Buzz
Southern delicacies, bold and vibrant: salty to the extreme, spicy enough to make you sweat, sour to make your face scrunch, sweet and innocent, or aggressively sweet, bitter with a sharp bite, rich and creamy, and served piping hot, making it irresistible to those already addicted, while newcomers may find themselves overwhelmed...
If not for savoring dishes through memories of past experiences, the essence of culinary art always begins with fresh, quality ingredients, the distinctive flavors of each region, and the renowned chefs whose names have become adjectives over time... Mentioning Southern cuisine, connoisseurs still recall Aunt Six Coconut Trees with fondness for both the land and the flavors that permeate like a conditioned reflex, evoking memories of signature dishes so irresistibly delicious that they defy description... As if a jest of nature, those who long for their homeland most are often the ones who have left it. In Saigon, missing Hanoi, in Kẻ Chợ, yearning for Chợ Lớn, how can one unload their sorrow amidst such confusion?... So, carrying the longing for the South to a corner of Hanoi, the daughter of Aunt Six Coconut Trees – Hai Chi - is now a talented culinary artist, tirelessly pushing the boundaries of flavor closer than ever to Northern diners...
Aunt Six Coconut Trees, whose real name is Lê Thị Vân - a folk artisan who has made significant contributions to the development of Southern culinary culture, many successful disciples have said: “When it comes to Southern cuisine, Aunt Six knows it inside out.” – surely, with every mention of her mother, she must feel immensely proud, isn’t that right, Hai Chi?
And what's her secret...?
Above all cooking techniques, the most crucial aspect is the ingredients; only with fresh, authentic ingredients can dishes truly excel. The ingredients for Saigon's delicacies are flown in daily from the South to the North by air freight and undergo strict quality control: wild vegetables, morning glory, banana flowers, broken rice, vermicelli... even condiments like black bean sauce, chili powder, green peppercorns, or five-spice blend... are transported from Saigon to Hanoi. Planning for ingredient sourcing must start early, ensuring timely delivery. All are perishable items, so proper preservation methods must be observed to maintain freshness... The downside is the high cost, but the upside is the recognition of dedication. Diners nowadays are discerning, and the journey of rustic ingredients, from vegetables to fish and crabs from the East, West, and South to reach the North, is a tale of traversing mountains and rivers that guarantees satisfaction to all who have tasted them... Then comes the skill of the chef.
One can still see the shadow of Aunt Six from the South in Hai's dishes. If she could choose, which dish would she pick as the most distinctive memory of Saigon's cuisine?
There's nothing sweeter than the bond between mother and daughter. I consider myself truly fortunate and grateful for inheriting my passion for cuisine from my mother. I started my career at 18, and now, after over 32 years in the industry, having traveled from the southernmost to the northernmost regions, bringing Vietnamese culinary bells to foreign lands across Asia and Europe, and winning numerous awards from the Tourism Corporation, nothing makes me prouder than being known as a head chef, 'Aunt Six Coconut Trees' daughter.' Currently, I am the culinary expert at Món Ngon Sài Thành restaurant (59A Huỳnh Thúc Kháng, Đống Đa, Hanoi), where I have ample 'land' to pour my love into Southern cuisine and showcase family pride.
Southern delicacies, bold and intense: salty must be profoundly salty, spicy must be fiercely spicy, sour enough to make you pucker, sweet and innocent, or intensely sweet, bitter must be distinctly bitter, rich and creamy, and still piping hot, making it a craving that's hard to shake off... How does she maintain these distinctive features while bringing Saigon cuisine to Hanoi, satisfying the refined palates of Hanoians yet preserving the authentic Southern essence?
A common reflex of ordinary chefs is to adapt recipes and flavors to suit the palates of local diners, but I do the opposite; I aim to preserve the Saigon essence in every dish. Hanoi diners are not entirely accustomed to Southern flavors. Some find the food too sweet or too sour. Fortunately, after a few tastings, they become more accustomed to the flavors, and customers end up loving it. Many initially gave negative feedback but have now become loyal patrons of the restaurant.
It's challenging because the menu at Món Ngon Sài Thành is diverse, featuring over 100 specialties from Saigon - Southern region. Guests often feel like they've stepped into Saigon but still can't get enough, with each dish representing the rural produce of Hóc Môn fields, the seafood of Cần Giờ sea to the vastness of Bình Chánh... Everyone who comes here forms their own image of Saigon, contributing their own perspective, story, and flavor... to remember, to cherish. And every day is a different story...
If I had to pick casually, I would choose something simple for today: the 'fermented fish and vegetables' dish of Southern farmers, a dish that typically combines various ingredients (sesbania flowers, water mimosa, water lily, aquatic ferns, lotus stems, purple cabbage, bitter herbs, water spinach, houttuynia cordata leaves...), with a more diverse selection of aquatic products, notably Ca Mau Crab... invited under the familiar name 'Southern Fermented Fish Hotpot,' a boiling pot of fragrant broth alongside an enticing seafood platter for dipping vegetables, with the salty yet fragrant fish sauce tantalizing the taste buds...
And what will tomorrow's story be...?
Let the dishes tell their tales every day! Món Ngon Sài Thành emerged as a humble response, catering to the homesick diners in Hanoi longing for Saigon. At Món Ngon Sài Thành, we welcome guests with generosity and sincerity, hoping that those living in Saigon can also 'absorb' the magnanimity of this tolerant land and become even more beautiful in the eyes of distant travelers...
Thank you.
Thuy Thao
Address: Món Ngon Sài Thành – 59A Huynh Thuc Khang, Dong Da District, Hanoi
For reservations and special offers, contact: 19006005
