Pho: Beef Noodle Soup
Fragrant and aromatic. Warm and hearty. Pho (pronounced "fuh"), or beef noodle soup, is the staple diet of the Vietnamese culture. Usually eaten as a breakfast dish, this filling soup can be eaten at any hour of the day. The secret to a good bowl of pho is the slow simmering of beef based broth combined with the right amount of spices such as cinnamon and star anise. Some say to do it right, the process can take up to 24 hours. There are many versions of making pho and we have included some on this site. This site is to introduce you to the world of Pho, where to find it, the ingredients to make it and how to cook it.
How to Eat Pho
Some say there is a ritual to eating pho. As described by one expert pho eater: "First, add some fresh garnishes such as mint leaves, cilantro and bean sprouts and for those more daring, fresh chili peppers. Then, take a sip of the soup and add the optional plum sauce and/or hot sauce (usually the Sriraccha brand) to adjust the taste to your liking. Get some of the rice noodles and place it in the soup spoon along with a piece of rare steak and some mint leaves and then have a spoonful of heaven.
The Restaurants
The
restaurant directory for this site includes restaurants that serve pho
although some of the ones listed may not be a "pho house" that
serves only pho but are Vietnamese restaurants that serve a limited choices
of pho. I am in the process of collecting and posting partial and/or full
menus for each restaurant to make it the most comprehensive collection
of Vietnamese restaurant menus online, and providing links to a restaurant's
website if they have one. So please check back frequently for new additions
to restaurants in your area.
If you know of a restaurant that is not included, contact me.
If there is anything you would like to see included in this website, send me a quick email via the online form on Contact Us page.