Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang at Đạt Thành ~ Reliably Delicious

Hai and I have a nightly ritual concerning where we will eat dinner.

Each evening after work and after our respective workouts at California Wow we hop on Hai’s motorbike and head down Le Lai Street off to dinner.  But where?

Immediately, Hai will ask, “Where do you want to eat?” He’s driving, so a quick answer is more crucial for him.  As we swerve on the motorbike through traffic, around pedestrians, up onto sidewalks, and darting around Saigon’s buses, trucks, chickens, and food vendors, there are four possible scenarios.

First, there are those nights when I know exactly what I want to eat and Hai has no clear idea.  Perhaps I’ve been working on Eating Saigon! blog all day and in the process have stumbled on a must-try street food vendor.  So, Hai, with no clear plan of his own agrees with my suggestion and off we go to hunt down another exciting Saigon eating adventure.  Those are my favorite days. 🙂

Then there are those nights when roles are reversed.  When Hai has something clear in mind for dinner and  I am Mr. Flexible.  (Maybe I had a big lunch and dinner is not critical anyway 🙂 )  Or maybe I know Hai is on to some new and wonderful eatery in one of the more remote Saigon districts.  Those are also our fun nights!

Occasionally there are the negotiation nights.  I know clearly what I have felt like eating all day long, and Hai has already decided on a different dining preference.  Hmmm, could get tense.

This is where true love comes in.  “Of course if you loved me you’d want to eat with me at my choice tonight.”  ” Yes, and if  YOU loved ME, then  ….”    Well, maybe two sequential dinners are in order tonight?  Sometimes yes – not often.  But, eventually love prevails and someone happily (eventually) agrees (succumbs) to the other’s dining preference (demand). Those nights are a mixed bag – sometimes excellent (“Good idea, Hai”), sometimes terrible (“I really wish we had gone to my restaurant ….”).

Lastly, there are those nights where neither Hai nor I have a preference where to eat.  “Street food, Hai?”  “I don’t care.”  “Mr. Joe, do you want western food tonight?” ” Not necessarily. How about you?”  “I don’t care. So decide.” “No you decide.” Those are the nights we drive in silence heading back towards home and find ourselves eating hủ tiếu nam vang at Đạt Thành on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street – just a few blocks from home.

Đạt Thành is probably the most reliably consistent restaurant I know for very good food, anytime day or night, literally.  So it’s actually a great place to end up eating on those decision-less where-to-eat nights.

The hủ tiếu nam vang is always fresh and delicious.  Filled with meats and vegetables, it’s a balanced nutritious meal that’s really really tasty.  The pork liver is so flavorful, the ground pork sweet, the large shrimp firm and moist, and the hủ tiếu noodles slightly chewy as they are best served. Bits of cauliflower, green onions, quail eggs, bean sprouts, and an assortment of fresh herb leaves make this a great meal – breakfast, lunch or dinner. Both Hai and I prefer to order hủ tiếu nam vang “khô”.  That’s “dry”,  meaning the somewhat sweet soup broth is served in a separate bowl from all the other ingredients.  You dip into the broth or spoon the broth  over the bowl of meats and vegetables “as you go”.   Very wonderful!

The friendly folk here serve up excellent hủ tiếu nam vang 23.5 hours each day.  They put the covers on their soup pots for 30 minutes each day, from 3:30 am – 4:00 am to take a short breather, freshen up the small restaurant, and shuffle shifts.

UPDATE – January, 2016: Continuously re-confirmed as one of our all-time favorites.

UPDATE – January, 2018: Still excellent, YUM!!

UPDATE – February, 2019: Recently renovated … looking better all the time.  And the hủ tiếu nam vang is still a must -try!

UPDATE – January, 2020:  Still going strong … still great food!

UPDATE – February, 2023:  Very popular & still great hủ tiếu nam vang!

Đạt Thành
607 C Cach Mang Thang Tam
P. 15, District 10
0938 983828 – 0908 552242

Open 24 hours – closed  3:30-4:00 am

View Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang at Đạt Thành in a larger map