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
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.