Suspended noodle portions warm both stomachs and hearts in Ho Chi Minh City

Located on Pham The Hien Street, Nhu Y eatery starts buzzing with customers from 6:00 am, selling three dishes of bun rieu (Vietnamese crab noodle soup), bun moc (Vietnamese pork meatball noodle soup), and special 'bun treo.'

The concept of 'bun treo' at Nhu Y was born about a year ago when Hong, the owner of the shop, was scrolling through social media and came across a 'pho treo' initiative in Hanoi.

The 'treo (pending on something)' model is a pay-it-forward system where customers can prepay for a meal that will be set aside for someone in need, allowing them to enjoy a warm dish at no cost.

Launched on September 9, 2024, the program initially offered up to 70–80 bowls of bun treo a day. Over time, the number settled at around 15-20 bowls daily.

When donations run out, the shop often covers the cost itself to make sure no one leaves hungry.

On days with no prepaid noodles available, Hong will offer other food like steamed buns, sticky rice, or banh mi, so that anyone who comes in never has to leave empty-handed.

Aside from direct donations at the shop, people from other places have also embraced the idea by sponsoring pending meals online.

To ensure transparency, Truong Tran Nhu Y, Hong’s daughter, created a Facebook page called 'Bun Treo 1829,' where she posts monthly statements listing every contribution from supporters.

Reflecting on a year of serving bowls of kindness, Nhu Y recalled one moment that touched her and her mother deeply.

"A disabled lottery ticket seller once came in and donated VND200,000 [US$7.66], enough for eight bowls of noodles,” Y said.

“He said he had had a successful day and wanted to share with those less fortunate.

“Another time, he came back to receive a suspended bowl instead of donating.

“That’s when I realized that those who give aren’t always wealthy. 

"Sometimes, they just happen to have more than they need that day, and they want to pass that love along."

A full meal for one dollar

Nhu Y, 28, revealed that the family eatery has been running for nearly 20 years.

In the early days, her mother tried many dishes, from beef stew, pho, to com tam (broken rice), but eventually settled on cooking bun moc and bun rieu.

"Back when she sold broken rice, my mother once burned her right arm badly because she was too busy with customers," Nhu Y recalled.

"Since then, we’ve never let her cook rice dishes again. 

"She missed running the eatery, though, so she switched to noodles which require less time near the stove."

Despite being a modest street stall, Hong works from dawn till late.

She wakes at 4:00 am every day to head to the market, carefully selecting the freshest ingredients for her broth and toppings.

Each bowl of bun rieu or bun moc at Nhu Y eatery costs just VND25,000 ($0.96), yet it is generously packed with toppings that can leave an adult feeling completely full.

Nhu Y eatery’s bun rieu features a clear yet flavorful broth, infused with natural sweetness from fresh field crabs, gentle sourness from tomatoes, and a fragrant touch of fermented shrimp paste.

Bun moc at the venue, meanwhile, has a broth made from simmered pork bones, served with handmade pork balls that are chewy and richly meaty, creating a perfect harmony in every spoonful.

What makes these bowls extra special is that every recipe is developed by Hong herself, refined over decades of experience.

According to Nhu Y, her mother has a unique gift.

"Wherever she eats something good, she’ll come home and recreate it exactly the same,” Nhu Y revealed.

The daughter also often brings her mother new dishes to try, which they would recreate together.

“That’s how our bun rieu and bun moc started too,” Nhu Y said.

“Mom loves bun, and no one nearby was selling it, so she tried it out, and people loved it."