If you ever travel to the West and pass through Tien Giang, be sure to stop by My Tho for some noodle soup. My Tho noodle soup (Hu tieu My Tho) is the finest specialty of the region.
What creates the unique flavor that has made My Tho noodle soup famous since the 1960s is the careful selection of rice to make the noodle strands and the specific broth recipes of My Tho’s renowned chefs. The characteristic of My Tho noodle soup is its small, dry, and chewy strands with a slightly tart undertone, creating a distinct profile that cannot be mistaken for noodle soup from anywhere else.
– Hu tieu Chu 7 (Uncle 7’s Noodles): Located diagonally across from Thao Nguyen Pharmacy (heading from Le Loi up the slope of Nguyen Trai Bridge). The noodles here are special for their small, chewy strands, delicious dipping sauce, and ingredients including sliced pork, liver, stomach, small intestine, and wontons.
– Hu tieu Xiu Mai (Siu Mai Noodles) near Chu 7: (Opposite the P7 Citizen Reception Point). This place is special because you can order an extra siu mai (meatball) on the side; they also sell siu mai bread (banh mi xiu mai).
– Hu tieu 8 Lai: Opposite Vietcombank on Dinh Bo Linh Street. The noodles here are unique for the addition of a fried wonton, and when you finish the bowl, you will find very tasty dried shrimp at the bottom.
– Hu tieu 10 Tuan: Next to Hu tieu 8 Lai. The noodles here are especially good when you order an extra bowl of poached eggs.
– Hu tieu Rua (Turtle Noodles): Near the slope of Hung Vuong Bridge. Here, ordering a bowl of plain wontons or thick rice noodles (banh canh) is often recommended over the standard noodle soup.
– Hu tieu Dau Gieng Nuoc (Water Wellhead Noodles) on Ap Bac Street: You can vary your palate by ordering your noodles with shrimp, squid, or quail eggs. Additionally, there are several other decent spots such as:
– Hu tieu 4 Lun near the old market (Cho Cu).
– Hu tieu Tuyet Trinh on Ap Bac Street.
– Hu tieu 44 on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street.
– Hu tieu stall near Bao Viet Insurance.
In any noodle shop in My Tho, you will see an array of condiments on the table: fish sauce, soy sauce, chili sauce, hoisin sauce, lime, raw bean sprouts, bird’s eye chilies, garlic, and diagonally sliced buffalo horn chilies. The herb basket usually contains culantro and basil, which are indispensable. The broth is exceptionally delicious thanks to traditional family secrets.
