{"id":2360,"date":"2020-06-02T18:10:07","date_gmt":"2020-06-02T10:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=2360"},"modified":"2020-09-14T22:36:01","modified_gmt":"2020-09-14T14:36:01","slug":"lunch-lady-saigon-vancouver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/lunch-lady-saigon-vancouver\/","title":{"rendered":"“Lunch Lady” Saigon Food Stall Made Famous By Anthony Bourdain To Open In Vancouver, Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cLunch Lady\u201d will open to diners in Vancouver<\/h2>\n
\n

For those who are fans of the late world-famous chef Anthony Bourdain<\/strong>, his travel and food show called No Reservations<\/em> <\/strong>is a must-watch. Hosted by Anthony Bourdain himself, the show features his exploration of the cultures and cuisines of the countries he visited.<\/p>\n

Featured on No Reservations<\/em> <\/strong>in 2009, Mdm. Nguyen Thi Thanh, dubbed by the late chef himself as the \u201cLunch Lady\u201d<\/strong>, became famous all over the world. Her humble street food stall in Saigon, fittingly also named \u201cLunch Lady\u201d, is still attracting local foodies and curious tourists every day.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now, foodies outside Vietnam will be able to try her <\/strong>Saigonese street food<\/strong><\/a> in Vancouver, Canada, <\/strong>where she is opening her first overseas branch.<\/p>\n

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\u201cLunch Lady\u201d food stall in Saigon<\/h3>\n
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\"Lunch
\nLunch Lady stall <\/em><\/a>at <\/em>Lot D, Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Saigon
\n<\/em>Image adapted from: <\/em>Best Ever Food Review Show<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

What has set the Lunch Lady\u2019s stall apart for the past decade is that her soup menu rotates daily <\/strong>depending on what\u2019s available at the local market. That means diners can expect a different soup dish every time they go to her food stall, and never get bored of eating there.<\/p>\n

\"Lunch
\nDiners eating at the \u201cLunch Lady\u201d
\n<\/em>Image adapted from: <\/em>Best Ever Food Review Show<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Mdm. Thanh shared that what makes her dishes delicious is the harmonious combination<\/strong> of the broth, noodles, and other ingredients. But taste is not the only thing that keeps her diners coming back, as the dishes she prepares look like works of art itself. Incredibly, her meals cost around an affordable VND30,000 to VND60,000 (~USD1.29-USD2.59) <\/strong>per portion, depending on what is served on that particular day.<\/p>\n

\"LunchCrab noodle soup
\nImage adapted from: <\/em>Best Ever Food Review Show<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLunch Lady\u201d only opens from 11AM to 3PM<\/strong> during lunch time. For those who are eager to taste Bourdain-approved soup dishes, try to reach the stall early before all of the dishes are sold out.<\/p>\n

\"Lunch
\nMdm. Thanh talking about Anthony Bourdain
\n<\/em>Image credit: <\/em>Best Ever Food Review Show<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Speaking about Anthony Bourdain in the Best Ever Food Review Show<\/a> video, Mdm. Thanh shared her gratitude to the late chef in tears.<\/p>\n

She said, \u201cHe\u2019s a friend and also the one I\u2019m deeply grateful for. <\/strong>There were times he was in town and too busy to visit me, but caring enough to ask someone else to send me regards.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lunch
\nMdm. Thanh\u2019s cookbook
\n<\/em>Image credit: <\/em>Best Ever Food Review Show<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Since she started to become famous, Mdm. Thanh started writing a cookbook in which she shared all of her recipes for her renowned selection of soup dishes<\/strong>. These books are on sale at her own food stall.<\/p>\n

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From Saigon to Vancouver<\/h3>\n
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Intrigued by the Lunch Lady\u2019s cooking featured in the No Reservations<\/em> show, Michael Tran, the son of a Vietnamese restaurateur in Canada, visited her stall during his first trip to Saigon in 2012.<\/p>\n

He fell in love with the dishes served at \u201cLunch Lady\u201d, out of which her b\u00fan m\u1eafm<\/em><\/strong>, or rice noodles in fish sauce<\/em><\/strong>, is his favorite. The more Michael explored the food scene here, the more determined he was in opening a restaurant inspired by the food at \u201cLunch Lady\u201d.<\/p>\n

Michael’s idea was wholeheartedly supported by his mother, Victoria Tran, who immigrated from Saigon to Canada at the age of 15 and now runs the Five Elements Cafe, a popular Thai-Vietnamese restaurant in Vancouver<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Lunch
\nVictoria Tran (far right) cooking on a Global BC show in Canada
\n<\/em>Image credit: <\/em>Robert Mack<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

With the help from Vancouver-based chef Benedict Lim and the owner of the Lunch Lady stall herself, plans are set in motion to introduce her Saigonese street food to the residents of Vancouver, reports Vancouver-based news source The Georgia Straight<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe design aims to be utilitarian and unobtrusive, allowing the bright colours of the food<\/strong> to take the spotlight,\u201d Michael Tran explained the design of the Lunch Lady restaurant in Vancouver.<\/p>\n

\"Lunch
\nA poster introducing the upcoming opening of Lunch Lady in Vancouver, and the dishes to be served
\nImage credit: <\/em>Daily Hive<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

A poster shared on Daily Hive, printed with classic ’70s fonts<\/strong> and colors <\/strong>reminiscent of the old Saigon offers a sneak peek into the Vancouver Lunch Lady menu.<\/strong> All of these dishes are noodle soups, cooked with authentic ingredients.<\/p>\n

Diners will find Saigon residents\u2019 favorite noodle soup dishes<\/strong> such as crab noodle soup (b\u00fan ri\u00eau<\/em>) and rice noodles in fish soup (b\u00fan m\u1eafm<\/em>). Specialties of Vietnam\u2019s central regions such as Hue beef noodle soup (b\u00fan b\u00f2 Hu\u1ebf<\/em>) and Quang duck noodle soup (m\u00ec v\u1ecbt ti\u1ec1m m\u00ec Qu\u1ea3ng<\/em>) are also among the offerings.<\/p>\n

A Thai dish cooked with Victoria Tran\u2019s recipe, <\/strong>Thai noodle soup (B\u00fan Th\u00e1i<\/em>) is also on the menu.<\/p>\n

\"Lunch
\nImage credit: <\/em>Daily Hive<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Even though the official opening of Vancouver\u2019s Lunch Lady restaurant has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant has begun operations.<\/p>\n

Not deterred by COVID-19, it even partnered up with Feed the Frontline Canada<\/a> to give local frontline heroes at Vancouver General Hospital and St. Paul\u2019s Hospital 80 delicious meals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Lunch
\nA meal provided by the Lunch Lady restaurant in Vancouver
\n<\/em>Image credit: <\/em>Lunch Lady<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Even without a proper opening, the newly opened Lunch Lady in Vancouver made an impressive debut.<\/p>\n

\"Lunch
\nHospital workers in Vancouver holding meal boxes from Lunch Lady
\n<\/em>Image credit: <\/em>Lunch Lady<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

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The Lunch Lady restaurant will introduce Vietnamese food to diners abroad<\/h3>\n
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Vietnam boasts one of the most delicious, healthy, yet humble foods<\/strong> in the world, the most notable of which are b\u00e1nh m\u00ec <\/em>and ph\u1edf – <\/em>but there’s much more to eat at the Lunch Lady’s stall and now her restaurant abroad.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re glad to see more people coming to Vietnam to retrace Anthony Bourdain\u2019s footsteps from when he explored the food scene here, as well as those who are passionate about bringing our <\/strong>local food <\/strong><\/a>culture<\/strong><\/a> to the world.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Lunch Lady in Vancouver<\/strong><\/p>\n

Address:<\/span> <\/strong>1046 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
\nTelephone:<\/strong> <\/span>604-559-5938<\/p>\n

Website<\/a><\/p>\n

Also check out:<\/p>\n