This area in Ho Chi Minh City is known for its Chinese-style chicken noodle dish ‘mi ga xa ken’

Once home to only a couple of shops, the small alley on Lac Long Quan Street in Binh Thoi Ward has grown into a hub with more than a dozen eateries serving the dish.

A healthy noodle dish

Mi ga xa ken is a popular dish of the Chinese-Vietnamese community in Ho Chi Minh City.

In Vietnam, chicken is typically dipped in a salt-and-pepper mix, but this dish uses a sauce made from xa ken (aromatic ginger) mixed with soy sauce, lime, chili, sugar, and other seasonings to taste.

Aromatic ginger, also known as kencur or sand ginger, is a root in the ginger family, widely used in traditional medicine to treat various health issues.

It has a warm, pungent character and is believed to ease stomach chills, gastric pain, indigestion, and other digestive problems.

The root is also used to relieve joint pain, support bone recovery, treat toothaches, and reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain.

Decades of serving noodles

Among the eateries serving the dish in Phu Binh residential area, Co Long shop stands out as one of the oldest, with a 35-year history.

Nhat Linh, 65, the owner, said the shop’s history dates back to when she took over, though it was originally started by her mother-in-law years earlier.

At her shop, diners not only use aromatic ginger as a dipping sauce but also add a bit of it to their bowls of noodles to enhance the broth’s flavor.

Linh sources the spice from Dong Nai Province, washes it carefully, and grinds it fresh in small batches as needed.

Along with the distinctive xa ken dipping sauce, the quality of the chicken and the flavor of the broth are crucial to the success of her noodle dish.

The chicken is boiled to perfection, with tender meat and golden skin, while each bite carries a distinct aroma, subtly infused with herbal notes from the carefully prepared broth, a secret that differs from shop to shop.

Linh shared that a good bowl of mi ga xa ken must be made with free-range chicken for firm, flavorful meat.

The broth is freshly prepared each morning to ensure the dish’s quality.

Linh and her husband wake up at 3:00 am, cook the broth, boil the chicken, and set up tables and chairs.

The eatery opens at 6:00 am and closes by 11:00 am.

Regulars of decades

Linh said that with more shops opening, competition has grown, making it even more important to maintain quality to keep customers coming back.

Linh’s shop does not have a menu listing dishes or prices.

“Most of our customers are regulars who already know the dishes and prices, so it didn’t seem necessary,” she explained.

A regular bowl of mi ga xa ken at Linh’s Co Long shop fetches VND45,000 (US$1.71).

For those who prefer more chicken, a larger portion is available for VND75,000 ($2.84), with double the meat served in a separate bowl.

For customers unfamiliar with mixing the dipping sauce, the staff will happily assist.

Though called 'staff,' they are actually the couple’s daughters, sons, and daughters-in-law.

The family’s warmth and friendliness have also been a key factor in the shop’s continued success and growth.

Some regulars even travel far from the downtown to enjoy her noodles, and they have been loyal customers for decades.

What brings Linh joy after all these years is seeing this signature Chinese dish reach a wider audience while her family life remains financially stable.

“Only my family continues the mi ga xa ken shop my husband’s family built,” Linh shared. 

"We all work together here, and thanks to the shop, my husband and I have been able to support our children.

“Now that I’m getting old, I’m preparing to pass it on to my children so I can finally retire."