Ho Chi Minh City’s beloved ‘mi Quang’ serves comfort — and community — by the bowl

The shop is named after Vo Van Sam, the late husband of owner and head chef Hoang Lien, who still helms the kitchen today. 

Their son, Chuong, who now manages the family business, explains the choice.

"Dad moved to Ho Chi Minh City before mom did," he said.

"He came up with the idea to open a mi Quang stall to support the family, so we named it after him."

Teacher-turned-motorbike-taxi driver, with noodles on the side

Back in the 1990s, life was hard in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam. 

Sam, once a teacher in Que Son District, packed up for Ho Chi Minh City in search of better prospects. 

Soon, he brought along his wife and three children.

In 1993, Sam started driving a motorbike taxi while his wife carried pots of mi Quang to sell on the street. 

Each day, he saved a little to buy stools for customers. 

The makeshift stall eventually moved to a street corner, then to a house on Vo Thanh Trang Street, before settling at its current location.

"As the shop grew and more customers came, dad stopped driving and helped mom with the cooking," Chuong recalled. 

"We served from 6:00 am to 1:00 pm, then 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm. 

"Thanks to this shop, all of us kids went to school and had a better life. 

"After dad passed, I took over alongside mom."

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Mi Quang Sam served up to 2,000 bowls a day, both in-house and through delivery apps. 

Business has slowed since, Chuong admitted, with rising competition and tighter wallets among locals.

Made-to-order bowls, Quang Nam style

"This place runs like a mini army," On a recent weekend morning, a regular joked.

"The boss parks bikes, mom's behind the stove, and the wife's calling out orders on a walkie-talkie."

Chuong just laughed, "We're from Quang Nam — we do everything ourselves."

Mi Quang Sam began with just pork toppings. 

Today, the menu is stacked: pork ribs, pork knuckle, slow-cooked bones, shrimp, boiled eggs, mackerel, tuna, snakehead fish, and housemade sausage — all ready to mix and match.

"Our regulars come often," Chuong said. 

"We offer variety so they won't get bored."

Back when his father was alive, Chuong handmade the noodles and rice crackers in-house. 

Now he sources them from a trusted workshop using high-quality rice, still insisting on hand-pressed sheets.

The broth — rich, slightly sweet, made from pork bones — is one of the shop's biggest draws. 

"Everything is fresh, from the shrimp to the meats," he said. 

A small bowl of fish sauce with garlic and chili on the side gets constant praise. 

The fish sauce comes straight from Nha Trang City in Khanh Hoa Province.

A sign on the wall lets customers personalize their order: "Please request: more broth, less broth, rich, light, no scallions, no peanuts, blanched herbs, hot noodles."

"We cater to everyone," Chuong said. 

"Southerners like it brothy, northerners want it piping hot, and central folks want it just right. Whatever they ask, we make it."

Each bowl costs VND43,000 (US$1.65), including rice cracker, wet napkin, hot tea, and free motorbike parking.

Online reviews for Mi Quang Sam are mixed. 

But one thing remains certain: it is one of the busiest mi Quang spots in the Bay Hien area.

The shop's legacy is woven into the story of a hardworking family from Quang Nam, who have built a life — and a following — in bustling Ho Chi Minh City, their adopted home for nearly 40 years.