That is a noodle shop (famous for its duck noodle soup) that has been passed down through 3 generations of Mr. Duong Tam's family (51 years old), known to customers as Thiem Huy, located on the frontage of Nguyen Trai Street (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City).
From a roadside noodle cart…
As a regular customer of Thiem Huy for many years, it is rare to see this restaurant empty. One day, I had the opportunity to sit with Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Mai (64 years old), who is currently managing this restaurant, and I was surprised to learn the story behind this noodle shop that has been around for nearly half a century.
Mrs. Mai's family noodle shop is famous for its duck noodles.
Mrs. Mai, is Mr. Tam's sister-in-law - the third owner of the restaurant. Before that, she was a teacher in My Tho (Tien Giang). After retiring, she took over this noodle shop for almost 7 years, since the day Mr. Tam's whole family moved to the US to settle down.
Mrs. Mai, in charge of the restaurant
According to the story, this restaurant was opened by Mr. Tam's grandfather before 1975. At that time, it was just a roadside noodle cart, but because of its unique delicious taste, it was always crowded with customers.
After 3 generations, from his grandfather, to Mr. Tam's father and now his generation, the noodle cart has now become a spacious, well-equipped 3-story restaurant. Not to mention, according to Mrs. Mai, since she took over the restaurant, she bought the house next door to have enough space to welcome customers.
Even though it's not "rush hour", the restaurant is still crowded with customers.
Each portion of noodles at the restaurant costs an average of 135,000 - 145,000 VND.
With a diverse menu of nearly 100 dishes and drinks, mainly Chinese specialties, customers can freely choose the dishes they love. However, the most special feature of the restaurant is the duck noodle soup, the cheapest price is 18,000 VND for a noodle bowl and the most expensive, most special part is 350,000 VND, for the duck noodle soup with abalone and sea cucumber.
Meanwhile, normal bowls of duck noodle soup cost between 135,000 and 145,000 VND depending on the customer's needs. "My restaurant does not have any branches, nor does it sell on any apps, partly because eating at the restaurant will preserve the deliciousness of the dish, and partly because we sell on the spot to be able to please customers as much as possible, no matter how customers want to eat, whatever their requests are, we will try to meet them," Ms. Mai confided.
What is the secret to a crowded duck noodle shop?
Every time I come to this noodle shop from 7:15 am to 1 am the next morning, I am surprised to see that there are always customers sitting down to eat. Especially during "rush hours" such as evenings or weekends, the tables are full of customers.
Ms. Mai admits that her restaurant is more expensive than many other restaurants, but according to her, the price is completely reasonable. The restaurant representative said that the attraction of the restaurant lies not only in the best ingredients carefully selected by the restaurant but also in the broth cooked according to a special recipe passed down through many generations.
The secret is in the noodles.
[CLIP]: The most expensive 3-generation noodle shop in Ho Chi Minh City costs 350,000 VND/bowl: Owner lives in America, still has many customers.
Besides, the traditional homemade noodles, boiled by the right technique, are what make the value of the bowl of noodles. "Everyone's taste is different, but I always try to satisfy the taste of the customers. I think when I do something with all my heart, I will definitely receive the support of the customers," she said about the most special secret.
Mr. Hai Nam (35 years old, living in District 1) said that he visits this noodle shop almost every week because he is "addicted". The customer said that he has been eating here for a long time, so long that he can't remember when he last ate, but when he craves duck noodles, he will definitely visit this shop.
Mr. Nam commented that the bowl of noodles here "makes sense" because of the soft, chewy traditional noodles, mixed with a clear, sweet broth, a hint of Chinese herbs, and quality duck meat. "The price is higher than other restaurants, but I think the money I spend is worth it. I usually order a bowl of noodles for 145,000 VND, and when I bring friends or special guests, I order a bowl for 350,000 VND, the quality is good," he added with a smile.
The restaurant also sells many other Chinese dishes, with a menu of nearly 100 dishes.
Although he has a peaceful life with his family in the US, Mr. Tam, through his sister-in-law, still takes care of the family restaurant in Vietnam. He often returns home, especially during Tet, to visit his relatives and employees who run the noodle shop that has been passed down from his generation…
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