{"id":10893,"date":"2022-04-12T11:37:17","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T03:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=10893"},"modified":"2022-04-12T11:37:17","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T03:37:17","slug":"ba-lu-cafe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/ba-lu-cafe\/","title":{"rendered":"Ba L\u00f9 Cafe: Cholon 70-Year-Old Cafe Where You Can Sip Signature Chinese-Vietnamese Net Coffee"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ba L\u00f9 cafe – Cholon signature net coffee<\/h2>\n
\n

Coffee<\/a> plays an essential role in the daily life of many Vietnamese people. The Chinese-Vietnamese living in Cholon also have their own version of coffee, namely c\u00e0 ph\u00ea v\u1ee3t, <\/em><\/strong>or c\u00e0 ph\u00ea v\u1edb<\/em>, <\/strong>meaning net coffee <\/strong>and sock coffee<\/strong> respectively.<\/p>\n

Among many cafes in Cholon, Ba L\u00f9 Cafe<\/strong> has been much loved for more than half a century for its distinctive net coffee.<\/p>\n

\n

The coffee beans are roasted on site<\/h3>\n
\n

\"Ba
\nBa L\u00f9 Cafe is a coffee stall in Ph\u00f9ng H\u01b0ng Market<\/em>
\nImage credit: Dao Tran<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Situated in Ch\u1ee3 Ph\u00f9ng H\u01b0ng, also known as Ch\u1ee3 Th\u1ee7 \u0110\u00f4 of Cholon, Ba L\u00f9 is just as small as most food stalls and coffeehouses in town are.<\/p>\n

However, don’t let its modest appearance fool you. Ba L\u00f9 Cafe is famous not only in Cholon but also across Ho Chi Minh City thanks to its original net coffee.<\/p>\n

\"Coffee
\nThe coffee beans are roasted in front of the cafe<\/em>
\nImage credit: Tr\u01b0\u01a1ng \u0110\u00f4ng H\u1ea3i<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

At Ba L\u00f9, the roasting of coffee beans takes place almost every day in a traditional way. Beans are added into a metal cylinder before the roaster rotates it in a big flame.<\/p>\n

During the rotation process, additives such as bretel butter are added. When the beans are well roasted, the roaster will pour them on a canvas and spray liquor on the hot beans to enhance their flavor.<\/p>\n

As the roasting process is conducted right on the market way in front of the cafe, if you’re lucky, you may have a chance to see it. When the beans get cooler, they will be ground and made into net coffee. The resulted coffee will be reddish-brown compared to totally black or dark brown like with regular coffee.<\/p>\n

\n

They are one of the first net coffee places in town<\/h3>\n
\n

\"Net
\nThe coffee is brewed in a big heated pot and poured into smaller cups<\/em>
\nImage credit: Dao Tran<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Established in 1953, Ba L\u00f9 is among one of the first net coffee spots in Cholon. For about half a century, the cafe has established its reputation for good net coffee.<\/p>\n

The recipe has stayed unchanged for more than 60 years, meaning the taste you are enjoying may even be older than you. Currently, the cafe only serves iced and hot black coffee, with or without condensed milk. Takeaways are available.<\/p>\n