Eel vermicelli shop in Ninh Binh for more than half a century

Mrs. Phan's eel vermicelli opened in 1973 in Rong market, has been passed down through three generations with three branches, and is a suggestion for breakfast in Ninh Binh.

Eel vermicelli is one of the famous delicacies in Ninh Binh, along with goat meat and burnt rice, which is enjoyed by people for breakfast.

Located on Tran Hung Dao Street, Ba Phan eel vermicelli is over 50 years old, passed down through three generations, and is an address recommended by Ninh Binh Tourism Promotion Information Center for tourists.

A bowl of eel vermicelli at Mrs. Phan's address 195 Tran Hung Dao, Ninh Binh City costs 50,000 VND.

Mrs. Phan started selling eel vermicelli in 1973. The shop was a small shack in Rong market, Van Giang ward, open from 5am to 7am and sold out. In 1996, she passed away, Mr. Tran Van Tien and his two brothers inherited their mother's business, opening three establishments next to each other at 195, 197 and 199 Tran Hung Dao.

For nearly 40 years of running the restaurant, Mr. Tien has kept his mother's eel vermicelli recipe, which he calls "the old flavor". The eels served at the restaurant are raised in brackish water areas of Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa, the size of a finger, with a pinkish-brown back and a yellow belly. The eels are washed, drained, and the slime is removed with salt before the bones are removed.

The owner puts a pot of water on the stove, waits for it to boil, then pours in batches of pre-processed eels, stirs them well, and feels the eel meat cooked to a certain degree. "Cooking time depends on each person's feelings and experience," said Mr. Tien. Taking out the cooked eels, Mr. Tien uses his hands to separate the eel's body lengthwise to get the meat, removing the bones and the bitter black intestines.

The eel meat is marinated with herbs, spices, pepper and simmered in a pan until the water is released. Mr. Tien continues to add fat and fried onions, simmering until he hears small popping sounds in the pan, and when he picks it up, it does not become mushy or broken. Mr. Tien said that this is the way to prepare Ninh Binh eel vermicelli to make the meat firm and firm, different from Hanoi eel vermicelli to be crispy, and Nghe An eel vermicelli to be soft.

Pan of eel vermicelli after simmering.

After filtering, the eel bones are put into a large pot with crushed lemongrass to cook broth for the whole day. New bones are continuously added, while old bones are taken out, ground, and filtered to get the broth like crab. By adding layers of bones throughout the day, the eel vermicelli broth has a dark brown color, is thick, smooth, and has a rich flavor.

A bowl of eel vermicelli at the restaurant, in addition to vermicelli and eel meat, also has fried onions, Vietnamese coriander, betel leaves, dill, green onions, served with a plate of raw vegetables including Vietnamese balm, basil, and chopped banana flowers, a few pieces of lemon and chili sauce. The eel meat is dark brown, the vermicelli is clear and chewy, both are submerged in the broth, under the layer of herbs. Diners can only recognize the vermicelli and eel when they start enjoying it. A bowl of eel vermicelli costs 50,000 VND.

Enjoying eel vermicelli at Mr. Tien's restaurant on March 29, Nguyen Tran Huy, 28 years old in Ho Chi Minh City, said this was the dish that impressed him the most during his trip to Ninh Binh. "I felt the firmness and toughness of the meat, then the sweetness gradually increased," he said. The broth has a rich flavor typical of Northern cuisine, while the eel meat has a mild sweetness that suits the taste of Southerners, Huy added.

Broth made from eel bones and lemongrass...

Cooked eel meat is golden brown.

Currently, the restaurant is managed by Ms. Tran Thi Lien, Mr. Tien's daughter-in-law, who took over 3 years ago. The restaurant opens from 4am to 1pm and 4pm to 9pm. On average, the restaurant sells about 200 bowls a day. On weekends, holidays and Tet, the number increases to about 400 - 500 bowls due to the large number of tourists, including foreign tourists.

Currently, Mrs. Phan eel vermicelli has two locations at 195 and 199 Tran Hung Dao. Location 197 has moved to Dong Thanh Street, near Hoa Lu ancient town, convenient for tourists to combine sightseeing and enjoy Ninh Binh's specialty breakfast.

Article and photos: Quynh Mai

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