With his passion about best food of the Southwest Viet Nam, especially ‘hu tieu muc’ (squid tapioca noodle soup), Nguyen Huu Thanh, a native of Da Nang, decided to open his own eatery selling this kind of ‘hu tieu’ in his hometown.

A bowl of ‘hu tieu muc’

Set in a small alley No 15/4 on Le Hong Phong Street in Hai Chau District, Thanh’s eatery has become very popular with locals and tourists, especially those who want to discover this kind of Southwest region-style ‘hu tieu’.

The eatery features spacious areas with simple but rustic decorations which make customers feel relaxed and comfortable while they enjoy tasty food with their family members and friends.

Thanh said ‘Hu Tieu’ (tapioca noodle soup) is one of the most popular breakfast dishes in Viet Nam. It’s usually served either as a soup (hu tieu nuoc) or as a salad (hu tieu kho). It's typically accompanied with vegetables, bean sprouts, chili sauce and soy sauce.

The 31-year-old Da Nang man added, five years ago, he had the opportunity to enjoy a bowl of ‘hu tieu muc’ cooked by his female relative during his visit to Southwest Viet Nam, and he was really impressed with the quintessential and frugal flavour of this kind of food.

After realising that there is no restaurant in Da Nang selling ‘hu tieu muc’, he decided to open an eatery selling this delicious but cheap dish.

Thanh remarked tapioca noodles, pork bones, quail eggs, fresh squid, Ca Mau river prawns, and fried garlic are the main ingredients for cooking ‘hu tieu muc’. The excellent combination of pork bone broth and squid and prawns will bring a sweet, savory, and deeply complex flavour to all dinners.

The venue opens daily from 6.30am - 9pm.

By KHANH QUYEN - Translated by M.D