Opening a restaurant on the street that used to be famous for robbery, Ms. Ngoc made a habit of hiding knives and scissors under the cabinets of ingredients, not daring to display them on the table to avoid trouble.
“Looking for the vermicelli goods right? Just go straight to the ward police station, look at the opposite alley, you will see”.
That is how residents at 20 Thuoc Street (now Hoang Dieu Street, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City) show the way for diners to Mrs. Ngoc’s restaurant. Nested next to the alley wall, the shop has only one stall, 3 folding tables and 2 neat rows of plastic chairs. Every day, the shop only sells from 6am to 10am, then makes room for other people to do business. With no address, no signboard, the restaurant of Ms. Ngoc (73 years old) is still crowded with customers to eat. 
Beef noodle soup owned by Mrs. Ngoc is nestled next to the alley on 20 Thuoc Street (District 4, Ho Chi Minh City). “For 20 years in the business, I just put up a board to let people know what I sell. This is a small item, sitting on the street, so I don’t need a sign. Whoever wants to eat will come by himself”, the owner just said. with Zing , just quickly scoop up soup for new visitors. “No cutlery” noodle shop In 1984, Ngoc took her small family with her, leaving Hue to go to Saigon to do business. 10 years later, instead of trading dishes as in her hometown, the owner chose to sell Hue beef noodle soup as a livelihood. “Many years of trading are many years of ups and downs, nothing has been done,” she said. In the early days of the business, Mrs. Ngoc’s restaurant was even smaller than the present, with only 2 tables and chairs arranged around. “Back then, I just dared to make it small. I sat close to the alley, the shop did not have many customers to know it, so just that was enough”, the owner said. Ms. Ngoc’s business is still troubled many times due to opening a shop on 20 Thuoc Street – a place notorious for robbery and gangsterism in the past. About 15 years ago, every time she opened the goods, she was anxious to fear that someone would steal things and fight at the shop. Furniture, pots and pans used for trading can be stolen at any time. 
Years of trading in a place that is notorious for robbery and arguing in Saigon made the owner in the habit of storing knives and scissors under a drawer of raw materials. “Back then this place was called the Gypsy district, the people living here were also very badly known. Actually, there were this person, that person, not everyone in Kho 5, area 20 Thuoc, alley 148 Ton Dan. , Oxi Brick village, Dua village … are all bad people “. In addition, afraid of people on the street causing fights, riot and then taking cooking utensils to fight, Mrs. Ngoc was forced to hide all knives and scissors. Now, when order and security has been ensured, the owner still keeps the habit of storing knives, pulling down the cabinets containing the ingredients. “In recent years, this area has completely stopped robbing and fighting. Even so, I used to hide the cutlery, so it was not used to leave it on the table”. Standard noodle bowl with Hue flavor Originally from Hue, each bowl of vermicelli is carefully cared for by Mrs. Ngoc from broth, cake fibers to rolls, vegetables. To have a delicious, flavorful broth, she has to get up at 3 o’clock every morning to cook broth, stew and season to taste a typical fish sauce. Other ingredients such as beef, crab cakes, beef rolls … and herbs are all well known to be Mrs. Lanh (age 60), sister-in-law and also the owner of the woman who sells and goes shopping early. With carefulness in the cooking process, the bowl of vermicelli when served to customers is always hot, delicious and hygienic. 
A bowl of Hue beef vermicelli made by Mrs. Ngoc has a strong taste, aroma of fish sauce and full of ingredients. “Each cook can give different flavors, but delicious or not by the customer. Therefore, I always try to make a reasonable change according to the taste of the user.” Share with Zing Many diners at the restaurant, Ms. Ngoc, said that the standard taste of Hue and the warm attitude of the owner are the reason why they often come to eat. Many people even become customers, being the owner of the owner, remembering their face and their taste. Ms. Loan, residing at Ton Dan Street (District 4, Ho Chi Minh City), considers herself “a match” at Mrs. Ngoc’s restaurant. A few years ago, she came to this store with an ad from her grandmother – who lived in the opposite alley. “The owner tastes it well, but in the afternoon, the guests are very demanding. I have eaten here for a long time, used to the taste, so sometimes I will come to eat,” she said. Not only welcoming patrons, the noodle shop also attracts many curious visitors to enjoy. Hoang Le (22 years old), a student from Hanoi, shared with Zing that the food Mrs. Ngoc made has a different taste than the vermicelli bowls she has eaten in the capital. The difference is not only in the ingredients but also in the rich, sweet soup. “Hue beef vermicelli in Hanoi is very different, there is no crab roll and a lighter broth. Each place has a way of processing, but I really like the taste of this bowl”, she complimented her friend. 
Thanks to delicious food and a welcoming owner, this noodle shop has become the “gourmet restaurant” of many diners in Ho Chi Minh City. “As for strength, I still cook beef noodles” For the past two decades, Ngoc has led the noodle shop business with her sister-in-law. Food vendors, drink shops, and the two sisters rely on a small alley to do business. For several years now, due to their high age, two women have had to ask their sons to push the trolley to the point of sale. At that time, the hostess sisters arranged neat furniture and tables to welcome guests to eat. A full bowl of spring rolls is sold for 40,000 VND, but the price may vary depending on the level of diners. Even the owner often sells cheaply to poor customers who lack money. “Someone who doesn’t have enough money but wants to buy a bowl of vermicelli 10,000 dong, I also sell it. I have a fixed price, if there are customers who want to eat but don’t have money, it is very bad!”, Aunt Ngoc shared. “Selling very good food, the children do not want to follow the profession. As for me, I will still cook beef noodle soup. Working by myself, I have money for myself to spend, and have the opportunity to mobilize hands and feet, no one is happy. Blessed with me, “said Ms. Ngoc. 
Over the past 20 years, Ms. Lanh (left) has always helped her sister-in-law to do business in Ho Chi Minh City.
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