Khách xếp hàng bốc số mua xôi sầu riêng ở TP HCM

Long lines of customers waited for hours in front of the sticky rice cart at Dam Sen Park, Hoa Binh ward, to buy durian sticky rice because the shop only sells it three days a week.

Around 6 PM each day, the owner of the sticky rice cart in front of Dam Sen Cultural Park on Lac Long Quan Street, Hoa Binh Ward, is busy serving customers. Long lines of people take numbered tickets and wait around for their turn to buy.

The sticky rice cart quickly gained popularity on community groups since the end of 2025, attracting an increasing number of customers.

The owner, Huynh Kim Huu, 65 years old, said she has been selling sticky rice for over 40 years, starting from the days when she pushed a cart around Phu Lam market (formerly District 6) to make a living. Now, due to her age, she has handed over the business to her children and grandchildren. On busy weekends, she often comes to help out, taking the opportunity to meet and chat with customers to ease her longing for the trade.

"The carefully selected ingredients help the sticky rice retain its flavor, which has kept customers coming back many times over the years," Ms. Huu said.

Durian sticky rice is cooked in the style of Western Vietnamese steamed sticky rice, with fluffy, dry yet soft grains. After soaking for 8 hours, the rice is steamed until cooked, fluffed, and mixed with mung beans, coconut milk, sugar, and salt in the right proportions. Once the rice has cooled slightly, mashed durian is added to preserve its aroma and prevent it from becoming mushy.

The sticky rice is cooked over low heat to ensure even cooking, then mixed with steamed mung beans and stirred thoroughly to coat the rice evenly. Each batch takes nearly three hours to complete, longer than regular white sticky rice.

The shop uses approximately 50 kg of sticky rice and 70 kg of durian daily.

She chooses naturally ripened Thai durian, with yellow flesh, small seeds, a distinct but not overpowering aroma, and a firm, elastic texture when gently squeezed. The durian is peeled on the same day, not left overnight, to ensure its flavor.

Each portion of sticky rice costs between 30,000 and 150,000 VND, depending on the size of the durian segments.

Customers have to queue, take a number, and wait for their turn to receive their ordered sticky rice.

The shop has five people in charge of everything from taking orders and packaging the sticky rice to processing payments. During peak hours, customers have to wait 15-20 minutes. The shop usually runs out of stock within about two hours of opening.

Anh Thơ, 25, residing in Tan Binh ward, said she arrived 30 minutes before the opening time.

"I tried it on the spot; the sticky rice is fragrant and delicious, combined with ripe durian, it's very interesting," Thơ said, noting that the portion of sticky rice with durian segments, priced at 70,000 VND, was quite generous.

For nearly a month now, whenever Huynh Hiep passes by the shop on his way to work, he always sees it packed with customers. On January 25th, he and his friends chose to have dinner near the park and bought some sticky rice to enjoy.

"The sticky rice is fragrant, has a beautiful color, and is wrapped in environmentally friendly banana leaves. It suits my taste, so I bought some for my relatives," said Hiep.

Besides durian sticky rice, the shop also sells savory sticky rice every day. Each portion includes sticky rice served with shredded chicken, pork floss, pickled radish, crushed peanuts, and fried shallots, priced at 30,000 VND.

According to the owner, durian sticky rice has a complicated preparation process and depends on the supply of ingredients. The shop only sells this dish on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. On other days, the menu is replaced with pandan leaf sticky rice, purple sticky rice, and black bean sticky rice.

To minimize waiting time, customers can call ahead to order or purchase through delivery apps.