What's at the 'girl's shop' that sells a different dish every day that makes this alley in Ho Chi Minh City so crowded?

The shop has been open for more than 40 years in an alley at 221 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ward 5 (Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City), with the sign "girl shop". Many people also call this shop "for fun" because Ms. Mai Thi Thu (58 years old) does not mind when customers "eat on credit", sometimes even adding extra toppings.

"One dish a day"

The menu here changes daily. To make it easier for customers to choose "what to eat today", she carefully prints all the dishes on a board hanging in front of the shop. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, she sells banh beo, and on Thursdays and Sundays, she sells banh khot. The desserts change daily, such as steamed bananas, black beans, coconut-fried bananas, coconut jelly... On the 15th and 1st of the lunar month, she sells vegetarian stir-fried vermicelli. Sometimes, before she has time to set up shop, customers are already eagerly waiting to buy.

People in the alley often say that if you crave a snack in the afternoon, you don't need to go far because when you open the door, there is a delicious restaurant in front of your house with a fragrant aroma.

Mrs. Thu has been with the restaurant for more than 40 years.

The restaurant is simply a high wooden stall with a canvas backdrop, an umbrella and a row of long chairs in front for customers to sit. That is also the reason why people often joke that "the restaurant is always full". Most of the customers here are people living in the alley and nearby, some have been regulars for over 30 years, so just come in, no need to order, the owner already knows what to do.

I visited the restaurant on Wednesday, the restaurant smelled fragrantly of fried bananas and coconut. As soon as it opened, customers kept coming in and out. It seemed like everyone was familiar with the menu here, so there was no need to ask too many questions. Mrs. Thu, her mother, husband and brother-in-law shared the tasks so that customers did not have to wait long.

Customers regularly visit "the girl's shop".

Most of the customers here are working people, so even though the price of ingredients has increased over the years, the owner still keeps the same price. One of the dishes that made the "girl's shop" famous is banh beo. A portion of banh beo at the shop includes banh beo, banh bot loc tom, cha ca, banh it tran; the price is only 20,000 VND.

Mr. La Quoc Tuan (30 years old) lives right at the beginning of the alley. Before going to work in the afternoon, he stopped by the shop to have a plate of banh beo with full toppings: "I eat here regularly. The lady makes it so delicious. If I don't eat it every day, I miss it. I've been eating it since I was a child, and now that I'm this grown, I still can't give it up," Mr. Tuan shared.

Traveling from afar just to eat cheap food

Mrs. Thu wakes up at 4 a.m. to cook three dishes for the day. At nearly 1 p.m., she sets up the stall. Although her health is not as good as before, she still tries her best: "Doing business makes me healthy. Lying around is boring," she said happily.

Every day she only sells a certain amount, no more. That’s why there are days when she only sets up shop for an hour and a half and then closes because… she’s out of food. If you want to eat at Mrs. Thu’s restaurant, you have to choose not only the day, but also the time, because if you come late, there’s no more food. Many dishes are sold out in less than an hour, so late customers have to turn around and go home.

People were coming and going in and out of the restaurant, the long bench in front of the stall was always full. Customers who didn't have a place to sit would bring a stool and sit next to her, eating and listening to her chat.

A full portion of banh beo costs only 20,000 VND.

The menu board is hung in front of the restaurant, and every customer stops to look. If the dish they want is not available today, they can come back the next day.

The dishes Mrs. Thu sells are not strange. Sticky rice, banh duc, che thung… easy to make but there are still customers who travel from far away to enjoy them.

Mr. Le Son (34 years old) traveled from Binh Chanh district just to eat the shop's banh beo: "The banh beo is delicious, I eat it all the time. I have tried all the dishes here. You prepare them cleanly and meticulously. Today I came to eat and buy some for my family, my two kids love eating sweet soup at your shop."

The food here is affordable. A full box of food costs only 20,000 VND. A cup of bean sweet soup eaten on the spot costs 5,000 VND, and she gives you as much coconut milk as you want. Some people forget to bring money and ask to eat on credit, but she also accepts: "If they remember, they will pay, otherwise, that's fine, it's not much."

Before going to work, Mr. Tuan stopped by the shop to have a plate of banh beo.

Ms. Lan - a "regular customer" at the restaurant said, she has been eating at the restaurant since she was young until she got married and now has been a daughter-in-law for more than ten years: "The restaurant sells cheap but delicious food. The daily menu is posted on the board, so if you want to eat something, you can run out on the day and it will be available."

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