The owner said that this bread stall is the "rice pot" that has fed her whole family for the past several decades. Now, her son and daughter-in-law have taken over their mother's business, making a living with the special bread recipe passed down by Ms. Cuc's aunt.
"Eating this for decades, can't give it up!"
Early in the morning, on my way to work, I stopped by Mrs. Nguyen Thi Cuc’s (59 years old) bread stall, not too far from my house. The stall is located in a small corner in front of An Dong market, and if you are not a regular customer or do not pay close attention, it is not easy to see. If you do not see it, just ask for Mrs. Cuc’s bread in front of the market, most people nearby will know.
Mrs. Cuc's bread is loved by many customers.
Around 7am, the rush hour for people going to work, starting a new day, Mrs. Cuc's bakery is also crowded with customers. With a simple plastic table, on top is a tray of braised meat, meatballs, raw vegetables, pickles, sauces..., the owner's food stall looks extremely attractive.
As soon as I walked in, I could smell the delicious aroma of meatballs. Mrs. Cuc and her son were constantly making sandwiches for customers so that no one would have to wait too long, and also so that they could get to work on time. Among the owner's regular customers was Mrs. Tran Thi Hong (56 years old), who lived near An Dong market.
This morning, Ms. Hong walked from her house to Ms. Cuc's bread stand to buy 4 meatballs for her family to eat for breakfast. She said she has been eating at this shop for almost 20 years. Since eating Ms. Cuc's bread, Ms. Hong rarely eats bread from other places.
Mrs. Cuc has been selling in front of An Dong market for over 40 years.
Simple but attractive bread stand.
Ms. Hong, DinerAfter Ms. Hong, a continuous stream of customers continued to come to order. The owner is extremely accommodating to customers, and she happily accommodates any requests for additional ingredients in the sandwich. That is also one of the reasons why Ms. Hanh (26 years old, living in District 5) has been addicted to this sandwich stand for the past 4 years.
“Back then, I watched a clip online about your restaurant. Seeing that it was close to home, I went to buy some to try. It was so delicious that I have been eating it ever since. I have eaten at many places but I think your place is the best in this area, and the price is reasonable, so I have become a regular customer," she said.
The whole family sold, the son and daughter-in-law inherited.
Each loaf of bread at Mrs. Cuc's stall costs from 25,000 to 50,000 VND. I ordered a portion of meatball bread for 25,000 VND to try and it was as advertised, a combination of meatballs, raw vegetables, pickles and thick, rich sauce.
Mr. Khuong and his mother have been selling bread for many years.
Mrs. Cuc sells from 6am to 11am.
Personally, I rate the sandwich as an 8/10. Of course, this sandwich stall will become one of the breakfast places on my list because every day, Mrs. Cuc sells from 6am to 11am.
Confiding to the reporter, the owner said that when she was young, because her mother died early, she worked as a waitress in a coffee shop at the age of 13. At the age of 15, listening to her aunt, she quit her job and went to sell bread, all the recipes were passed down from her aunt. To her, her aunt was like a mother, a benefactor who gave her a job to make a living.
At first, she did not stay in one place but went around District 5. Later, she settled in An Dong market area, which has been 40 years and has a large number of regular customers. After getting married and having children, she continued to sell the dish that was the "rice pot" that fed her when she first started out.
The hostess is famous for her hospitality.
She is determined to stick with the bread stall until she no longer has the strength.
Now, her son - Mr. Lu Trieu Khuong (29 years old) is married and has children. Before the pandemic, he worked as a chef but for many years now he has also helped his mother with her business. His wife also opened a sandwich shop on Pham Hung Street (District 8). Mrs. Cuc's husband stays at home to help his wife with the business. The owner smiled and said that her whole family lives thanks to this sandwich shop.
Mr. Khuong said that he cherishes the idea of inheriting his mother’s bread stall. Because he studies cooking, he has made some improvements to the recipes his mother passed down to him, creating a balance in the flavors of the dishes. He hopes that in the near future, he can open a larger bread shop, using his mother’s bread recipe…
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