Located on Nguyen Thiep Street, Ba Diec’s vermicelli stall is a famous destination for nightlife in the capital, selling 700 bowls every night.
Starting at 6 pm daily, anyone passing through the first area of Nguyen Thiep street (opposite Dong Xuan market) can see a load of vermicelli being cleared for sale. The restaurant occupies a wide sidewalk, stretching across four houses (from 68 to 74, and the opposite area) with about 30 sets of plastic tables and chairs.
Ms. Giang Thi Hoa (53 years old, from Hanoi) used to sell with her mother-in-law at 46 Duong Thanh for more than 20 years. After her mother-in-law passed away, Mrs. Hoa inherited the business and has been running it for eight years. Due to the redevelopment of the old area, she moved to Nguyen Thiep three years ago.
Regarding the name of her shop, Ms. Hoa said that when she first opened in Nguyen Thiep, she had a hearing problem in her right ear. Many times she misheard her customers’ orders, and they would call her “Deaf Lady”. Over time, she grew accustomed to it and gave the name to her vermicelli stall. Hoa now uses a hearing aid, so customers who come to eat are served accurately, and no longer complain about receiving the wrong dish.
In addition to the usual vermicelli noodles, the menu of the stall offers toppings such as cartilage, ear rolls, beef, snails, and more. Among them, the bun rieu cartilage is the most popular dish. The price of each bowl ranges from VND 20,000 to VND 30,000. Some additional dishes include tofu (VND 10,000 per pack), duck eggs (VND 8,000 per fruit), and more. A full bowl of vermicelli noodles, including beef and toppings, costs VND 60,000.
Mrs. Hoa’s vermicelli is sold every day until 4 am, with the most crowded time being from around 10 pm to 2 am. On weekends, the restaurant can serve nearly 100 people at a time. Mrs. Hoa sells an average of 700 bowls per night, consuming about a quintal of vermicelli. She said that the special attraction of her vermicelli is the pot of broth made from pure pork bones and crab bricks using her family’s heirloom recipe, which has been passed down for three generations. Therefore, the vermicelli is considered an invaluable asset of her family.
Although it is a small stall, it attracts many guests all year round. Including Mrs. Hoa, there are 10 people serving the vermicelli. Starting at 11 am every day, everyone begins to prepare ingredients, including cooking broth, processing toppings, and raw vegetables. The most important part is cooking the broth by simmering pork bones for at least 12 hours.
When a customer places an order, Mrs. Hoa blanches the vermicelli in boiling water to heat it up, adds assorted side dishes based on the customer’s request, finely chopped scallions, dried onions, seasoning, and broth, and fills the bowl near the mouth. When served, the bowl of vermicelli still emits steam, along with the aroma of crab-brick broth and the fragrance of onion fat. Customers can add more lemon, chili sauce, or garlic vinegar to their taste.
Mrs. Hoa’s vermicelli stall is a popular and well-known destination in Hanoi. Customers appreciate the quality of the food, the reasonable prices, and the friendly atmosphere. The vermicelli stall has even received positive feedback from foreign customers. However, the vermicelli stall can be crowded at peak hours, and there is a deposit fee for motorbike parking.
Additionally, customers can enjoy a view of the Hanoi-Hai Duong-Hai Phong train route if they visit at certain times. Overall, it seems like a great place to enjoy a bowl of vermicelli noodles in Hanoi.
Related
Source: Vietnam Insider