Mi Quang (Quang noodles) is a rice noodle soup native to the central province of Quang Nam that has gained nationwide popularity.
It is recognizable for its thin, flat rice noodles which are glazed with a mixture of peanut oil fried with onion. Then, there are peanuts and rice crackers, while the broth, mostly yellow, typically fills half the bowl when served.
Traditionally, mi Quang’s main ingredients are shrimp and pork which are used to cook the broth and as topping.
However, just like pho, it has gradually become diverse with more toppings like chicken, fish, squid, eggs, snails, and even frogs.
In Quang Nam, a restaurant called Mi ga Tu Chau (Tu Chau’s chicken noodles) has acquired fame for the chicken variety of mi Quang it has been selling for more than 25 years.
Vietnamese gourmets refer to the restaurant as Mi Ky Ly after the name of the T-section where it is situated.
What distinguishes the restaurant from other sellers is the chicken.
Chau, the owner, said she uses meat from roosters with spurs and cuts it into medium-sized pieces so that the meat does not fall apart during simmering.
She said she does not season the meat with onion and turmeric like other sellers, because rooster meat is already good with common seasonings like garlic, pepper powder, and green onions.
MÌ KỲ LÝ
Ky Ly T-section, Tam Ky Town, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Prices: VND25,000/bowl
What matters is to make sure that the seasonings are used with good balance and absorbed well into the meat, according to Chau.
After the seasoning, chicken is simmered in hot peanut oil until it becomes tender, has the fragrance of peanut oil, and tastes fatty.
The chicken at Mi Ky Ly is so good that many customers order an bowl of extra chicken.
Another special thing about the restaurant is that it uses home-made noodles. Every day, more than 106 kilograms of noodles are made to serve its customers.
Unlike many other varieties of mi Quang that are accompanied with lots of vegetables, the chicken noodle soup is eaten with only two: knotgrass, which is bought from a clean vegetable farming village in the famous ancient town of Hoi An, and shredded banana flower.
Then there is the rice cracker, green chili, and pieces of lime for customers to add to their bowl of noodles before slurping and chewing away to contentment.
