40-year-old chicken noodle and pho restaurant recommended by Michelin in HCMC

Ky Dong chicken noodle and pho restaurant in Saigon was awarded the Bib Gourmand award by Michelin Guide - a category honoring restaurants serving delicious food at affordable prices.

"A true gem in the middle of a bustling city, the chicken pho here is truly a hit," the Michelin guidebook commented. Ky Dong chicken noodle soup is a dining spot that has kept diners coming back thanks to its unique flavor that has remained unchanged for nearly 40 years. The restaurant used to be just a small cart, but gradually developed and became a spacious restaurant on Ky Dong Street, District 3. After growing old, the owners passed the business on to their four children to take over until now.

Chicken pho from a nearly 40-year-old restaurant. Photo: Michelin

In the past, regular customers often called it Ba Mot restaurant. The original menu did not have the famous vermicelli or chicken pho as it is today. The restaurant adjusted the cooking methods, ingredients and flavors to serve more customers since the 80s, when many people from the North came to Ho Chi Minh City to work, travel... The menu also has rice noodles, vermicelli, instant noodles... The pho and chicken vermicelli at the restaurant are cooked according to the taste of Southern people. The broth has a fragrant bone broth flavor, a little fatty from chicken fat but is not greasy, a bit thick and rich. Normally, Southern people like to add spices, salt or soy sauce when eating broth... But at Ky Dong, a bowl of pho and vermicelli is already full of flavor, diners do not need to add anything more.

Ky Dong chicken noodle soup conquers diners with its rich, flavorful broth. Photo: Foody

This broth recipe is a family secret that has not changed since the restaurant first opened. The rich broth does not rely on spices but on the sweetness of chicken bones simmered for 3 to 4 hours, timed and seasoned to the right level. A bowl of vermicelli or chicken pho will include shredded chicken, skin, giblets, gizzards and young eggs, along with a plate of blanched bean sprouts and raw vegetables. The restaurant is very thoughtful when preparing jars of spices such as soy sauce, chili sauce, fish sauce, salt and pepper... on the table for diners to mix their own chicken dipping sauce if they want.

A bowl of vermicelli and chicken pho with diverse and filling toppings. Photo: Foody

Chicken vermicelli or chicken pho here are all priced at 55,000 VND for a small bowl, 65,000 VND for a large bowl and 70,000 VND for a special bowl. With this quality and price, it is quite understandable that Ky Dong chicken vermicelli pho is in the top of the Michelin Guide's list of delicious and affordable restaurants. Young chicken eggs are a "specialty" of the restaurant that should not be missed. Diners should order chopped chicken with banana flower salad to clearly feel the quality of the chicken at the restaurant.