A couple has been selling Quang Ngai pancakes in the heart of Hanoi for 31 years, still keeping the soul of the countryside.

The banh xeo restaurant of Mr. Chinh and Mrs. Tham (from Quang Ngai) has been in Hanoi for more than 31 years and is a familiar address for many diners.

At 11:30, the customers at the banh xeo restaurant in Yen Lang (Dong Da, Hanoi ) began to crowd and rush. Mr. Luong Van Chinh (61 years old) quickly brushed oil, poured rice flour into the cake mold, the "sizzling" sound simultaneously emitted from 6 cast iron pans in the small kitchen.

Watching the rice flour gradually change color, Mr. Chinh adds shrimp, beef, pork and bean sprouts, closes the lid for a few seconds. Depending on the customer's preference for crispy or soft crust, Mr. Chinh will adjust the timing accordingly.

"Since I was little, I have helped my parents make banh xeo. 31 years ago, my wife and I brought our family business - banh xeo from Quang Ngai to Hanoi to start a business. This job has been around for so long that I know every step by heart," said Mr. Chinh.

Banh xeo is poured on hot cast iron molds.

From a sidewalk pancake shop on Thai Ha Street, with only a few simple plastic tables, Mr. Chinh and his wife, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tham (57 years old), have raised their children to be well educated. Only later did the couple rent a space to open a more spacious pancake shop on Yen Lang Street.

Unlike Western-style pancakes - which are poured on a large pan with ingredients such as shredded cassava, green beans, mushrooms, coconut milk, green beans and many types of vegetables, Quang Ngai pancakes are poured on a small cast iron mold, with a diameter of only about a hand (about 20cm).

The ingredients for making the cake are quite simple, just ground rice (no turmeric powder added, just chopped green onions), shrimp, meat and bean sprouts. The beef and pork are marinated simply, the important thing is that they must be fresh.

Mr. Chinh said, to make delicious banh xeo, you must use the right type of rice and change the water ratio according to the weather.

"In the past, my hometown's banh xeo used small shrimp, but now, according to customers' tastes, I have switched to shrimp. As for the dipping sauce, I also had to change it to suit the taste of Hanoians: one type is similar to bun cha dipping sauce; the other is a traditional type of pure fish sauce, rich in garlic, chili, and spicy," Mr. Chinh shared.

Two different dipping sauces for banh xeo at the restaurant

Served with hot, crispy-skinned, slightly spongy-in-the-middle, flavorful banh xeo are fresh raw vegetables with lettuce, basil, herbs, bean sprouts, and a little cucumber, carrot, and thinly sliced ​​pineapple.

Each serving of banh xeo (including 4 pancakes) and side dishes costs 70,000 VND.

Mr. Chinh ordered rice paper rolls from Quang Ngai to Hanoi. This type of rice paper is not too thin or too thick, soft and flexible, and does not crumble when rolled. In dry weather, Mr. and Mrs. Chinh will use fresh banana leaves to wrap the rice paper to make it softer.

Rice paper is wrapped in banana leaves to keep its softness.

Mr. Linh (41 years old, Hanoi) and his wife have been eating banh xeo at Mr. Chinh's restaurant since they first fell in love, about 20 years ago. Currently, they still regularly bring their children, relatives and friends here to "change up their meals".

"I have enjoyed banh xeo in all provinces and cities. I like Mr. Chinh's banh xeo because the crust is crispy, not too greasy, and the quality has been consistent over the years. I really like eating banh xeo with the traditional spicy dipping sauce," said Mr. Linh.

Mr. Linh (white shirt) and his family enjoy banh xeo at the restaurant.

In addition to banh xeo, Mr. Chinh's restaurant also has grilled beef, grilled pork belly, grilled pork vermicelli, grilled spring rolls and Quang noodles (Quang Ngai flavor).

Grilled beef is also a favorite dish of many diners at the restaurant. Fresh beef tenderloin is sliced ​​and marinated with 7 spices according to a traditional recipe for 2 hours.

Unlike before, beef is now grilled on an infrared stove to reduce smoke. Each batch of meat is grilled for 10-15 minutes, grilled as customers order to keep the meat tender and not dry.

The restaurant's grilled beef looks simple but the flavor is quite rich, fragrant, and tender.

This dish is served with raw vegetables, cucumber, thinly sliced ​​pineapple, and dipped in a thick sauce made from simmered bone broth and minced meat.

According to the owner, the restaurant's Quang noodles will be different from traditional Quang Nam noodles. The dish will have shrimp, grilled meat, ham, meatballs and sauce made from bone broth.

When there are many customers, Mr. Chinh (left photo) both cooks and serves tables.

A video recently appeared on social media recording an old woman selling banh xeo in Binh Dinh quickly pouring the pancakes, lifting the pan, and then tossing them accurately onto plates for customers.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/vo-chong-31-nam-ban-banh-xeo-quang-ngai-giua-long-ha-noi-van-giu-duoc-hon-que-2454394.html