Saigon Xôi Bắp Lady
24 Nguyễn Hữu Cầu
District 1
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The Saigon Xôi Bắp Lady
By far, the greatest thrill of writing Eating Saigon! over the past several years has been discovering a new, truly authentic Saigon Street Food Lady. Someone who has sat on the same Saigon street or small alley for decades offering her unique culinary specialty to all passers-by.
This week, Hai and I had just such a thrill when we discovered the Saigon Xôi Bắp Lady!
Hai enjoying a chat with the Saigon Xôi Bắp Lady
We sat and enjoyed a conversation and a delicious afternoon snack with her for over an hour (well, Hai did most of the talking – I did most of the eating).
You’ll find the Saigon Xôi Bắp Lady offering her treats at the base of these stairs
Sitting on her small stool at the base of a stairwell at 24 Nguyễn Hữu Cầu street, the Saigon Xôi Bắp Lady has been offering her sweet and healthy treat here for the past 32 years!
Chị Ut (“older-sister” Ut) relaxes behind a large bamboo basket holding a mountain of xôi (sticky rice). Beside the sticky rice mountain are two piles of grain “add-ons” – one of bắp (steamed corn kernels) and one of grated đậu xanh (mung bean.)
The Xôi Bắp Lady presenting today’s afternoon goodies!
The Saigon Xôi Bắp Lady scoops a pile of sticky rice into a small banana leaf, adds the grain of your choice, sprinkles it with some crispy-fried shallots, and a bit of sugar (for that afternoon sugar boost), and folds it all into a small origami taste treat.
Preparing our banana leaf full of xôi bắp
Motorbikes drivers continuously pull-up, point at her bamboo basket, toss a few bills to Chị Ut, grab their sticky treasurer, then speed away.
You can swing by on your motorbike or take just a short stroll here from the center of Chợ Tân Định (Tân Định market) on Hai Bà Trung street.
A quick stop for a tasty treat.
Enjoy this unique sweetened sticky rice snack for 10,000 – 15,000 vnd (.45 – .67 cents), depending upon the combo of corn and/or mung bean that you choose to add to your banana-leaf-wrapped taste treat.
Hai couldn’t stop talking all day about our tasty snack … and I’m looking forward to heading back tomorrow for another yummy afternoon treat.
On the street 1:00 – 5:00 pm each day
Saigon Xôi Bắp Lady
24 Nguyễn Hữu Cầu
District 1