Perched at the entrance of Alley 92, Mr. Binh sits by a small grill, tirelessly fanning the flames while cheerfully inviting customers to find a seat. Outdoor tables cater to those who prefer the fresh air, while 12 staff members manage seating and service inside the alley.  

Patrons often wait 30 minutes for their orders, and during weekends or the winter season, waits can extend to over an hour. Yet, the line of eager customers remains steadfast, drawn to the stall's handmade, charcoal-grilled dishes, a rarity even in Nam Dinh.  

The menu features five staples: grilled chicken feet, wings, pork ribs, grilled pork stomach, and honey-butter toast.  

Unlike other grilling stalls, Mr. Binh avoids using electric fans to control the fire. Instead, he relies on a traditional handheld fan, constantly flipping the skewers with one hand while fanning with the other.  

"You need to fan it manually to ensure even heat, so the chicken feet cook perfectly inside and out. With a machine, the outside burns while the inside stays raw," he explained.  

At 60 years old, Mr. Binh jokingly describes his income as “enough to fly to Japan every three months to get a shoulder replacement” - a playful nod to the wear and tear from hours of fanning.  

Mr. Binh credits his grilling expertise to his days in the army, where he learned to cook grilled chicken and duck. After leaving the military, he struggled to find steady work until he decided to sell grilled chicken feet - a dish that was virtually unheard of in Nam Dinh in the late 1990s.  

“In 1996-1997, no one here sold grilled chicken feet. By the 2000s, people started to notice the dish, but the number of customers was only a tenth of what it is now,” he recalled.  

Over time, the stall became a culinary landmark in Nam Dinh. “Of course, I’ve adjusted the original recipe to suit modern tastes,” he added.

The marinade is a mix of common ingredients like ginger, seasoning powder, MSG, honey, and oyster sauce. While he openly shares his recipe and has trained many aspiring grillers, none of the competing stalls have endured.  

“They all closed because it’s hard work with low profit margins,” he said.  

To maintain the stall's reputation, Mr. Binh enforces strict rules:  

- Each morning, three team members scour the city’s markets for fresh ingredients, selecting each chicken foot, wing, or rib personally.  

- All ingredients must be used on the same day to ensure freshness.  

- The family meticulously cleans and preps the ingredients by hand before cooking begins at 3 p.m.