Prime location, fully booked every night.

VietNamNet•25/08/2023

The reason this snail restaurant is called by a name that "sends shivers" is because it's located right within the grounds of the tomb of scholar Truong Vinh Ky - Petrus Ky (1837-1898), the editor-in-chief of the first Vietnamese-language newspaper in Vietnam - Gia Dinh newspaper. Besides the old house where scholar Truong Vinh Ky lived in his final years and his tomb, there is also a small family cemetery belonging to the Truong family.

The tomb of scholar Truong Vinh Ky (Photo: SaiGon Palette)

The owner of the "ancient tomb snail" restaurant is Mr. Le Quang Toai (born in 1975, Ho Chi Minh City).

According to Mr. Toai, this plot of land used to be maintained and looked after by his wife's family. More than 20 years ago, seeing that the courtyard was still empty, Mr. Toai's wife decided to open a small snail restaurant hoping to earn extra income for the family. Unexpectedly, the snail restaurant has now become a familiar spot, attracting a large number of customers every day.

Mr. Toai, owner of a famous snail restaurant (Photo: Nhu Khanh)

Outside the gate of the ancient tomb complex, the restaurant displays only a small stall with a few types of seafood and a simple sign that reads "Garden Snail Restaurant". Upon entering, customers are surprised by the bustling atmosphere. The snail restaurant is situated in the courtyard behind the triple-arched gate. Right behind the restaurant's kitchen is the house built by the scholar Petrus Ký in 1886.

Although Mr. and Mrs. Toai named it "garden snails," many diners from near and far still refer to it as "ancient tomb snails." This name has piqued the curiosity of many, prompting them to seek it out.

“Actually, the person who came up with the name ‘ancient tomb snail restaurant’ is Meritorious Artist Huu Loc. He used to frequent the restaurant, noticed its unique location, and named it that way. Eventually, this name became the restaurant's signature and has stuck with it to this day,” Mr. Toai explained.

Exterior and interior of the "ancient tomb snail" restaurant (Photo: Nhu Khanh/Trung Nguyen)

One customer said that a few years ago, she and her friends came to the restaurant out of curiosity about its unusual name. "We arrived around 8 PM. As we got closer, one member of the group was scared and suggested we change locations. She's a bit faint-hearted. But the whole group was determined to explore it anyway. The restaurant is spacious, cool, and has a pleasant atmosphere, and the food is delicious. Now, it has become a familiar meeting place for our group," the female customer recounted.

Mr. Toai's snail restaurant is open from around 5 PM to 11 PM every day, offering over 30 different types of seafood, mostly snails such as periwinkle snails, fig snails, and coconut snails. The average price at Mr. Toai's restaurant is around 65,000-70,000 VND per dish or more. According to many customers, this price is quite high compared to the general average for a casual snail restaurant.

Regarding the pricing, Mr. Toai confided: "Actually, many customers see our casual restaurant model and assume the prices must also be very affordable. But since we opened, my wife and I have been committed to choosing the best, freshest, and highest-quality ingredients. That's why the prices can't be cheap."

Mr. Toai also added that if the food is expensive but poorly prepared, customers won't return many times. To make the restaurant as popular as it is now, the owner focuses on every step, from sourcing safe ingredients to preparation, cooking, and even exclusive recipes.

"If customers come to my snail restaurant and find even one rotten snail on their plate, I'm ready to refund them without arguing or blaming them. I always put integrity in my business, and that's why for decades, my restaurant has always been loved and trusted by customers," Mr. Toai shared.

The dishes at the restaurant are praised for being fresh, delicious, and having an appealing flavor (Photo: Trung Nguyen)

At his restaurant, Mr. Toai is most confident in his sauces and cheeses, which he prepares using his own unique recipes.

Mr. Trung (from Ho Chi Minh City) often visits this snail restaurant with his friends. He shared: "Looking from the outside, you wouldn't know that behind the large gate there's such a welcoming, delicious, and interesting snail restaurant. The food is fresh, tasty, and clean."

Ms. Quyen (born in 1995, Ho Chi Minh City) is currently one of Mr. Toai's most trusted apprentices, learning the culinary trade. Having followed him for over 12 years, Ms. Quyen is now the head chef at the restaurant, having received many "secrets" from Mr. Toai to help her maintain the restaurant's cooking business in the future.

"I've been following Uncle Toai for over 10 years, from the days when I was helping out as a waitress to the time he wholeheartedly taught me his recipes. He's very dedicated; he doesn't care whether you're family or outsiders. As long as you have passion, responsibility, and a love for cooking, he'll teach you wholeheartedly," she confided.

Vo Nhu Khanh - Linh Trang

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