A heartwarming video capturing a young boy sobbing while eating a takeaway cup of porridge on a train from Hai Phong to Hanoi has gone viral across social media. Furthermore, the reason behind his emotional outburst touched countless viewers: he was devastated that he would not be able to eat his favorite pork rib porridge once back home.
According to his mother, the family took a two-day weekend food tour in the coastal city of Hai Phong. Remarkably, throughout the entire 48-hour trip, the boy refused to eat anything else except pork rib porridge from Co Dung’s shop at 73 Hai Ba Trung Street. Before boarding the train back to Hanoi, he insisted on buying a takeaway cup to save for the journey. However, the temptation proved irresistible the moment he found his seat. He opened the cup immediately, weeping with every spoonful as he realized his culinary adventure was coming to an end.
The boy’s mother humorously shared online: “We went on a two-day food tour in Hai Phong, and for two straight days, he only ate porridge at Co Dung’s shop on Hai Ba Trung Street. He insisted on bringing a cup home, but once on the train, he craved it so badly that he ate it right away. He was eating and crying at the same time because tomorrow there would be no more porridge. If any aunts, uncles, or friends travel from Hai Phong to Hanoi, please hand-carry some porridge back for my son!”
In the viral clip, the boy clutches a nearly empty takeaway cup with tears streaming down his cheeks. Sniffling between bites, he cries, “From tomorrow, I won’t get to eat this porridge anymore…”
Seeing her son in distress, the mother gently consoles him, promising to ask acquaintances traveling from Hai Phong to deliver his favorite dish to Hanoi. Only then did the boy calm down, though he continued to swallow his tears with every dwindling spoonful.
The Internet’s Most Authentic ‘Little Food Reviewer’
In subsequent comments, the mother explained that she initially worried something had hurt her son. When she realized his sorrow stemmed purely from culinary longing, she began recording the adorable scene, quickly reminding him to keep his voice down out of respect for fellow passengers.
The candid moment quickly turned the boy into an internet sensation. Netizens hailed his emotional reaction as the most genuine culinary endorsement possible, noting that no scripted review could ever match tears shed over an empty bowl.
Interestingly, the mother admitted that she had not even tasted the dish herself. “Everyone online says it’s delicious, and it must be true,” she wrote. “I didn’t try it because Hai Phong has so many amazing dishes that I had to save room in my stomach. I never imagined it was so good that my son would burst into tears and scrape the cup clean.”
The clip gained so much traction that the porridge shop owner herself responded in the comments: “Thank you, sweetheart! You are the first customer to leave such a memorable impression on my shop. Next time you visit Hai Phong, please drop by again. So adorable!”
Social media users flooded the comment section with affection, jokingly warning Hanoi street-food stalls to step up their game. Other food lovers chimed in to validate the boy’s passion, with one resident recounting how they once paid ten times the cost of a 10,000 VND cup of porridge just to have it shipped 100 kilometers via private limousine from Hai Phong to Hanoi.
The boy’s face lit up with pure joy the next day when his mother managed to get him a fresh cup. (Photo: Evan Le)
A Legendary Street-Side Gem Loved by Locals
The dish at the center of the internet’s attention is served at Co Dung Porridge, situated at 73 Hai Ba Trung Street, Le Chan District, Hai Phong. This humble neighborhood eatery serves traditional pork rib porridge (chao suon), river clam porridge (chao trai), shredded pork floss (ruoc), and fried dough sticks (quay).
The viral street stall at 73 Hai Ba Trung Street, Le Chan District, Hai Phong. (Photo: Em Gai Hai Phong)
Unlike coarser grain porridges, the porridge here features finely ground rice cooked down to a velvety, silk-smooth texture. It is traditionally garnished with crisp fried dough, savory pork floss, golden fried shallots, cracked black pepper, fresh coriander, and a pinch of chili powder.
The dish features a velvety smooth consistency served with fried dough sticks, shredded pork floss, and fried shallots. (Photo: Em Gai Hai Phong / Mon Ngon Hai Phong)
On Google Reviews, the eatery boasts high ratings and enthusiastic praise from food lovers. Regular customers highlight its old-school, silky consistency and natural sweetness from stewed ribs and fresh river clams.
Bowls range between 20,000 and 30,000 VND ($0.80 to $1.20 USD), offering generous portions alongside the owner’s warm hospitality. Some dedicated locals even commute up to 27 kilometers twice a week just to enjoy a bowl—explaining why a small cup of street-side porridge could break a young boy’s heart on his train ride home.
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