Speedy sales, self-service, don’t come quickly
There is a saying that gourmets always say: If you want to eat Bun Bo Hue, you must definitely go to Me Keo’s shop – one of the oldest noodle shops in the ancient capital. During decades of ups and downs, Me Keo beef noodle soup is still famous near and far because of the taste of the old Hue beef noodle soup. Not only Hue people, but also tourists from all over the world also come to eat, and then stay forever.
Don’t come to eat fast enough
Coming to the shop, just standing outside, I heard the voices of customers calling, “Get me a full bowl of vermicelli”, “I eat noodles with rare beef”, “don’t leave blood in my bowl”…
A warm Hue voice answered quickly, “If the bowl is full, it’s 30,000, listen to me”, “Do you have to add chili when the beef noodle soup is added?”, “Slowly, it’s your turn to not regret it and pour it all out”… While talking and doing, the owner’s hands quickly poured the broth onto the bowl of vermicelli in time to give it to the waiting diners.
Many people are willing to wait to taste the taste of the authentic bowl of vermicelli.
Bowls of vermicelli have many prices depending on the portion, ranging from 20,000 VND to 30,000 VND. Contrary to the slow lifestyle of Hue people, if you want to enjoy a bowl of vermicelli here, you have to be quick with your feet and hands to eat. The reason is not the “delicious” restaurant, but because the restaurant is crowded and runs out very quickly. “If you don’t come to eat quickly, it’s over” is a saying that every guest has to say when leaving.
After 8:30 a.m., the shop was sold out and put a sign “out of vermicelli” outside so that diners wouldn’t have to wait. Many people who came late had to regret to leave. Therefore, you should come to the shop with the time frame from 6:30 to 8:00 to enjoy the full bowl of beef noodle soup.
The address is very easy to find, located near Gia Hoi Bridge at 20 Bach Dang Street (Phu Cat Ward, Hue City, Thua Thien Hue). Just run along Bach Dang street, you can easily find it.
The noodle shop doesn’t need a sign, but it is still packed with people waiting in line to enjoy a bowl of hot vermicelli.
The beef noodle shop causes memories for people near and far
One of the special things that reminds people of Me Keo noodle shop is not only the taste, but also the ancient space of the wooden house overlooking the extremely poetic river. The restaurant is not too large, so when it is crowded, people have to wait for a while to have a table to eat. In order to enjoy the taste of a bowl of Hue-style vermicelli, people are always willing to wait a little while.
The history of the name Me Keo beef noodle soup is also very special, if not locals or long-time loyal customers, they will not know. The word “mé” in the local language of Hue people is the word “grandmother”, and Me Keo is not the name of the owner, but the name of the mother of Mrs. Bui Thi My Hoa (SN 1967), who also cooks the dishes. A delicious pot of vermicelli causes memories near and far.
Ms. Hoa said: “Me Keo is my mother’s name, she is already over 80 years old when she is over 80 years old, her real name is Nguyen Thi Buoi. Mother raised her children with a load of bun bo ni and then passed the job on to me, acquaintances and regular customers all know that mother and daughter should force their mouths to order vermicelli Me Keo. From my mother’s time to my life, the beef noodle soup has existed for more than 70 years.”
The name Me Keo was called by the former and then also by the latter, gradually Mrs. Hoa’s real name was no longer mentioned. Ms. Hoa did not explain but was always proud of being mentioned with such a dear name.
Recounting the old story, Mrs. Hoa said: “In those days, there were no conditions to sell in a wooden house like this, but we had to sell on the sidewalk, the broth was cooked in a braised pot, transported by cyclo to the sidewalk at the foot of Gia Hoi bridge to sell. It has been 7 years since the vermicelli burden has been moved into position in the wooden house.
In the past, in order to learn how to cook beef noodle soup, I had to watch my mother do it, when my mother cooked my teeth, I imitated it and followed it.“.
The small noodle soup is placed on a clean floor, 2 pots of broth are smoking, emitting a characteristic aroma of the broth, which is rich in lemongrass flavor but very clear and slightly spicy on the tongue. The broth is cooked with all the blood tendons, spring rolls, pork rolls…
In order for the broth to be naturally sweet, it must be stewed for many hours, combined with Hue’s typical spices, which are shrimp and lemongrass. This is also the long-standing secret of being cooked in the ancient traditional style of the Hue people. Although Me Keo is old, she still helps Mrs. Hoa to cook the broth.
With other restaurants, when you come to eat, you just need to find an empty table and then sit down and wait for the staff to bring it out and enjoy, whereas Me Keo restaurant has a “principle” that if you want to eat, you will stand in line to order. Then I will wait to get a bowl of vermicelli on the spot and pay for it.
In addition, the accompanying raw vegetables are also taken by themselves, without the waiter. If you are a newbie or diners near and far coming to the shop for the first time, it will be a bit surprised and quite strange with the service at Me Keo restaurant.
The old vermicelli bowl of Me Keo restaurant did not have rare beef, but only medium-sized sliced pork belly, pork blood and crab cakes… But in recent years to suit the taste of many people, Mrs. Hoa has let add rare beef for customers to choose. There is only one change in Me Keo’s beef noodle soup, the rest, the taste of the broth is still “original” and is not different from the comments of many “mothers” and regular customers.
Hung is a son of Hue but has been away from home for 10 years, after many years of waiting, he returned and went back to find the taste of Hue beef noodle soup that he used to eat in the past.
We happened to eat a bowl of vermicelli at the same table with Mr. Hung (SN 1991), a son of Hue who has been away from home for 10 years. 10 years away from home to set up a career in La, he said he always wanted to enjoy a bowl of dear Hue beef noodle soup at the place where he was born.
“In Laos, there used to be a Hue beef noodle shop, but then they sold it for a while, then closed the shop and returned to my hometown, since then I can no longer enjoy the taste of Hue beef noodle soup. In Laos, it’s really difficult to find a restaurant that cooks with the right taste of the homeland. Hung shared.
After eating the bowl of vermicelli, Mr. Hung added: “After many years away from home, it is only now that I can find the original taste, the original here is not only the taste of the broth, but also the people, the soul, the landscape and the familiar Hue voices echoing outside. ears…
Each beef noodle shop will have a different taste and have more or less changes in the way of serving and restaurants. However, the Hue people are still like that, still rustic, simple, hospitable and always preserving the traditions of the old capital.
The culinary quintessence of the ancient capital of Hue always makes tourists near and far wonder because of the unforgettable taste, especially the taste of the beef noodle bowl. Children far from home are sobbing thinking about the place where their umbilical cords were buried to find a bowl of vermicelli with the flavor of childhood, the taste of the mother and mother who used to cook for her when she was a child.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: cafebiz.vn – Read the original article here
