Saigon Sidewalk Chicken Sticky Rice Cart: Each Box Priced up to 40,000 Dong

Boxes brimming with meat sold by Mrs. Hanh in front of Tan Dinh Market, District 1.

Saigon Sidewalk Chicken Sticky Rice Cart: Each Box Priced up to 40,000 Dong

Situated on Hai Ba Trung Street, District 1, Mrs. Tran Thi Hanh's sticky rice cart always emits thick, fragrant smoke around 5 p.m.

Mrs. Hanh reminisces how the rice cart used to be a lifesaver for her family. 'For over 30 years, I've never stopped selling for more than 3 days. Just one day off and customers are already asking why,' Mrs. Hanh says as her hands continue to skillfully pack rice.

Although it's a sidewalk stall, this establishment sells an average of 50 kg of sticky rice each day. Mrs. Hanh and her daughter manage the main sales. The 'assembly line' also includes two people packing boxes, one handling transactions, and delivering orders to customers who order from afar.

Ms. Hanh's rice boxes captivate customers with their diverse ingredients. A complete box includes crispy fried chicken skin, chicken drumsticks, young eggs, shredded chicken, meatballs, boiled chicken gizzards and hearts. Accompanied by pickled vegetables, dried shredded pork, and scallion oil enhancing the flavor.

Depending on your taste, you can choose to add or remove any type of food, with each additional item costing 5,000 dong. The price per portion ranges from 20,000 to 40,000 dong.

Customers from all walks of life frequent the stall, buying 5 or 10 boxes as if it's a regular meal. You'll be surprised to see many foreign customers purchasing rice here without any difficulty. Thanks to Hoang Trang, Mrs. Hanh's daughter. With sufficient English skills, the twenty-year-old girl can communicate fluently with customers.

Mrs. Hanh reveals that there's no special recipe for the rice dish. 'Whether the food is delicious or not depends on each person's taste. The most important thing is not to deceive anyone,' she says.

According to many regular customers, the stall has a special sauce that enhances the taste of the food. This special sauce is made from boiled chicken hearts and meatballs.

Mr. Tuan, currently living and working in Saigon, shares: 'I've been eating here since I was a student, it's been almost 10 years now. The complete rice box comes with a lot of side dishes, sometimes too much to finish. The rice is very sticky and fragrant. The food is seasoned to perfection.'

As night falls, the address becomes increasingly bustling, buzzing on a sidewalk corner in the city center. Batch by batch, the rice and food are swiftly packed into boxes, quickly disappearing.

If in the past, the rice cart was the sole means of livelihood helping Mrs. Hanh support her family, now it's a renowned culinary destination, a place that preserves the memories of many generations connected to Saigon.

According to Di Vy/Vnexpress

***

Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook