Phở is one dish that defines the culinary culture of this remarkable city. This simple dish of noodles and either beef or chicken is forever popular with locals and foreigners alike and can be found throughout the city. The soup includes noodles made from rice with the broth that’s cooked for ages and is often served with mint, coriander and spring onions that are added to the soup at the end. Eaten throughout the day however, is most popular as the Vietnamese version of a late night kebab (or pie if your an Aussie) after a good session on the beers. Also fairly popular as an early morning breakfast. Below are the types of pho that you may come across.
Phở bò - Beef noodle soup (Phở bò tái: half cooked beef; Phở bò chin: well done beef).
Where: 49 Bat Dan, 2 Ly Quoc Su, 37 Luong Ngoc Quyen
Phở gà – Chicken noodle soup
Where - 31 Hàng Khoai, 53 Hàng Mã, 32 Lê Văn Hưu, 53 Xuan Dieu
How: squeeze the limejuice to light up the flavor then add some fresh chili and/or chili sauce if so desired – the drunker you are, the more chili you tend to add, as we have all found out from personal experience. Try adding Quẩy, (the closest thing Vietnam has to a yorkshire pudding)
How much: 25,000 – 35,000 VND
Keep an eye out for next weeks street food blog which may or may not be all about the amazing Vietnamese sandwiches know as Banh My…