Eating banh beo chen and banh canh he makes me miss Phu Yen

My mother told me that living in Saigon is very happy, the best thing is that you can find whatever you want to eat at the end of the alley. My mother was half right, but half was not enough. Phu Yen people find it hard to eat their hometown food in Saigon, because they can't find the taste of their hometown anywhere.

Banh beo chen, a familiar dish of Phu Yen people - Photo: LAN HUONG

By chance, I found the Banh Beo Co Mai Phu Yen restaurant. Entering the restaurant, the strong aroma, slightly fishy smell of fish rushed into my nose and I wanted to cry, thinking I was home.

'The best Phu Yen chive noodle soup in Saigon'

Banh beo Co Mai Phu Yen is located on Hoa Su street - a street with a lot of food in Phu Nhuan district. The shop opens from 7am to 9pm every day.

Banh beo Co Mai Phu Yen sells all the familiar dishes to the people of Xu Nau such as hot banh beo, banh canh he, banh hoi, cha lua...

A full bowl of chives noodle soup here costs 45,000 VND, while a portion of banh beo is 40,000 VND, including 10 small bowls.

Chives noodle soup includes chewy rice noodles, fish cakes, crushed fish, quail eggs and lots of green chives - Photo: LAN HUONG

Unlike Saigon's banh canh, the banh canh he of the people of Xu Nau is made from chewy rice flour, has a square shape, and is coated with a layer of rice flour to prevent each noodle from sticking together.

The topping of chive noodle soup is simple, just a few slices of fish cake, some black mackerel, lots of young green chives combined with sweet broth... and you have the finished product.

To make it tastier and remove the remaining fishy smell, spicy food lovers will add some ground chili.

What makes the soul of the dish is the sweet broth.

Ms. Nguyet - an employee at the restaurant - said the sweetness of the broth comes entirely from pork bones and fish meat cooked for many hours on the stove.

Besides, the restaurant also does not use MSG or seasoning powder to create a fake sweet feeling for diners.

Banh beo is neatly placed in porcelain bowls, steamed so it remains hot when served to customers - Photo: LAN HUONG

The banh beo is placed in a small porcelain bowl and steamed to keep the cake hot. The cake is white, fresh and plump.

Similar to banh canh he, the topping of banh beo chen is not complicated, just a little bit of pork floss, fried bread, fried onions and chives fat, served with a bright red sweet and sour fish sauce. Simple but delicious, the whole tray is finished in no time.

On the Google Maps review page, Tuan commented: "Hot rice cake, chewy dough, quite attractive dipping sauce. Chives noodle soup, medium broth, chewy noodles, fresh fish. After finishing 1 bowl, I bought 2 more bowls to eat at night!".

Nguyen My praised: "Phu Yen chives noodle soup is the best in Saigon. The restaurant is a bit small but has air conditioning and reasonable prices."

Grew up from the scent of mother's cakes

Ms. Linh - the owner - said that Banh Beo Co Mai Phu Yen has been in Saigon for exactly 8 years.

When asked about the reason for choosing to sell Phu Yen food in Saigon, she simply answered: "Because I miss it, I love it, I want to bring the flavors of my hometown here for everyone to enjoy."

Nimble hands prepare rice cakes for diners - Video: LAN HUONG

The current restaurant is only the second branch, the original Co Mai restaurant is located at the foot of Nhan mountain in Phu Yen, owned by her mother with 20 years of "experience in the profession".

Assisting Linh in the restaurant is Nguyet, who is both a direct kitchen staff and a grandchild in the family. The two sisters grew up surrounded by the fragrant aroma of banh beo from their mother and grandmother, and from there gradually fell in love with this dish.

The original Mai restaurant does not sell chives noodle soup, but only water fern cakes and rice vermicelli. After opening the restaurant in Saigon, Linh added this dish to the restaurant's menu.

The space inside the Banh Beo Co Mai Phu Yen shop - Photo: LAN HUONG

"The guests who come here are both Phu Yen and Saigon people. At first, people don't know what this dish is because it's strange, but over time, they get used to it and gradually like it.

The ingredients at the restaurant are all sent from the countryside so they are very safe and clean, from fish cakes, mackerel, chives to shredded pork. The only dish not from Phu Yen is probably bread - the topping that makes the banh beo more delicious" - Ms. Nguyet said while making it quickly.

In hand is a bowl of hot noodle soup, eating it makes me think of my hometown. I dare not affirm that this dish has the most authentic Phu Yen flavor in Saigon like many other diners have commented, but for me, it fits perfectly with my childhood memories.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/an-banh-beo-chen-banh-canh-he-ma-nho-phu-yen-20250213172526279.htm