Why NhaBe?
The strongest moments I have experienced as a child were when we traveled to Vietnam. At the airport in Ho Chi Minh City, the whole family from our village NhaBe was waiting for us. They ordered a big bus so that everyone could come and welcome us. That day we put away luggage from a long journey, sat with our family for a while and went to bed tired. Why NhaBe? The strongest moments I experienced as a child were when we traveled to Vietnam. At the airport in Ho Chi Minh City, the whole family was waiting for us, who ordered a big bus so that everyone could come and welcome us. That day we put things together a long way, sat with our family for a while and went to bed tired. It all started every morning. I was awakened by the sound of motorcycles. I got up in a huge heat, ran out in front of the house where my aunt was selling breakfast. On the way to work, people stopped on a motorcycle, bought soup from her and going on. Her broth, herbs, mint, coriander, and lemon were smelling everywhere. Of course, I have always had one soup for breakfast with her and continued down the street. A few steps lower my another aunt was selling baguettes. She filled them with eggs, meat or tofu, according to the requirements of a Vietnamese bikers. I also stopped there.
I’ve always admired her for making so delicious baguettes and for how many people stopped there. I have sat with her and promised to help her selling. I was shouting to passing bikers to stopped and buy fresh Banh mi. She was laughing at me. A variety of food and beverages were sold on this street – morning Vietnamese coffee with ice, jasmine tea, fresh sugar cane drink, stuffed corn pancakes, noodles and much more. There were a mixture of scents everywhere. Something was happening in every corner. This place had an indescribable atmosphere.
And this place is called NhaBe. The part of town where my father was born. The part where my roots are and where half of our family lives. It is an amazing place rich in good people, atmosphere and especially food. In 2017, I said to myself – “I would like to bring NhaBe to Slovakia as well. If I managed to bring even a little of the NhaBe atmosphere under the roof of our Vietnamese bistro, I would be happy and can say that it made sense, because I managed to bring to the Slovakia the second half of me.”
I fulfilled my dream and new visions and plans came. In 2017 the hungry boy was me. I peeked curiously at Martin city and wanted a place where everyone could taste a good Vietnamese food. I’m still so curious but looking a little further. Now I would like to bring the atmosphere and food from NhaBe to other Slovak cities.
Nam Van Nguyen
founder of NhaBe
