want a light snack or something really delicious to fill my stomach, Le Minh Nguon Street always comes to mind because of the wide variety of food displayed before me."

Watching the plumes of smoke rising from the food cart, memories of her childhood flooded back to Phuong Linh. She vividly remembered the feeling of her tiny hands being held tightly by her parents as they led her through the bustling crowds on this street. She remembered everything from the sweet, delicate taste of the pork bone noodle soup to the piping hot fried rice cakes. Eating one dish after another in the loving embrace of her parents was a beautiful, warm memory she would always carry with her throughout her journey of growing up.

This street evokes such profound memories because of the astonishing diversity of its cuisine, a never-ending symphony of flavors ranging from savory dishes to local specialties. For a satisfying late-night meal, diners can find plenty of options, from fragrant stir-fried noodles and clear broth to rich crab noodle soup, tender pork knuckle rice noodle soup, or the subtly aromatic pandan leaf porridge served with braised fish and fried shrimp – all incredibly appealing to a wide range of customers.

If you're still not full after trying the above dishes, the snacks and traditional cakes along this street are the next great option. It's hard to resist the allure of the golden, subtly sweet palm sugar rice cakes, the chewy and soft steamed rice cakes, and the vibrant purple sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves, or the nutty mung bean sticky rice. After indulging in these treats, a glass of sweet sugarcane juice or a refreshing herbal drink from a cart is the perfect ending to a nighttime culinary stroll in Long Xuyen.

An indispensable culinary icon when mentioning this land: Long Xuyen broken rice. Unlike the thick, wide-cut pork rib broken rice found elsewhere, the broken rice here has a very unique character, refined and skillfully crafted with small, fluffy, and finely milled rice grains. The grilled pork and braised egg are both thinly sliced, soaked in a harmonious sweet and savory seasoning, accompanied by fragrant pork skin and vibrant green scallion oil. Adding a little rich sweet and sour fish sauce and mixing it all together, the plate of broken rice encapsulates all the essence of the region, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who tries it.

In the quiet of the night in Long Xuyen, Mrs. Truong Thi Hoang's "ghost" broken rice stall (or "ghost" broken rice) has long been a warm meeting place for poor laborers. Called a stall, it's actually just a small pushcart on a street corner near Thoai Ngoc Hau High School, opening at a very unusual time: from 2 to 6 a.m. The strange name "ghost" came naturally from its midnight opening hours and its rustic dining space.

The restaurant's appeal lies in the delicious flavor of freshly cooked broken rice combined with tender, evenly seasoned braised pork, duck eggs, and rich, savory scallion oil. In these times of rising prices, a quality, filling plate of rice here costs only 15,000 VND. It is this affordability, delicious taste, and unique rustic charm that has transformed this small corner into a long-standing brand, warming the hungry stomachs of many poor laborers who work hard from dawn till dusk to make a living.

Each dish is like a book carrying its own story, and the only way to fully understand the "plot" is to taste and experience it firsthand. And Long Xuyen cuisine is always waiting for food lovers to come and explore and savor it.

PHUONG LAN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/thuc-cung-huong-vi-dem-long-xuyen-a486898.html