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No one knows when knocking noodle soup came into existence. But those who have spent time living in Saigon must have seen noodle carts knocking on street corners and sidewalks every night when they want to find a place to eat but the restaurants are all closed.
Knocking noodle soup is a very popular dish , often sold on roadside and sidewalks in the evening and late at night. Unlike other types of noodle soup, the name knocking noodle soup comes from the way people sell it.
It is usually a small vehicle that is set up so it can be moved easily. This vehicle is made very rudimentary and simple, some places also use motorbikes, bicycles.... When riding, a percussion tool is used to create a "rattling" sound so that customers can recognize it. . The noodle cart continued to weave through the streets, alleys, through schools, factories...
The ingredients in a bowl of noodle soup are "a little bit" of everything: a little noodle soup, a little thinly sliced pork, a little bean sprouts, a little chives, a piece of fragrant pork rind... then pour in the broth. So simple but extremely attractive.
I don't know if there is any type of noodle soup that is cheaper than knocking noodle soup. Each bowl of noodle soup costs only 30 thousand... also full of noodles, vegetables, bean sprouts, thinly sliced pork, beef balls, some places also add quail eggs and a few sausages (pig bone). Although it is not too plump or has many fillings like other types of noodle soup, it is enough for people to eat to warm their stomachs.
In the past, each noodle shop would often have a boy holding two bamboo or iron bars following him, knocking while walking to make sounds for customers to recognize. Anyone who wants to eat can call loudly, and a hot bowl of rice noodles will be brought right to their home. The boy would come back and collect the bowl an hour later. This became one of the first food delivery method in our Saigon at that time
Most of the customers are poor workers, workers, students or people with low income... People choose knocking noodle soup because it is a simple dish and is cheap. Just one bowl is enough to dispel hunger. That's why it is said that noodle soup was born for the poor.
Later, there were more people eating noodle soup. Not really poor people anymore, but gradually, people started eating noodle soup because they wanted to try it. After eating it, they found it delicious and then got used to it...
The noodle carts now no longer have the familiar "rattling" sounds like the day before. People came to the car to sit and eat because there were plastic chairs and paper towels to serve them. If you know someone, you can call to have it brought to your home. However, through many ups and downs, noodle soup is still a cheap dish loved by the working class, and is also a very unique cultural feature that reminds people of a peaceful Saigon at night.