30 years of sweet success: This Vietnam dessert stall keeps foodies coming back
Sunday, August 25, 2024, 14:07 GMT+7
In the heart of Phu Yen Province’s Tuy Hoa City in south-central Vietnam sits a chè (Vietnamese sweet soup) stall that has been delighting customers with 15 different flavors for 30 years.
The unassuming stall, tucked under a large fig tree and featuring no signage, lies near Tran Hung Dao-Duy Tan Intersection.
The shop is run by Nguyen Thi My Phuong, a 54-year-old who first began selling sweet soup exactly 30 years ago.
The shop opens daily from 12:30 pm to 10:00 pm and offers nearly 15 varieties of chè, including hyacinth bean, black bean, black-eyed pea, mung bean, and jackfruit and sugar palm sweet soups.
Other options include corn sweet soup, banana sweet soup, and floating rice balls.
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| Different types of sweet soup at Nguyen Thi My Phuong’s sweet soup stall near Tran Hung Dao-Duy Tan Intersection in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Lam Thien / Tuoi Tre |
The ingredients for each of these varieties are bought fresh each morning and processed by hand.
“Although it takes quite a bit of effort, I process the ingredients myself to ensure quality for everyone to enjoy,” she said.
“It satisfies me when customers tell me my chè is delicious.”
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| Customers crowd Nguyen Thi My Phuong’s sweet soup stall near Tran Hung Dao-Duy Tan Intersection in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Lam Thien / Tuoi Tre |
According to Phuong, tourists often choose the jackfruit and sugar palm sweet soup while locals prefer the mixed sweet type.
On average, her shop sells about 100 kilograms of various sweet soups each day at VND5,000 (US$0.2) per portion.
Phuong employs three sellers and three waiters to ensure buyers get their chè as quickly as possible.
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| A serving of floating rice ball sweet soup at Nguyen Thi My Phuong’s sweet soup stall near Tran Hung Dao-Duy Tan Intersection in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Lam Thien / Tuoi Tre |
“I’ve been eating sweet soup here since I was a child,” said local resident Nguyen Phuong Nga.
“Back then, each serving cost just VND1,500 [$0.06].
"Even though I’m a grown-up now, I still think the soup is delicious and affordable.”
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| Nguyen Thi My Phuong serves sweet soup at her stall near Tran Hung Dao-Duy Tan Intersection in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Lam Thien / Tuoi Tre |
Nga also mentioned that Phuong customizes the sweet soup with extras like coconut milk, tamarind, or ice based on individual preferences, and no one has ever complained.
“My friends brought me here, and I found the sweet soup tasty and cheap,” Tran Thi Thanh Thao, a tourist from Nha Trang City in neighboring Khanh Hoa Province, said during a recent visit to the chè stall.
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| Jackfruit and sugar palm sweet soup at Nguyen Thi My Phuong’s sweet soup stall near Tran Hung Dao-Duy Tan Intersection in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Lam Thien / Tuoi Tre |
“I could easily eat four servings.
“The jackfruit and sugar palm sweet soup is particularly appealing.”
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| Nguyen Thi My Phuong’s sweet soup stall near Tran Hung Dao-Duy Tan Intersection in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Lam Thien / Tuoi Tre |
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