Saigon Soymilk Lady
288 Doan Van Bo
P.10, District 4
*****
Hai doesn’t currently make sữa đậu nành (soymilk drink) in his restaurant. But at home, he does prepare the best sữa đậu nành in Saigon.
Sữa đậu nành đặc biệt.! (very special soymilk drink)
Well, at least he DID!
Now I hope Hai doesn’t read this post, but the truth be told, there’s a little old lady sitting on a plastic stool in a small alley in District 4 that may have him beat when it comes to cooking up the most flavorful soymilk drink in Saigon (perhaps in all of Vietnam).
Hai’s friend, Hai, enjoying his favorite soymilk drink
One evening last month, our friend, Hai (not Eating Saigon!’s Hai, but Eating Saigon!’s Hai’s friend Hai) proudly invited us to discover and partake of his favorite drink in Saigon – sữa đậu nành đặc biệt.
“A very special soymilk drink”, he explained. But he’d have to take us there since it was a bit of a challenge to locate the place.
Off we went, crossing the river from District 1 into District 4, navigating a few quick turns, and speeding down a narrow and over-crowded alleyway, until we swerved to a stop.
There she sat! The smiling Saigon Soymilk Lady.
The Saigon Soymilk Lady
Simmering up her soybean milk brew in this tiny, busy alley for over a decade as we were to find out.
Hai (the other Hai) ordered up drinks for us all. He explained we would have to try both the Saigon Soymilk Lady‘s regular and special brews. Well, okay.
Brewing up Saigon’s best sữa đậu nành đặc biệt
We all sat in the darkness on our respective motorbikes sipping away. First the regular, then the special blend.
Yum! Yum! Yum!
Both drinks were rich, creamy and subtly delicious. But, by far, my favorite was the sữa đậu nành đặc biệt – the delux version, blending soybean milk, green bean paste and a raw egg. Really really delicious.
A simple glass of sữa đậu nành (soybean milk) will cost you 5,000 vnd (25 cents USD) and the deluxe blend 10,000 vnd (50 cents).
Drive-up sữa đậu nành (soymilk drink)
The Saigon Soymilk Lady offers her drinks only in the evenings, from 8:00 pm until about 1:00 am (unless she runs out earlier).
UPDATE – February 2016: Sadly, The Saigon Soymilk Lady, has taken ill. Hai and I drove-up here three nights ago on our motorbike to find that her daughter is now sitting-in for her. They (and we) are hoping that The Saigon Soymilk Lady will be returning to her post soon … but no one is certain. We wish her well! The sữa đậu nành is still excellent, still the same price, and still being served during the same hours.
Saigon Soymilk Lady
288 Doan Van Bo
P.10, District 4
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