The 35-year-old eatery is on Nguyen Sieu Street, and has long been a favorite destination for many customers. It started as a street stall, but now has moved into a spacious house with about 10 tables that can accommodate up to 50 people at a time. Many customers also order takeout.
The shop opens at 6:30 a.m. every day after Hue prepares and displays the ingredients on the counter at the entrance. She works in a small corner where customers can see the fresh ingredients.
Every day, she sells hundreds of bowls of snail noodle soup. The busiest times are from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from noon to 1 p.m., when the shop is filled with hungry customers and all the tables are occupied.
The eatery offers two dishes: hot snail noodle soup and cold snail noodle soup. Customers can choose according to their preference and the weather. The snail noodles come with fresh herbs, and customers can add shrimp paste for extra flavor.
What makes Hue's snail noodle soup stand out is the mildly sour broth, which only contains snails and no other toppings. It preserves the authentic taste of traditional Hanoi snail noodle soup. This simplicity and tradition is what attracts many customers. "Eating Hue's snail noodle soup is like tasting the traditional flavor," one customer said.
The broth is made from snail stock, vinegar and red tomatoes, giving it a sour taste that is not too strong and a clear appearance. The broth does not contain any MSG, and it is always steaming.
There are two types of snails, large and small. Hue personally picks the snails from suppliers she has known for decades. She only chooses fresh, shiny, crunchy and fatty snails. She said that after bringing the snails home, she removes the shells, cleans them, soaks them in alcohol to get rid of the fishy smell and then boils them. The boiled snails retain their crispness and freshness.
Besides snails, the shop also offers snail rolls, which are Hue's own creation. She grinds the snails, shapes them into balls and deep fries them. Each bowl of noodle soup has a few snail rolls. Customers can ask for more if they want.
A bowl of snail noodle soup costs from VND40,000 to VND100,000 ($1.71 to $4.26) depending on the amount of toppings. The noodle bowls look colorful with tomatoes, snails and snail rolls.
Hue has gained many loyal customers over the years. Tra My and her family from Hai Ba Trung District have been eating Hue's noodle soup for more than 10 years.
My said: "I like Hue's snail noodle soup because it has a light and simple taste. Among the ingredients in the bowl, I like the broth and the snail the most. The broth is mildly sour and the snail is fresh, crunchy and chewy. Also, the owner is friendly and always smiles at me, even when the shop is busy."
