Where to try Pho in Vietnam

Pho Kho – Dried Pho

Pho Kho, or Dried Pho, is a specialty of Gia Lai, a mountainous Vietnamese province. It is also known as Two-Bowl Pho since a full serving requires two distinct bowls: one with pasta, minced pork, and spices, and the other with broth and various varieties of meat.

Pho Kho noodles are round and thin, comparable to Hu Tieu noodles. What distinguishes it is the side sauce made from soybeans, which improves the flavors of the Pho Kho.

Ho Chi Minh City

Pho Hoa Po Lang

Address: 207 Tan Son Nhi, Tan Son Nhi Ward, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 6 AM – 2 PM, 5:30 PM – 10 PM
Price: VND 35,000 – 62,000

Hanoi

Pleiku Quan

Address: 17 Alley 40 Ta Quang Buu Street, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi
Opening hours: 6 AM – 9 PM
Price: VND 40,000

Pho Xao/Chien – Fried Pho

cach-lam-pho-xao

You should try three common varieties: Pho Xao (Stir-fried Pho), Pho Xao Gion (Crispily Pan-fried Pho), and Pho Chien Phong (Deep-fried Pho). Both of them are eaten without broth. Along with the noodles, beef and assorted vegetables such as bok choy, cabbage, onions, and so on are usually fried.

Of these three best Pho dishes, Pho Xao is the only one that can retain the smooth, chewy feel of the original soup version’s Pho noodles.

Both of the other dishes have a crispy appearance. Until pan-frying the noodles in Pho Xao Gion or Pho Ap Chao, they are combined with rice flour and tapioca flour, resulting in a smooth, yellow cake. Pho Chien Phong noodles, on the other hand, are small slices of Pho that have not yet been cut into chains. They are then deep-fried in bite-sized squares.

Places to try this trio of Pho dishes:

Ho Chi Minh City

Mama Pho

Address: 111 Ho Tung Mau, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 8 AM – 11 PM
Price: VND 72,000-86,000/serving of Pho Xao, Pho Xao Gion, Pho Chien Phong

Pho Thanh

Address: 140E Ly Chinh Thang, Ward 7, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 7:30 AM – 10 PM
Price: VND 55,000/serving of Pho Xao or Pho Xao Gion

Hanoi

Pho Xao – 32 Bat Dan

Address: 32 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Opening hours: 11 AM – 3 PM, 5 PM – 10 PM
Price: VND 65,000/serving of Pho Xao

Restaurants on Ngu Xa Street

Address: Ngu Xa, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Opening hours: 6 AM – 11 PM (varied for each place)
Price: VND 20,000-55,000

Pho Tron – Mixed Pho

Pho Tron is a child of Hanoi cuisine, which is so widely adored that many people are willing to line up to enjoy it.

Pho Tron’s ingredients are nothing out of the ordinary: standard Pho noodles, stir-fried beef, cabbage, and minced roasted peanuts. Its distinct flavor is derived from the sweet and sour sauce, for which every chef has a special recipe.

This dish is still difficult to find in Ho Chi Minh City, but it has remained popular in Hanoi for many years.

Ho Chi Minh City

Diep Beo – Pho Tron Hanoi

Address: 481/7A Truong Chinh, Ward 14, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 6 AM – 1:30 PM, 6 PM – 12 AM (midnight)
Price: VND 40,000

Hanoi

Pho Huan

Address: 62 Tho Nhuom, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Opening hours: 5 PM – 10:30 PM
Price: VND 40,000

Co Nguyen

Address: 182 Phuc Tan, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Opening hours: 7 AM – 2 PM
Price: VND 40,000

Pho Cuon – Pho Rolls

Like Pho Tron, Pho Cuon is also a dish that is closely associated with the cuisine of the capital of Vietnam.

To wrap other ingredients such as meat and vegetables, thin, flat, unsliced noodles such as those used in Pho Chien Phong are needed. Pho Rolls are not only tasty, but also nutritious and well-balanced.

Some restaurants which offer Pho Cuon in their menu:

Ho Chi Minh City

Pho Hai Thien

Address: 14 Bui Vien, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1
Opening hours: 6:30 AM – 11:45 PM
Price: VND 49,000-55,000

Hanoi

Pho Cuon Huong Mai

Address: 32-34 Ngu Xa, Truc Bach Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Opening hours: 9 AM – 10 PM
Price: VND 60,000

Pho Chua – Sour Pho

Pho Chua is from the northern Vietnamese province of Lang Son. It can seem straightforward, but the cooking method involves several delicate steps and the recipe requires a large number of ingredients. The tamarind sauce or vinegar and sugar combination imparts a distinct sour flavor that makes you want to eat more and more.