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| The cake counter is neatly displayed and colorful. Photo: Minh Hanh |
* Bringing the soul of the countryside into the city
The shop is called “Western folk cakes of Bo’s mother’s kitchen” at 1075/8/35 Bui Huu Nghia street, Bien Hoa ward. The owner is Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Linh, a woman born and raised in Bien Hoa but has a passion for Western cuisine .
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| Ms. Linh carefully arranges each freshly baked cake on a tray for customers to choose from. Photo: Minh Hanh |
Ms. Linh has studied baking in many places, from short-term classes to field trips to Can Tho, An Giang , Vinh Long... to enjoy and learn. From there, she adjusted the sweetness, fat and decoration of the cakes to "suit the taste of Dong Nai people" but still kept the soul of the hometown cakes.
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| The cake steamer gives off a strong aroma every time the lid is opened. Photo: Minh Hanh |
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| Durian pig skin cake is a favorite dish of many diners. Photo: Minh Hanh |
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| A tray of fragrant, chewy tapioca cakes sprinkled with grated coconut and roasted sesame seeds. Photo: Minh Hanh |
Every morning, the bakery here bustles with the preparation of new batches of cakes. Steaming pots give off a fragrant aroma of cakes mixed with the rich aroma of coconut milk.
Outside the kitchen, a long table is neatly arranged with various types of cakes: palm-palm beef, durian pork skin, cassava silkworms, grilled bananas, jackfruit sticky rice, mango sticky rice… in all colors and flavors. The cakes are brought out still warm, and customers can choose each type of cake to their liking.
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| The cake batter is poured into the mold in small batches to keep each cake even and fluffy. Photo: Minh Hanh |
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| Baking takes place regularly every day with the participation of family members. Photo: Minh Hanh |
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| The baker meticulously adds filling to the coconut-wrapped sponge cakes. Photo: Minh Hanh |
The shop opens from 7am to about 1-2pm, even until 3-4pm if there are still many customers.
Every day, Linh's shop makes 5-6 thousand cakes, serving all kinds of sweet cakes. Among the most popular cakes, we can mention the durian pig skin cake with many soft, fatty layers, fragrant with fresh durian. The palm sugar cake is evenly expanded, amber in color, and has a sweet taste from palm sugar.
In particular, Ms. Linh's recipe also includes concentrated coconut milk, cooked separately and served with the cake to add richness and flavor.
The price of cakes at the shop ranges from 4-15 thousand VND/piece. In addition, the shop also serves "combo" of 59 and 99 thousand VND, enough for 2 people to eat their fill. With reasonable prices, meticulous quality and flavors reminiscent of home, it is not surprising that the shop has received enthusiastic support from locals after only a few months of opening.
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| The bakery located in a small alley in Bien Hoa ward attracts many customers every morning. Photo: Minh Hanh |
* Memories of expatriates and new experiences of young people
Mr. Nguyen Van Thong came to the shop early to buy cakes. Mr. Thong is from Bac Lieu (now Ca Mau province). He has lived for many years in Tran Bien ward, Dong Nai province. By chance, a few weeks ago, when his family held a death anniversary, a neighbor showed him a shop selling "very good" traditional Western cakes, so he decided to try buying some.
But since then, the aroma and sweetness of traditional cakes have brought him back to his childhood.
Mr. Thong shared: “Back then in my hometown, my favorite dishes were banh bo and banh gan. The color is similar to the cakes here, and the taste is similar. I find the cakes here reasonably priced, delicious, fragrant, and clean.”
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| Mr. Nguyen Van Thong and his wife happily left after buying the cakes they liked. Photo: Minh Hanh |
Not only the people of the West but also young people are eager to enjoy these traditional cakes. Vu Thi My Duyen (living in Long Binh ward) learned about the shop through introductory videos on TikTok.
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| Young people can freely choose all kinds of cakes. Photo: Minh Hanh |
“The first impression is the cozy, friendly space of the shop. The cakes are displayed simply but eye-catching, making you want to try them right away” - Duyen said.
For Duyen, this is a promising model because not many shops in Dong Nai sell all the traditional cakes of the Western region. Each tray of cakes shows the dedication of the maker, lined with banana leaves, neatly arranged and clean.
In the cozy space, the aroma of sticky rice, coconut, and pandan leaves blend together, reminding us of the old country markets. There, the elderly find memories through the familiar taste of cakes, while the young are eager to discover new flavors in the heart of the city.
If you have the opportunity to visit Bien Hoa ward, stop by a small bakery in an alley on Bui Huu Nghia street to enjoy the flavors of traditional Western cakes.
Minh Hanh
Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/tin-moi/202507/quan-banh-dan-gian-mien-tay-du-sac-huong-vi-thu-hut-thuc-khach-tai-bien-hoa-2641812/
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