In July, the Đạt Thành eatery in Ho Chi Minh City closed its doors; for more than thirty years it had been known for its bột chiên, or fried batter cakes. The establishment on Võ Văn Tần Street was well known across the city, and news of its closing was met with regret by many residents, for whom the taste of this food was bound up with memories.
A notice appeared in front of the old café: "From 1 July 2026, the Đạt Thành eatery will cease operations. Thank you for your support." Yet three months later, reports began to circulate on social media that the famous bột chiên had returned.
As the Vietnamese newspaper Thanh Niên reports, about ten days ago a new outlet under the same name did indeed open in an alley opposite the former location. The same people who cooked before are cooking there. Now the food is sold mainly for takeaway and through delivery services.
A representative of the family, Ms. Mi, told journalists that they had decided to close the old café because, after decades of work, family members had grown older and it was time to rest. But recently the family decided to resume the business. "There are only three of us left who still have the strength to work," she explained. "We opened in our ancestors' house so that it would match what we are able to do now."
According to her, their eatery was one of the first on Võ Văn Tần Street, once famous precisely for this dish. The business has now passed to the family's second generation. Besides bột chiên, they also make fried noodles, taro, bánh hỏi, as well as salads and spring rolls.
Regular customers are delighted that their favourite dish has returned. One buyer, Mr. Thanh Duong, upon hearing the news, came with a friend to fetch food. He had thought he would never taste this bột chiên again, and he is glad that its flavour has survived, even though one can no longer sit down in the café itself.
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