The shop is my childhood, my youth and now my old age.
On a peaceful afternoon in Ho Chi Minh City, I stopped by a small alley on Vo Van Ngan Street (Thu Duc City) with cool shade from the trees to eat a bowl of delicious pork noodle soup. The old shop sign was stained with time with the name "Mai noodle soup". The shop space was small and clean.
The noodle shop is more than half a century old and is known by many Thu Duc residents.
I was wandering around, immersed in the old space of the restaurant, when Ms. Lan (52 years old, also known as Ms. 7) asked warmly: "What would you like to eat, son? Chewy noodles or soft noodles?" "Chewy noodles, ma'am!", I quickly said and in a flash, a bowl of steaming, fragrant noodles was placed in front of me.
The person who brought out the bowl of noodles was Ms. Anh (also known as Ms. 6), who is almost 55 years old this year. Ms. 6 confided that this restaurant has been around since her parents' time, before 1975. At that time, her grandparents sold noodles near Thu Duc market, mainly crab noodle soup and bamboo shoot noodle soup, and many people called it "Mrs. Mo's restaurant".
Later, her family moved here to sell noodles and vermicelli. The restaurant is also home to many of her family members.
Small, cozy space.
“In the past, my family sold noodles with chicken and duck, but after the severe flu epidemic, we switched to selling pork until now. Since childhood, my siblings and I have helped our parents with the business, so this restaurant is our childhood, youth, and now old age," she laughed.
Thanks to this restaurant, Mr. Mo and his wife raised their 9 children to adulthood. The old man passed away 11 years ago, and the old woman passed away 3 years ago.
The parents are gone, 4 of the siblings in the family inherited this restaurant including aunt 2, aunt 3, aunt 6 and aunt 7. The other siblings, some work as photographers, some work as tailors... and are all at peace with their jobs; some have passed away.
A bowl of noodles costs 30,000 VND and is just right.
“Whose name is Mai?”, I wondered. Miss 6 smiled and replied that it was Miss 2’s name. She and her sisters had inherited and developed the family restaurant, but for many years now, due to poor health, she has spent time taking care of her grandchildren, so she left the restaurant to her three younger siblings to run.
The "favorite" restaurant of night-time diners
The ladies’ noodle shop is a familiar late-night spot for many diners near and far, especially Thu Duc residents, as it opens from 11am to 3am the next morning. Previously, the shop started selling at 6am, but since the old lady passed away, the 6 sisters have grown old, so they have moved to selling later. The shop is very crowded in the evening and early morning.
“At that time, customers who came back from a late night out wanted to have a snack, including those who worked the night shift, and those who were on a business trip and stopped by to eat. There is something special about the restaurant: many customers who went abroad or got married far away stop here every time they come back to eat to remember the taste of the past,” added uncle 4 sitting next to him.
Many people are regulars at the restaurant.
Each bowl of noodles here costs from 30,000 VND to 50,000 VND, quite affordable. Depending on the price, the bowl of noodles can be added with pork, ham, and meatballs. The broth here is quite clear, sweet and has a good aftertaste, enough to satisfy diners with the quality of a bowl of noodles in this price range.
Miss 6 also said that the recipe for making Hu Tieu was passed down from her father and has been preserved for many years. Because they sell until late at night, everyone takes turns selling, so they don't feel tired the next day.
Mr. Hai (34 years old, living in Thu Duc City) often comes here to eat on weekday afternoons. He said that this has been his "favorite" restaurant for the past 5 years, since he moved house until recently. One time, when he came home late and saw the restaurant still lit up, he and his friend stopped by to try it and have been "hooked" ever since.
The sisters inherited their parents' restaurant.
“If I say it is excellent, it is not, but everything is delicious. The space of the restaurant is nostalgic and cozy, the owner is friendly and enthusiastic, everything is so clean that my noodles are even more delicious. Personally, I give it 8/10,” the customer commented.
For Ms. 6, Ms. 7 and her siblings, this restaurant is priceless because it contains their childhood, youth and old age. They tell themselves that no matter what, they will be determined to maintain this restaurant until they no longer have the strength, because the restaurant is the life's work of their parents...
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