80-year-old original Chinese-style noodle shop in Saigon

Hủ tiếu sa tế is a traditional dish cooked by Mrs. Doanh at her restaurant using a family recipe, which combines over 30 different ingredients.

The restaurant, Hủ tiếu Tô Ký, is located on Gia Phú Street in District 6 and was founded by Mr. Tô Cẩm, who came from Triều Châu, in the 1940s. Passed down through three generations, it has been in operation for almost 80 years. The current owner, Ms. Tô Mỹ Doanh, 42 years old, is Mr. Cẩm's granddaughter. She learned the trade from her father at an early age and has been working at the restaurant for over 20 years.

The traditional dish at the restaurant is hủ tiếu sa tế beef, which requires meticulous preparation. Every morning, Mrs. Doanh wakes up at 5 am, receives the supplies from her trusted sources, and begins to prepare the ingredients. "This dish is difficult and extremely demanding to prepare. I can't do it alone, I need help from my family members," she said. Each person in her family has a specific task, such as picking vegetables, cutting meat, or making the dipping sauce.

The special flavor of hủ tiếu sa tế comes from the thick, brown broth, which is made from over 30 different ingredients and spices, including peanuts, chili, galangal, onions, lemongrass, garlic, Chinese vinegar, ground dried shrimp, and Chinese herbs. This creates a rich, slightly spicy taste that stimulates the taste buds. Adding coconut milk to the broth enhances the dish's aroma and richness.

When a customer orders the dish, the owner prepares the beef and hủ tiếu, adds the spices, and pours in the broth. A full bowl costs 72,000 VND and includes beef, beef balls, Chinese celery, and various vegetables such as mint, bean sprouts, lettuce, and cucumber. The hủ tiếu sa tế is served with two dipping sauces: soy sauce and vinegar. According to Ms. Doanh, this method of serving was invented by her grandfather, as other restaurants usually serve only soy sauce.

"The dipping sauces are handmade. The vinegar is made from Tiều people's traditional vinegar. The soy sauce is made from our homemade soybean sauce," she said.

The restaurant is open from 11 am to 7 pm every day. The busiest time is around 5 pm, when many people stop by for dinner or takeout. Many customers from Phú Nhuận, Bình Thạnh, and Tân Bình districts also visit the restaurant.

"Sometimes, when we are about to close, regular customers call to say that they are on their way and ask us to wait for them. I wait for them because I appreciate their support, even though they come from far away," said Ms. Doanh.

After running the restaurant for 20 years, Ms. Doanh believes that doing business must come from the heart, overlooking short-term gains, in order to create goodwill and retain customers in the long run. Her desire is to continue to maintain the traditional hủ tiếu sa tế dish of her family, pass it on to future generations, and contribute to preserving the culinary heritage.