Are you in a hurry so that you need to quickly finish your meal? Do you really want to try that food stall at the corner but you have to go now? Do you want to linger around but you have an appointment somewhere else? No worries, simply say “take away” if you cannot stay. If it is soup, it will be poured into a plastic glass or box. If you’re about to buy rice dishes, they will be prepared in unique food paper boxes. It is pretty simple and straightforward, isn’t it? However, fifteen years ago or more, things were not as simple as that (at least, in Saigon).

Back then, the takeaway was somewhat harder than it is nowadays. We mainly used billy pots or big porcelain bowls. Early in the morning, mothers went to markets with plastic handbags and billy pots. They bought breakfasts, fresh meat, raw fruits and vegetables for the day’s meals. Breakfast dishes are served in customers’ containers. Some of you might think that the sellers could have cheated on us because of the differences in containers’ sizes. If you are talking about Saigon, I can say that minor scam, fraud like that or even pickpocket did not exist twenty years ago. Back on the topic, there was one more way that was the shop owners lent you their kits until you finished your dishes. Typically, those dirty dishes would be left at our doorsteps to be picked up later. An instance of this is “hủ tiếu gõ” (kuy teav) street food which can still be encountered these days, but less likely than before. One errand boy rides around streets and alleys on his bike while holding a small marble stone slab in his hand and knocking on it rhythmically to advertise for his stall. If you want to grab a bowl, all you have to do is to order from him. Your dish will be delivered and also cleaned up by him. To me, those two images thoroughly describe my sweet childhood memories which I miss so much right now.

In Vietnamese, one way to say “take away” is “đem đi” (pronounced a little bit as “them – these.”) Just point at the food and say the words, I am sure that everyone can get it, from the fancy restaurants to the shabby small food stalls and hole in the wall restaurants. Please also note that some places may charge an extra fee, ask them beforehand!

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