Saigon is the most dynamic and bustling city in Vietnam. However, the city still hides ancient and rustic values over time, and one of the most outstanding examples is Nguyen Thien Thuat apartment buildings in District 3.
Nguyen Thien Thuat Apartment Buildings History
The historic Mau Than 1968 event destroyed many houses in Saigon. Therefore, the government was forced to plan and rebuild residential areas, including Nguyen Thien Thuat apartment complex.
The buildings first housed American soldiers, but after the Independence Day, it was used for Vietnamese residents.
This residential area has a total of 11 buildings, and about 120 households formed around 1968.
As the apartment has existed for nearly half a century, the residents here are, therefore, closely connected from wartime to peacetime.
Explore Nguyen Thien Thuat apartment
When I first visited Nguyen Thien Thuat residential area, I was amazed by the nostalgic and idyllic beauty of these buildings. Every corner of the street still looms over Saigon’s image before 1975.
Interlacing as a matrix with alleys and small roads, the building complex is charming with the back alleys and unmarked houses.
Wandering around the old apartment buildings, I could see the lovely and close images of the neighbors talking in front of the balcony, on the bench, or the children running around in the corridors.
Places to eat in Nguyen Thien Thuat apartment buildings
Like other old buildings in Saigon, Nguyen Thien Thuat is a combination of parking lots, café shops, and street food vendors.
The surrounding Nguyen Thien Thuat street is a mini food fair of District 3.
Oc Loan
Located in a busy corner of the apartment, Oc Loan is a roadside eatery that attracts many seafood lovers.
There’s a variety of seafood that you can choose from, including oysters, scallops, shrimps, and crabs. After that, select how you’d like to cook them, such as stir-fried sour tamarind, sauteed garlic, or roasted onion.
- Address: 012 Lot C, Nguyen Thien Thuat apartment, district 3
- Opening hours: 4 pm – 10 pm
- Price starts from 40,000 VND
Banh mi chao
Fried egg with bread is a simple dish but a typical feature of Saigon cuisine.
You can order a mix of omelets, fried eggs, sausages, and cheese to eat with bread. Dip a piece of hot crispy bread with aromatic fatty eggs and enjoy the rich taste of the dish.
The shop is open from morning till 2 pm so you can freely eat even if you wake up late. Each serving is only 35,000 VND.
- Address: 003 Lot D, Nguyen Thien Thuat apartment, District 3
- Opening hours: 7 am – 2 pm
- Price: 20,000 – 30,000 VND
Liên duck soup and rice noodle
If you’re craving for duck meat, visit Lien restaurant to enjoy duck rice noodles and porridge.
- Address: 21/8A, Nguyen Thien Thuat, District 3
- Opening hours: 7 am – 10 pm
- Price: 30,000 – 100,000 VND
