Buzz
Ho Chi Minh City is where diverse cultures converge, hence its cuisine is also varied and rich. In Saigon, you can encounter specialties from different regions. Cù Lao Hotpot in Bình Thạnh district is one of the famous hotpot restaurants in Saigon.
1. Introduction to Cù Lao Hotpot in Bình Thạnh
- Address: 410 Nguyễn Xí, Ward 13, Bình Thạnh District, Ho Chi Minh City
- Opening hours: 3:30 PM – 10:00 PM
- Phone number: 0327147171
- Price range: 80,000 – 150,000 VND/person
The Cù Lao hotpot shop on Nguyen Xi Street (Binh Thanh District) is extremely famous. During peak days, the shop can sell up to 400 – 500 pots of hotpot. With such a large number of customers, the shop has an extremely abundant staff of up to 30 people working in shifts from morning till night. Additionally, there is a team of 5 – 7 people continuously burning charcoal to ignite the hotpots. This contributes to the massive attraction of this budget-friendly hotpot shop!
Photo: @llickthespoon
Ms. My – the owner of the shop – is a native of Ca Mau – a genuine riverside region. With a passion for dishes from the Mekong Delta, Ms. My gave up a high-paying job earning 20 – 30 million VND/month to open this hotpot shop. And from there, a hotpot shop was born and quickly attracted a large number of diners. The most famous dish of the hotpot shop is evident in its name – Cù Lao hotpot.
In addition to selling hotpot, the shop also offers side dishes such as spring rolls, pork skin rolls, and lotus stem salad with shrimp and pork. The restaurant has two seating areas indoor and outdoor with nearly 200 tables; simple plastic tables and chairs that are characteristic of street food stalls.
Photo: Gia Thanh
2. Explore the famous hotpot – selling hundreds of servings every day
When you come to this Cù Lao hotpot shop, you will be amazed by many interesting things!
Admiring the unique hotpot
The menu of the hotpot restaurant features 3 main dishes: fish sauce hotpot, Thai hotpot, and Cù Lao hotpot. The name Cù Lao hotpot originates from the shape of the pot. The pot is made of aluminum, with a hollow aluminum tube in the middle to hold charcoal – like a Cù Lao island in the middle of the river. The heat from the charcoal slowly heats the broth, maintaining a stable temperature to prevent the broth from thickening. The heat from the charcoal warms the broth without the need for gas stoves or alcohol burners at the bottom of the pot.
Cooking a delicious Cù Lao hotpot requires great skill, not only in flavor but also in appearance. Just looking at the Cù Lao hotpot reveals the ingenuity, meticulousness, and thorough preparation of the seller.
Photo: @onghoangtrasua
See more: Enchanted by the bubbling fish hotpot in District 11 at 020
Indulge in the enticing allure of Cù Lao hotpot, from its appearance to its flavors.
When ordering Cù Lao hotpot, diners will be mesmerized by the pot filled with an array of ingredients, visually appealing and vibrant. There are over 10 different types of ingredients: Chinese cabbage, carrots, white radishes (cut into flower shapes), green cauliflowers, white cauliflowers, straw mushrooms, onions, red peppers, chives, and cilantro. And that's just the vegetables! As for the meat, it's even more exquisite. There's pork liver, tongue, heart, stomach, intestines, and pork meat (all fully cooked). These ingredients will be arranged in the hotpot.
Photo: VNT Food & Travel
The original Cù Lao broth of the restaurant remains intact. The broth is deliciously clear and has a subtle, sweet flavor from the meat and bones, along with the various vegetables added to the pot for simmering. Cù Lao hotpot is ready to be served and enjoyed immediately, as the pot has been pre-cooked on the stove and is very hot.
Sitting by the hotpot, the crackling sound of glowing red charcoal fills the air. The aroma wafts from the broth, taking a sip of the steaming, sweet broth. Then comes the pork heart, pork meat, intestines, shrimp,... all soaked in the broth, fresh and flavorful.
Photo: @rio.thefoodlist_
Other Hotpot Varieties
Apart from Cù Lao hotpot, the restaurant's Thai hotpot and fish sauce hotpot are also popular choices among diners. The Thai and fish sauce hotpots have broth with extremely distinctive colors and aromas. These two hotpot dishes are also served in Cù Lao hotpot pots. The only difference lies in the ingredients, including sliced fish, purple eggplant, pork belly that has been stir-fried with galangal and lemongrass. Additionally, there will be other fresh ingredients such as beef, shrimp, squid,...
Photo: @ancungminhne._
3. Pricing
The restaurant has hardly increased its prices, even after the Covid-19 pandemic, maintaining its old prices while the quality hasn't dropped significantly. With reasonably priced dishes, the restaurant attracts a large number of customers, especially students.
- All hotpot varieties are priced equally: 159,000 VND/pot (including noodles and accompanying vegetables)
- Additional vegetables: 15,000 VND/plate
- Additional fish: 30,000 VND/2 pieces
- Fried spring rolls: 39,000 VND/plate
- Wrapped pork skin: 39,000 VND/plate
Photo: @ancungminhne._
4. Customer Reviews
This Cù Lao hotpot restaurant is considered the 'go-to' place for many customers and a familiar gathering spot for the youth. Below are some reviews of the eatery that Blog Mytour has compiled.
Above are the details about the Cù Lao hotpot restaurant in Binh Thanh district. If you want to savor the flavors of hotpot from the rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta region, this is an ideal destination. Let's invite your friends to come and experience it together!
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