CHẾ TRANG – Khổ Qua Cà Ớt

52 Lão Tử, Phường 14, Quận 5, Hồ Chí Minh

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13:00-19:00 daily

Overview

CHẾ TRANG – Khổ Qua Cà Ớt is a food stall on Lão Tử, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City. The business operates in the bustling Chợ Phùng Hưng market section of Chợ Lớn. Vương Thùy Trang manages the operation, which her family established in 1996. The vendor specializes in Cantonese-style stuffed vegetable soup.

Cooks stuff bitter melon, long chili peppers, eggplant, and okra with savory fish cake. The kitchen rolls yardlong beans into compact coils and wraps fish paste around quail eggs. Each soup bowl contains blanched pork skin, fried tofu cubes, and tender pork blood. The stall also sells large beef meatballs that encase whole salted egg yolks.

A clear chicken bone stock forms the flavorful base for the soup. Black pepper, sesame oil, and scallions scent the hot broth. The spongy pork skin soaks up the peppery broth during service. Customers pair the stuffed vegetables with house-blended chili satay and sweet soybean sauce. Diners frequently add instant noodles to convert the soup portion into a hearty main dish.

The open-air stall features a stainless steel cart and low plastic stools along the roadside. A glass display case exhibits colorful rows of stuffed vegetables on ice. Chợ Phùng Hưng, also called Chợ Thủ Đô, surrounds the eatery with afternoon market traffic. The stall serves walk-in diners and prepares fast takeout parcels for neighborhood regulars.

Seen on YouTube

What reviewers say

Google reviews 4.6 67 reviews

CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt draws customers for its traditional Chinatown-style stuffed vegetables, quail egg fish balls, and clear, light broth. Opinions on the fish cake texture are mixed, with some diners praising the classic flavor while others find it too soft or slightly fishy. Because the stall operates in a market setting with only one or two tables, seating is tight and can require ordering from a neighboring drink stall.

CHẾ TRANG – Khổ Qua Cà Ớt is rated 4.6 out of 5 on Google from 67 reviews. Summary written by PinGuide from Google reviews, figures as of 3 Oct 2026. Read on Google ↗

1 insider tip

Tip from David Nguyen

David Nguyen · curator · Chợ Lớn Food and Mid-Autumn Festival Guide

Sip the comforting black-pepper broth before dipping the fish-cake-stuffed bitter melon, eggplant, and okra into savory oyster sauce mixed with lemongrass chili satay. Be sure to try the spongy blanched pork skin that absorbs the soup.

Where it is

52 Lão Tử, Phường 14, Quận 5, Hồ Chí Minh

Questions & Answers

Where is CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt located?

CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt is located at 52 Lão Tử, Phường 14, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City. It operates in the bustling Chợ Phùng Hưng market area in Chợ Lớn.

What are the opening hours for CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt?

CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt is open daily from 13:00 to 19:00. These afternoon and early evening hours align with the local market traffic.

What is CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt known for?

CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt is known for Cantonese-style stuffed vegetable soup, also known as khổ qua cà ớt. The kitchen stuffs bitter melon, chili peppers, eggplant, and okra with savory fish cake paste.

What ingredients are served in the soup at CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt?

The soup at CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt features fish-cake-stuffed vegetables, coiled yardlong beans, quail eggs wrapped in fish paste, pork skin, fried tofu, and pork blood. It is served in a peppery clear chicken bone stock with scallions and sesame oil.

Does CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt serve meatballs?

Yes, CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt prepares large beef meatballs that encase whole salted egg yolks. Customers can add them directly to their soup bowls.

Can you add noodles to your order at CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt?

Yes, diners can add instant noodles to their soup bowls at CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt. This turns the vegetable soup into a more filling main meal.

What dipping sauces are available at CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt?

CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt provides a house-blended chili satay and a sweet soybean sauce. Diners dip the stuffed vegetables and fish paste directly into these condiments.

What is the dining setup like at CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt?

CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt is a casual open-air street stall with a stainless steel cart and low plastic stools set up along the roadside. It provides an authentic street-dining environment inside Chợ Phùng Hưng market.

Does CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt offer takeout?

Yes, CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt packages quick takeout parcels for walk-in customers and neighborhood regulars. Dining in is also available on plastic stools near the cart.

How long has CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt been in business?

CHẾ TRANG - Khổ Qua Cà Ớt was established by the owner's family in 1996. It has been serving its signature stuffed vegetable soup in District 5 for decades.

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