09/26/2026
This photo was taken back in 2015 with Iphone 4, when I was still in Sài Gòn aka Ho Chi Minh City, standing in the kitchen and cooking a bowl of Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang with my own hands at my uncle’s hủ tiếu restaurant.
Back then, I never thought that more than 10 years later, I would be here in Wisconsin, getting ready to cook that same dish for people in Appleton and the Fox Valley. ❤️🇻🇳🇺🇸
For many people from Ho Chi Minh City, besides Phở and Bún Bò Huế, Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang is another dish that feels very close to home.
A bowl of Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang is all about layers.
Hủ Tiếu is skinny rice noodle, a bit more chewy than regular vermicelli.
The broth is light, clear, naturally sweet and comforting. You get the sweetness of shrimp, the tenderness of sliced pork, the richness of pork liver and ground pork, the freshness of herbs, and that soft, slightly chewy bite of the noodles all coming together in one bowl.
And if you have it khô, it becomes a completely different experience. The noodles are tossed in a savory, slightly sweet sauce that coats every strand with flavor, while a hot bowl of broth is served on the side.
It is savory, a little sweet, fresh, comforting, and full of different textures in every bite.
But for me, Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang is more than just a bowl of noodles.
It tastes like an ordinary morning in Ho Chi Minh City.
A hot bowl on the table.
A little plate of herbs on the side.
The sound of the street outside.
People coming and going.
And for a few minutes, nothing else really matters.
That feeling is probably what I miss the most.
The dish traces its roots back to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. “Nam Vang” is the traditional Vietnamese name for Phnom Penh, and over generations, Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang became deeply connected to the food culture and everyday life of Ho Chi Minh City.
Looking at this old photo now feels a little emotional for me.
In 2015, I was simply standing in a small restaurant in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, cooking a bowl of hủ tiếu.
In 2026, somehow that same bowl followed me all the way to Appleton, Wisconsin.
Life can take you very far from where you started. But sometimes, the food you grew up with has a way of bringing you right back home.
And tomorrow, I finally get to cook this one for you. ❤️
🇻🇳 HỦ TIẾU NAM VANG IS COMING TO RÔ CÀPHÊ 🇻🇳
❤️🔥Tomorrow’s Saigon Special
Saturday, September 26
👉🏻Available in both nước and khô.
Come have a little taste of Vietnam with us at Rô. Available while supplies last.
🥹From District 5, Ho Chi Minh City in 2015 to Appleton, Wisconsin in 2026.
Some dishes fill your stomach.
Some dishes bring you home. ❤️
P/S: The bowl in this photo was made by me in 2015 at Ty Quán, 236 Cao Đạt Street, Ward 1, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
