Bún Nước Huyền
38/2 Nguyễn Công Hoan
Hẻm 38
Phường 7
Phú Nhuận District
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Eating Saigon! turns 12 years old this week!
It’s hard to believe that Hai and I have been hard at work searching out, eating and writing about the best Saigon street food in this great food city for that long. But, it’s a job and we’re committed to it! 🙂
There is a growing challenge with our work, however. As Saigon booms and modernizes, gets flooded with more and more foreign tourists, and increasingly replaces individual “authentic” street food vendors with air-conditioned, “sit-down” food chains, it becomes more and more difficult for Hai and I to discover yet-undiscovered Saigon street food ladies (and gentlemen). Yet, we push on!
So, when just a few weeks ago, we successfully tracked down a rumored-to-be one of the best authentic “hidden” Saigon street food noodle vendors in town, our pursuits payed off big time!
Bún Nước Huyền is, in fact, “hidden.” Not visible from any Saigon street – and just barely visible from a small Saigon alley – this charming eatery is located at the end of a tiny alley just 4 meters off an only slightly larger alley. Finding it was a challenge. Telling you how to find it might be almost impossible! But, let’s see if we can.
As we arrived and hopped off our motorbike, I noticed everyone was young. Not just the small children at the dozen or so tables, but their 20’s- something parents as well. The looks I received as we searched for a table and stools told me it had been a long time (if ever) since a “white guy” had sat down to dine here.
Even before I turned my attention to the food, it was the sound that impressed me – or rather the lack of sound! Even with a dozen tables fully occupied and lots of families enjoying their meals, a peaceful silence was the initial surprising and enjoyable ambiance here. Maybe it was the fact that we were several alleys deep into the neighborhood, away from any major street?? Or maybe it was that everyone was focussed on the really good noodles!
Everything here was noodles – Bún (rice noodles) and Mì (wheat noodles)! But their fame arises from the Bún!
The matronly vendor here – henceforth referred to as The Saigon Bún Lady – sat at the entrance of the eatery, clearly in charge of the menu, the food production, and the cash flow. A classic Saigon street food image not to be missed.
Our first level of decision here was to try the bún, served “wet” or mì, served “dry”? Hai ordered bún. I ordered mì.
The wet thick, udon-like bún noodles presented in a soup filled with your choice of beef, pork balls ,shrimp and/or a fried egg was delicious!
My bowl of dry thinner mì noodles was served with chả (Vietnamese pork sausage), crunchy rice crackers, green onions and deep-fried shallots, together with a separate bowl of broth, also was quite good. But, I’d say Hai made the right decision going with the “wet” bún option.
Both dishes could be ordered with a fried egg on top.
Finally, to take full advantage of our culinary investigative work, we also ordered a side bowl of thập cẩm – a sampling of all the available protein options (beef, pork balls, and shrimp ). A wise move – all were delicious!
And a chilled, slightly sweet glass of rau má completed another really yummy and enjoyable Saigon street food adventure.
Bún Nước Huyền is highly recommended – as much for the tucked-away alley location and classic Saigon eating experience as for the hearty, healthy and yummy bowls of bún.
OPEN: 9:30am – 5:30 pm (Saturday thru Thursday – CLOSED FRIDAYS)
Bún Nước Huyền
38/2 Nguyễn Công Hoan
Hẻm 38
Phường 7
Phú Nhuận District