Today, beef pho is still the most popular version in Vietnam, with a variety of options to suit everyone's taste.
A big bowl of hot pho, with beef or white noodles (often called pho), delicious broth and toppings – depending on the region, but usually herbs, bean sprouts, and sweet and spicy sauce. Sometimes it can also be vermicelli (long, white round noodles) according to taste. Nowadays, you can eat pho at any time of the day, not just the typical breakfast dish of Vietnamese people from the past until now.
When it comes to pho creation, we have to mention Hoang Tung, Vietnamese chef and co-founder of TUNG Dining restaurant.
Last year, Hoang Tung was asked to design the menu for the launch party of the Michelin Guide Vietnam (in which his restaurant was listed), and the pho dish was the biggest hit among the attendees, most of whom were Vietnamese.
A classic version of pho: sliced beef, aromatic broth, herbs, spices and rice noodles. Photo: Tamara Hinson
The author of the article, Tamara Hinson, visited a TUNG Dining restaurant on a Friday night. According to Tamara Hinson, the restaurant was crowded with tourists and locals.
"The restaurant's pho is the highlight of the tasting menu, which Hoang Tung describes as a contemporary Asian dish, although the Scandinavian-inspired décor is light, luxurious but simple in decoration and décor," says author Tamara Hinson.
Hoang Tung shared, the day before, I woke up early to have breakfast at Pho Van, one of hundreds of popular pho restaurants in Hanoi . Locals sat on plastic chairs and enjoyed.
“My bowl of pho cost less than $1.25, and came with a wedge of lime squeezed into the broth for extra flavor and slices of chili for extra heat. My neighbor, an elderly local, also enjoyed it and told me that this was his favorite breakfast spot for many years,” Hoang Tung recalled.
Hoang Tung shares that pho reminds me of my childhood. The key is the beef, which is usually rare beef pho. But as evidenced at TUNG Dining, change is a game changer. Pho, with its energy-boosting combination of carbs, protein and spices, is now a dish that can be eaten all day, not just for breakfast.
Variations of Pho with more diverse dishes
Additionally, a growing number of restaurants and street stalls offer pho made with alternatives to the standard rare beef, such as pho made with flank steak (nam), brisket (gầu), and wine-braised beef shank (bo hap vang).
In 2020, McDonald's launched the pho burger - a beef patty smothered in a sauce made from a concentrated pho broth. The sauce is flavored with coriander and star anise - spices commonly found in pho.
The Vietnamese are known for putting new twists on classic dishes. Banh mi is another dish with many great variations that elevate Vietnamese cuisine . The beloved pate sandwiches have become an international hit. Locals also add local flavor by using less pate and adding chili and pickles. The result is a beloved banh mi.
Further evidence of this appetite for innovation is the growing number of fine dining restaurants that are taking a spin on pho, such as the Bill Bensley-designed Capella Hanoi, which boasts a Michelin-starred Backstage restaurant.
With a luxurious dining room, this is one of the most luxurious places for visitors to taste dishes that are only found at street food stalls.
Chef Anh Tuyet, who trains the chefs at Capella Hanoi Hotel, says that if a dish is called traditional, it means it represents a unique cultural aspect of a country. You can invent new dishes inspired by pho. Traditional versions should aim to preserve the cultural values associated with pho, to ensure they are passed down through generations.
She also believes that finding the perfect balance between ingredients is the most important factor.
“All the ingredients are equally important – it’s a dish that requires a lot of concentration, from simmering the broth to make it sweet and fragrant to slicing the beef. Pho is only perfect when the fresh ingredients are combined harmoniously,” she shares.
Ms. Anh Tuyet’s view is shared by most chefs in Hanoi. Some also believe that the appeal of pho is its simplicity, and even the most creative chefs seem to realize that pho is no longer pho if it strays too far from the original version./.
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