Located in alley 499 Ba Hat (District 10, Ho Chi Minh City), the filter coffee cart of Mr. Dung and his wife has remained for decades, preserving the flavor of the familiar drink.
Since early morning, in an alley on Ba Hat Street, District 10, an old man with gray hair and no longer flexible limbs is still busy making cups of coffee for customers. That is the coffee cart of Mr. Truong Nghiep Dung (67 years old).
In 1995, he and his wife, Ms. Luu Phung Thao (65 years old), started a small coffee cart. Because of their affinity for this familiar type of coffee, the couple always tries to retain the familiar flavor of traditional coffee cups.
Mr. Dung said: “When I started, I studied and found my own delicious coffee recipe. Then I pushed my cart to sell and by chance met my wife. They both had a passion for filter coffee, so we both decided to open sales and stick to this profession. Nearly 30 years have passed, I have kept the coffee taste I wanted, and everyone is very supportive.”
From 4:00 a.m., the couple woke up to prepare, then rode together on an old motorbike and drove through the alley to sell. By 6 a.m., the couple’s coffee cart was bustling with people. Most of them are customers who come to buy and take away because it’s in an alley so there’s no place to sit.
“In the past, I brewed and sold them at the same time, so there were many filters on the counter. Now my hands are no longer flexible, so I will mix the filters at home, put them in glass bottles and bring them here to mix. Usually I mix the filters at home. The coffee filter takes a long time, it drips for up to 4 hours. I pour water slowly so that the coffee beans come out strong, if you’re in a hurry, the coffee foams up immediately. I only use the water once per filter and don’t throw it away. Pour it back, so the coffee will be bland and no longer fragrant,” Mr. Dung shared.
The couple had to take turns running from District 10 to their home in District 8, making coffee at home and then transporting it to sell. Although it was a bit inconvenient, the couple couldn’t do anything else.
“I fell and broke my arm bone last year. During that time, I only lay down all the time. Even though I had surgery, because I did too much, the snails came out and caused a blood infection. Now I can only do a little, if it gets worse, it’s worse.” My arms can’t hold steady because my arms are so weak now,” Mr. Dung said sadly.
Their coffee has a very unique flavor. As a regular customer of the shop, Mr. Thanh Viet (54 years old) shared: “I have been drinking coffee here since Mr. Dung still brewed it on the spot. Passing this street, the aroma of coffee is so fragrant, the coffee is so strong that it Even if I carry it far away, it won’t get cold because the ice melts a lot. Therefore, I have become a regular customer of yours every morning when I go to work.”
The couple’s coffee cart only sells from about 6 a.m. until after 10 a.m. Each cup of coffee is meticulously prepared, rich in traditional filter coffee color and unique aroma, which helps to retain diners.
Ms. Mai Ly (38 years old) said she really likes the taste of coffee here. Even though I can no longer see him mixing it, the flavor remains the same as when she first learned about it.
“I often buy morning coffee to take to work. The taste of coffee here is very different from the branded coffee places that many people are familiar with. The price is cheap but still of good quality, so the coffee here has really impressed me. I am “addicted”, it has become indispensable every morning,” Ms. Ly shared.
With the concept of quality first, Mr. Dung and his wife are proud of each cup of coffee they make. Not brewing to sell more, nor focusing much on product packaging, what holds buyers back is definitely the rich coffee flavor. Each cup of coffee costs from 12,000 VND to 15,000 VND, and the taste is commented by many people as “not inferior to anywhere else”.
“I only sell it as a popular product, but it has the deliciousness of a popular product,” Mr. Dung smiled brightly.
($1=24,000 VND)
Photo,Video: Internet (Vinlove.net)