Located about 10km east of Kuala Lumpur capital of Malaysia and in an area comprising a lot of Western restaurants, a Vietnamese restaurant named “Little Saigon” has attracted many customers from various countries, leaving a lasting impression on tourists from around the world.
There are now five restaurants serving Vietnamese traditional dishes in Kuala Lumpur. All of them are located in main roads of the capital. These restaurants have been highlighted in many local newspapers. Many Vietnamese specialties, such as Ca kho to (spiced fish stew), Goi cuon (rolling salad), Pho bo (rice noodle and beef soup), Banh mi thit (pock bread), Canh chua ca loc (sour mudfish soup), Cha gio (spring rolls) and Bun bo Hue (Hue beef noodle) are introduced to customers by Vietnamese names on the top of menu, above their names in English and Malaysian languages.
Customers often look through menu while listening to Vietnamese folksongs.
Owner of Little Saigon Restaurant, Ta Hong Lan, said many foreigners, especially Western people, ask for Vietnamese noodle soup because they know it is a traditional food and a national characteristic of Vietnam.
Ms Lan said she and her husband used to be electronic engineers. They left Vietnam for the US in 1975, and then moved to Malaysia seven years ago because her husband’s company offered him the position of chief representative of its branch in Southeast Asia. In the hope of introducing and advertising Vietnamese traditional cuisine to international friends, as well as satisfying their own desires, they cooperated with some close friends to open the Little Saigon.
Little Saigon Restaurant
14 Jalan 30/70A
Desa Sri Hartamas
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Located in a convenient location with many other Western restaurants, Little Saigon Restaurant attracted many customers from various countries. Thanks to a reasonable price suitable for the average income of the local people, and quality services, the restaurant gradually became a favourite of its regular customers after more than one year in operation.
After a short time, thanks to the development of the restaurant, Ms Lan decided to open another Vietnamese traditional restaurant, nearby the Petronas Twin Towers, with nearly 100 types of food available.
Most of the food served in the restaurant is prepared by three or four Vietnamese chefs. Chefs’ assistants and waiters are foreigners. Sometimes, Ms Lan and her friends buy the raw materials and spices themselves.
Malaysia has many things in common with Vietnam, but Vietnamese traditional dishes are favoured by many foreign customers, said Ms Lan. Although, like Malaysia, Vietnam is located in Southeast Asian region, each country has its own special types of food. According to her, many customers like Vietnamese traditional foods because they do not contain much oil but lots of vegetables, and thus are good for health.
Currently, the employees in her restaurants number nearly 20, some of whom were recruited from Vietnam. All of them are able to communicate in English.
Mr Chau, one of the employees, said that he felt very comfortable and pleased to work there. “Ms Lan always take care of our physical and spiritual lives,” he said. “After a short time working here, we could save an amount of money to send to our families.”
