Love, eat bitter melon to make life less miserable!

Possessing a unique name, 'bitter melon with eggplant' is a dish that anyone who tries it once will want to try it again, not only because of its special flavor, but also because of the lovely personality of the owner.

A bowl of bitter melon, eggplant and chili sauce - Photo by Le Duy

Bitter melon shop is hidden among the typical hustle and bustle of Phung Hung market (District 5, HCMC) at rush hour.

But just step forward, just enough to separate yourself from that crowded scene, and you will recognize a small restaurant hidden at the corner of 202 Phung Hung, where the fragrant smell of bitter melon lingers and the familiar call of the owner On Vinh An (34 years old): "My love, come here and enjoy all the bitterness!"

"Bitter melon and eggplant" two types of broth

A standard bowl of ca chon includes bitter melon, tomatoes, chili, eggplant, fish balls and fried tofu stuffed with fish cakes.

Customers can choose from two types of broth: a special thick sauce similar to crab soup, or a broth made from simmered pork ribs. Whichever you choose, the dish offers a rich experience that anyone who tries it once will find hard to forget.

On the counter, the red chili peppers - Photo: Le Duy

Mr. Minh (Phu Nhuan district) confided to Tuoi Tre Online : "Customers who eat it for the first time will not be used to eating with the sauce, but if they can eat it, it will stick forever. Remember to order extra mixed noodles to eat with it to make it more filling."

A special feature of the restaurant is the sweet soy sauce dipping sauce mixed with satay, which is indispensable when eating "bitter melon and eggplant".

"Many people are not used to eating bitter melon at first, so I thought of a way to make a dipping sauce to balance the bitterness of the bitter melon with the sweetness and slight spiciness of the soy sauce," restaurant owner An shared with Tuoi Tre Online .

Besides the "main character", the restaurant also has a special dish that is rarely mentioned, which is taro cake.

The taro cake here has a texture quite similar to banh duc, but does not melt in the mouth immediately. It tastes like banh nam in the Central region, chewy and fatty from taro, fragrant from fried onions and peanuts.

You can enjoy bitter melon with salty sticky rice (left) and taro cake (right) - Photo: Le Duy

Affirming the flavor in Phung Hung market

As in the memories of many Chinese people, bitter melon with eggplant and chili always appears on the dining table of On Vinh An's family. Having been a restaurant assistant since 1995 and taking over the restaurant at the age of 14, Mr. An followed in the footsteps of his grandmother and mother to maintain this dish.

In the early days of carrying the cart, An encountered many difficulties because Phung Hung market area was too famous for its diverse food.

An, who had just started selling to help her mother, could not stand the pressure of the "sea" of noise in Phung Hung market. Then there was the pressure of competition when there were already three carts selling bitter melon, eggplant, and chili alone.

An decided to name his shop "bitter melon and eggplant" to attract the attention of young people.

"This name makes many young people from Binh Tan and Cu Chi curious to try it. Some people even said they traveled dozens of kilometers just to eat "bitter melon and eggplant" which sounds strange but delicious!", An said.

Bitter melon shop is always busy with many customers - Photo: Le Duy

The name of the restaurant is the opposite of the owner.

The name of the restaurant is "bitter melon and jerk" which sounds arrogant. But completely opposite to that name, An sincerely explained: "bitter melon has to be a little "crazy" to be fun, but An is so cute!"

Bitter melon is a jerk, but the owner is cute! - Photo: Le Duy

Perhaps it is this contrast that creates the unique appeal of the restaurant: on one side is the mischievous name, a bit "crazy" for fun, and on the other side is the lovely, simple owner.

For An, every customer entering the restaurant is her little "love". "Darling, leave your car there. What would you like to eat? I'll make it for you."

Thanks to that friendly and generous nature, the bitterness of bitter melon seems to be completely softened. Ms. Thuy Vy (District 8) has to visit Phung Hung market every month to "immediately" have a bowl of bitter melon at least once, not only because she misses the delicious taste, but also because she enjoys being called "my love".

"This girl is so cute, I keep coming back here because of her!", she joked.

"Bitter melon and eggplant" shop opens from 4:30 pm to 10:00 pm.

In addition, the restaurant also serves a number of other dishes such as Chinese herbal pork offal stew, wonton with cartilage, braised ribs, fried dumplings/broth... priced from 35,000 - 60,000 VND/portion.

This is a prominent culinary spot on social networking sites. Miss Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien is also a regular customer of the restaurant.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tinh-yeu-oi-an-kho-qua-ca-chon-cho-doi-bot-kho-20241112214646304.htm