Saigonese queue for $3 banh mi
After HCMC eased Covid restrictions, queues have formed every afternoon in front of a famous banh mi shop in District 1.
A long line of customers and shippers wait their turn in front of the Huynh Hoa stall on Le Thi Rieng Street in District 1, which has been operating for over 30 years. |
The banh mi here is among the most expensive in the city at VND58,000 ($2.54), but still has loyal customers for its layers of meat, cold cuts and generous sprinkling of pork floss. Some also love its unique mayonnaise mix. |
Each loaf weighs about 400 grams, filled with four to six different kinds of meats, pork floss, pate, butter, cucumber, daikon and carrot pickle, cilantro and chili. According to the shop owner, all the fillings are homemade based on their own recipe, so they have a unique flavor that has attracted customers for years. |
The shop has 16 staff and all have been fully vaccinated. |
The shop sells from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, peaking between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. when queues form outside. |
During peak hours, customers have to wait from 20 minutes to over half an hour. |
Riding a motorbike for more than 10 kilometers from home in Binh Thanh District to buy four loaves of bread, Tran Thi Mong Lien said: “The bread here is a bit expensive compared to other places but it’s delicious with its own unique flavor.” |
The shop sells hundreds of loaves of bread per day. In future, it plans to open a new branch. |
Source: E.vnexpress.net