Since the “Ca Men” eatery by Nguyen Duc Nhat Thuan opened nearly two years ago, the alley 33/44/10 on Go Dau Street in Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), has naturally become known as “Ca Men Alley.”
“Brewing” the Idea Since College
This small eatery, run by the 27-year-old, is located in a dead-end alley, yet it attracts a large number of diners. The owner speaks with a distinct Quang Tri accent.
In 2009, Thuan was admitted to the University of Industry in HCMC. Having lived on home-cooked meals for 18 years, he missed the flavors of his hometown when he first arrived in Saigon and didn’t know where to find them.
“When I returned home, the villagers would say, ‘It’s good that you’re studying there, but it would be even better if you could introduce our hometown’s products,’ so I came up with the idea of opening an eatery selling Quang Tri specialties,” Thuan shared.
He nurtured this idea throughout his college years and, after working for a year as an employee in an import-export company, he saved up some capital and experience and boldly opened the eatery named “Ca Men.” All the dishes and ingredients are “sourced directly” from his hometown of Quang Tri.
“I come from a farming family. In the past, when my parents were working, I would cook rice at home and bring it to them in the fields using a ‘ca men’ (a food container). Whenever I think about home, I remember that, so I named the eatery after it. The name sounds both endearing and familiar,” Thuan explained with a smile.
Though called an eatery, it is actually just a few small tables set in the courtyard of the house Thuan is renting, located deep within alley 33 on Go Dau Street, Tan Phu District.
“When I first opened, the neighbors were not too fond of it, fearing the eatery would become a noisy drinking spot. They also said that opening an eatery here, who would come? But gradually, people got used to it and started coming more frequently. Some even became regular customers. Many people ordered live chickens and ducks to eat for the entire week, and most in the neighborhood used the fish sauce I provided,” Thuan recounted.
Some customers were fellow natives, initially stopping by just to support a compatriot, but they kept coming back because they found a place where “you can eat to satisfy a craving for hometown food every now and then.”
Spicy as the Central Region Style
Initially, Thuan only sold steamed rice rolls, but after receiving strong support from everyone, he expanded to include chicken, duck, and various central region spices like shallots and fish sauce—all of which are transported from his hometown via air freight or bus. Thanks to more than a year of working in import-export, Thuan has built connections at Phu Bai Airport (Hue), making the transportation of goods relatively smooth.
All of Thuan’s dishes retain the authentic spiciness characteristic of the central region. “Usually, when people from the central region open eateries here, they tone down the spiciness to cater to local tastes, but I don’t. I want to keep the distinct flavors. At first, many people were not accustomed to the spiciness but still frequented the eatery.”
Uncle Nhat (52, residing in Tan Phu District, HCMC) likes the eatery because “that’s how we eat at home.” He initially came with his son to try it out, ordering just one plate of steamed rice rolls and a bowl of duck porridge. After eating, they ordered another bowl of duck porridge and two takeaway portions, plus a portion of braised chicken with shallots to be delivered the next day.
“The food is unique and delicious. It’s spicy indeed, but it doesn’t bother me,” Uncle Nhat said.
Constantly Receiving Orders by Phone
From the early days when Thuan managed everything himself, Ca Men now has 10 staff members, providing not only delivery services but also focusing on advertising and social media interaction. Not to mention the strong support from Thuan’s parents back home, who regularly send him 30-40 kg of steamed rice rolls along with chicken and duck.
“In the beginning, there were difficulties all around. We had no manpower, not many customers, and I would often make deliveries myself to build trust with customers. My friends turned into delivery drivers; whenever there was a call, they would go. Three or four of us would be running around all day and collapse from exhaustion at night, but it was fun. Things are much better now,” Thuan recalled.
Thuan now also takes large orders for companies and event organizers. The phone continues to ring with orders.
With 60-70% of the customers being office workers, Thuan primarily focuses on delivery while also looking for a new location to open another branch, aiming to meet customer demand and introduce more people to his hometown’s specialties.
