The current owner of the porridge restaurant is Mr. Luu Van Don (Hanoi). Previously, during a visit to Ha Mo commune (Dan Phuong district, Hanoi), Mr. Don had the opportunity to enjoy porridge, a local specialty.
Impressed with the new way of eating and the special flavor of porridge, Mr. Don has cherished the idea of bringing this dish to Hanoi.
“It took me 4 months from planning, learning to successfully making this porridge dish. I want the people of the capital to know more about this dish,” Mr. Don shared.
The difference of this porridge lies in the soft, chewy noodles that are eaten with chopsticks. To make these noodles, first, Mr. Don must choose the right type of rice, wash it, and soak it in water.
Next, the rice will be ground into a liquid dough. After that, the chef will put the dough into a cloth bag and hang it up to drain.
“I have to time the dough to have the right moisture level so it can be rolled into strands. If the dough is too wet, it will be sticky and crushed, and if it is too dry, the strands will be loose,” said Don.
After obtaining the standard flour, the chef will mix it evenly into the pot of broth to cook it into porridge. The broth is simmered by Mr. Don with pork bones for many hours. The meat will be filtered out to eat with the porridge.
Traditional porridge will only include porridge, vermicelli and ribs. Mr. Don adds many side dishes such as cartilage ribs, salmon floss, minced meat, to give diners more options.
A full bowl of porridge at the restaurant will cost 55,000 VND.
Currently, Mr. Don's porridge restaurant sells about 200 - 250 bowls a day.
The first time enjoying porridge at the restaurant, Ms. Nguyen Minh Chinh (29 years old, Dong Da district) was impressed by the new way of enjoying and the harmonious flavor of the dish.
"I find the porridge quite easy to eat, the ribs are well-simmered and melt in your mouth" - Ms. Chinh said.
Mr. Vu Thanh Duy (42 years old, Thanh Xuan district) said that his office is near this area, he was curious about the strange name of the porridge so he came to experience it. "The restaurant has many side dishes to make the porridge more attractive and diners can change the taste to avoid boredom" - Mr. Duy said.
