A Tasty Secret: Ho Chi Minh City’s 40-Year-Old Porridge and Peanut Worm Shop

Tucked away on Trinh Dinh Trong Street in Ho Chi Minh City is a humble porridge shop with a 40-year legacy. The unassuming eatery, located at 104/22B, specializes in traditional Teochew-style porridge, a simple yet comforting dish.

At the heart of their menu is plain rice porridge, a blank canvas for a variety of toppings and accompaniments. Diners can customize their bowl with options like meat, offal, shrimp, fish, and even peanut worms. Each bowl is served with crown daisy, pickled or fresh ginger, and deep-fried dough sticks, along with soy or fish sauce for an added punch of flavor.

Portion sizes vary to suit different appetites. A bowl brimming with toppings will set you back VND70,000 ($2.79), while the standard and smaller portions, with fewer accompaniments, are priced at VND60,000 ($2.39) and VND50,000 ($1.99), respectively. For those who want to indulge in the toppings without the porridge, the shop also offers the option of having meat, offal, seafood, or peanut worms with broth only.

One of the shop’s most distinctive offerings is the peanut worms. Fresh and finger-long, these worms have eye-catching stripes running along their bodies, which are actually part of their internal structure. The preparation process is meticulous, involving multiple washings in saltwater and a soak in ice water to ensure they retain their crisp texture.

The peanut worms, like all the ingredients used, are kept fresh until an order is placed. They are then cooked with spices and added to the porridge upon request. The worms have a chewy texture with a slight crispness and a subtle earthy aroma. This dish is best enjoyed hot, as the worms can become chewy if left too long.

A Hidden Gem, Loved by Locals

Nestled in a narrow alley, this porridge shop has built a loyal following over its four decades of operation. While it primarily attracts regular customers, it has also seen an influx of curious visitors eager to try the peanut worms, especially on weekends.

The shop’s history can be traced back to Binh’s father, who learned the traditional Teochew porridge recipe from a relative. Starting with a menu of pork and offal, they later expanded to include seafood. The introduction of peanut worms about 10-15 years ago added a unique twist and drew even more attention to this hidden gem.

Stir-fried peanut worms with garlic are a staple in the local Chinese community’s daily meals. By adding this ingredient to his porridge, Binh’s father created a unique offering that set his shop apart. The innovation was well-received, and the shop’s reputation grew.

Today, the shop is managed by Binh’s brother and his wife, who continue the tradition of preparing porridge from early morning. The porridge itself is made with seasoned rice, slowly cooked until the grains reach the perfect soft texture. When an order comes in, fresh ingredients are cooked with a special blend of seasonings and added to the porridge, which is then garnished with onions and a drizzle of sesame oil before being served.

The shop’s operating hours are from 6:00 am to 11:00 am, and they reopen from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm. In the afternoon and evening, they offer additional dishes such as stewed black chicken, pig brain, pig heart, and bull testicles for those seeking a heartier meal.

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