The story of Hong Phat, a nearly half-century-old Nam Vang noodle shop, selected by Michelin

Hủ tiếu Hồng Phát có tuổi đời nửa thế kỷ - Ảnh: Michelin Guide — Hong Phat noodle soup is half a century old - Photo: Michelin Guide

In Vietnam, Hu Tieu is not a national dish like Pho or Bun, but it is still one of the popular dishes in the South.

According to the Michelin Guide, "in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring localities, it will be difficult to find a place that does not sell Hu Tieu."

In Hong Phat noodle restaurant, chefs are finishing cooking a pot of broth from pork bone marrow, dried seafood and pork.

Then, they pour this broth into a glass bowl containing rice noodles, peeled shrimp, pork liver, cooked blood, bean sprouts and herbs, and serve it to the customer.

Behind the bowl of noodles?

Michelin Guide reveals the answer lies in the name of the dish: "Hu tieu Nam Vang".

Foodies may find this dish quite similar to several regional dishes: kuyteav in Cambodia, kuai tiao in Thailand, kyay oh in Myanmar, and even char kway teow in Malaysia and Singapore.

According to the Michelin Guide, all of the above dishes, including hu tieu, originated in southern China and were then brought to Southeast Asian countries by merchants centuries ago.

" Nam Vang in Vietnamese means Phnom Penh," said Mr. Doan Hong Tuyen.

He is the youngest son of Ms. Dang Thi Nguyet - the founder of Hong Phat restaurant.

Tiệm hủ tiếu Hồng Phát năm 1975 - Ảnh: Michelin Guide — Hong Phat noodle shop in 1975 - Photo: Michelin Guide

The flight of fate

Ms. Nguyet, a Vietnamese woman, was born in Phnom Penh in 1948 and started working in a restaurant when she was only 13 years old.

In the 1960s, Phnom Penh was a melting pot of many different cultural communities including Khmer, Vietnamese and people from southern China.

At that time, Ms. Nguyet was just a restaurant maid, but she dreamed of one day having her own restaurant.

She "observed" cooking secrets from listening to experienced Chinese chefs here share.

Mr. Tuyen said that at that time, his mother "vaguely realized her own ability when she was able to create a version of a dish she had tasted before".

Later, Ms. Nguyet met her husband - also a Vietnamese - and married him.

In 1970, a coup broke out in Cambodia, and the couple decided to leave Phnom Penh for Saigon despite the tense war against the US.

In 1975, Mrs. Nguyet opened a modest Nam Vang noodle shop at her in-laws’ house. From there, Hong Phat was born.

Bà Nguyệt, người lập ra Hủ tiếu Hồng Phát - Ảnh: Michelin Guide — Ms. Nguyet, founder of Hong Phat Noodles - Photo: Michelin Guide

Ly Huong noodle soup

At that time, in Saigon there was beef ball noodle soup and egg noodle soup.

Ms. Nguyet came up with another version by keeping some of the characteristics she picked up from Cambodia, using dried rice noodles to create a chewier texture, while adding her own creative touches.

Hủ tiếu Hồng Phát - Ảnh: HP — Hong Phat Noodles - Photo: HP

Saigonese people love to eat fresh vegetables and seafood, so Ms. Nguyet tried adding fresh prawns, celery, bean sprouts, lettuce and chives...

Not to mention, there are also quail eggs, liver, cooked blood, minced pork.

In 1979, Ms. Nguyet imported glass bowls from France to hold noodles, creating a difference from other Vietnamese noodle/bun/hu tieu shops that usually serve in ceramic bowls.

This she keeps to this day.

In addition to Hu Tieu (two types of dry or wet noodles), Hong Phat's menu today also has duck noodles, wonton noodles, beef stew sandwiches, Yangzhou fried rice, dumplings...

There was one thing in particular that caught Michelin's attention. In the dining room at the back of the restaurant, there was a large wooden carving of the Bayon, one of Angkor's iconic temples.

Ms. Nguyet said she wanted to show customers her origins.

Famous Sa Dec noodles

TT - At first glance, a bowl of Sa Dec noodles seems similar to My Tho noodles or Nam Vang noodles. However, when mixing it with chopsticks, diners will immediately see the difference.

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