HCMC: 50-year-old porridge shop opens all night in a small alley

Hidden in an alley on Tran Khac Chan Street, the nearly 50-year-old traditional porridge shop attracts customers with its unique porridge recipe and dozens of side dishes.

A night food corner in the heart of Saigon

When the city lights up, amidst the bustling life of Ho Chi Minh City, the night food stalls in the small alleys have their own charm. Located deep in an alley on Tran Khac Chan Street (Tan Dinh Ward), a porridge shop without a sign has become a familiar destination for many generations of diners for nearly 50 years. The shop is just a small space in front of the porch with a few plastic tables and chairs, but always exudes a warm aroma from a large pot of steaming porridge.

Diners experience a night porridge shop in an alley on Tran Khac Chan Street. Photo: Ha Nguyen

Family flavor for nearly half a century

This porridge shop is a family culinary legacy, started before 1975 by the mother-in-law of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hao (72 years old). Mrs. Hao, after getting married, was passed down the entire family porridge recipe by her mother-in-law, a native of the North. She recounted the early days of selling porridge on the streets, her shoulders worn out from the burden of making a living.

In 1979, she moved to a permanent shop in an alley near her house. Since then, the small porridge shop has become a part of the memories of many Saigon residents. Currently, due to her advanced age, Ms. Hao has handed over the job of selling all night to her son, who is almost as old as the shop.

The porridge shop was inherited by Ms. Hao from her mother-in-law. Photo: Ha Nguyen

The secret from ground rice grains

What makes the restaurant different is the way the porridge is prepared. Instead of cooking from whole grains of rice, Ms. Hao chooses good rice, washes it with salt water, dries it naturally, and then grinds it into fine powder. The rice powder is then cooked with rib and bone broth to create a natural sweetness. The cooking process requires constant stirring and careful monitoring of the heat so that the porridge has the perfect smooth consistency, without clumping or burning.

Before cooking porridge, Ms. Hao washes the rice, drains it, and grinds it into flour. Photo: Ha Nguyen

Side dishes are also carefully prepared. Fresh ingredients are carefully selected and processed every day to completely remove the fishy smell, ensuring hygiene and quality, keeping customers coming back for decades.

The finished porridge is smooth, not too runny and not too thick. Photo: Ha Nguyen

Diverse menu and unforgettable experience

Diners can choose from dozens of attractive side dishes such as ribs, pork skin, intestines, tongue, throat, heart, liver, quail eggs, egg yolks or century eggs. Each bowl of hot porridge, combined with a variety of toppings, brings a rich, unforgettable flavor.

Depending on their needs, diners can choose to eat porridge with dozens of side dishes. Photo: Ha Nguyen

The shop is open all night, welcoming all kinds of customers, from locals, late-night partygoers to famous artists. Stories about special guests, who used to eat on credit and then come back to thank them after success, have become a warm part of the history of this porridge shop.

Currently, the porridge shop is run by Ms. Hao's son. Photo: Ha Nguyen

Useful information for diners

To have a complete night dining experience at this special porridge shop, you can refer to the following information:

• Address: Alley on Tran Khac Chan Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, HCMC.
• Opening hours: 14:00 the previous day to 10:00 the following morning.
• Reference price: From 45,000 to 100,000 VND per bowl, depending on the side dishes you choose.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/tphcm-quan-chao-50-nam-ban-xuyen-dem-trong-hem-nho-398305.html