What is Pho?
I finally got up the courage to ask this, and as I've noticed a lot of pho-enthusiasts on this blog, I thought maybe some of you could shed some light on this apparently delectable food for me?
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25 Comments:
google.com, type in, 'wikipedia' and 'pho'. and say you is feelin' lucky.
foodinmouth at 3:59PM on 05/22/08
Vietnamese soup. There is probably a place near you. I recommend pho tai (bits of rare beef) or pho ga (chicken soup!) for the first timer. You may expand into the tripe and strangely bouncy meatball area later if you feel up to it.
Many of the places that serve it have pho in the name of the restaurant, making it easy to search for.
ansate at 5:32PM on 05/22/08
FYI:
For years I didn't know it was pronounced like "fuh" like rhyming with "duh" I always thought it was pronounced like "dough" cause that's how it looked to me. Little did I know the Pho-police were looking for me.
bisbee at 5:39PM on 05/22/08
It's so yummy! You get broth with a choice of meats. There will also be noodles in the broth. They serve it in a big bowl with really hot broth. You also get a plate or bowl of all sorts of greens and herbs and lime slices. You can put whatever you want in the broth which is so hot the veggies cook a bit but are still much fresher than the usual veggies in American soups.
Go try several places if your town has them. It is something kids love too. They can start with what is basically chicken noodle soup and then put in only what is not too "weird" and, of course, they love do-it-yourself projects.
Blue Iris at 6:02PM on 05/22/08
Take liquid soul from Heaven itself, add rice noodles and raw flank steak strips (which cook in the aforementioned soul), and put it in a bowl.
clemon79 at 7:28PM on 05/22/08
Best hangover remedy ever.
unarata at 8:01PM on 05/22/08
I worked in a chinese restaurant for 2 years and we served this soup. The broth is made with beef bones and has star anise and cilantro in it. It is cooled and strained. The cook heats the broth once again very hot for service and adds very thinly sliced RARE beef tenderloin and rice noodles like the ones used in Pad thi. The server should bring a separate dish with fresh bean sprouts, lime wedges, fresh basil, hoisin sauce and also sirachi chili sauce. It is up to you what you add. In some restaurants a large bowl resembles a couldren (it's HUGE).
joanpieroni2 at 9:40PM on 05/22/08
I love pho! It cures whatever ails you! If it's cold outside, it'll warm yer innards. If your heart is broken, it offers succor (My sister took me out for pho after my 13 year old Labrador died, I cried in the soup as I drank up its warm comfort). If you're tired of the same old same old, it's different.
Pho = Happiness.
I have a link I want to share with you.
http://www.phofever.com/
Go to the above website and seek a well reviewed pho place in your area! Hopefully the reviews are current as well as accurate. The reviews for my area were pretty on target.
phofever also offers a pho primer. I would read it if you're the type that likes to be prepared. If you like surprises then don't!
When you get your steaming bowl brimming with all that is good in this world, (1) I hope it lives up to the build up generated here (2) remember where you heard it first (3) dig in and enjoy (4) spread the fever!
embolini9--I'm so glad you asked this. It makes me sad to think that you've never had pho. good pho. pho schizzle!
wookie at 10:51PM on 05/22/08
@ ansate: Oh, but the strangely bouncy meatballs are sooooooo good! :)
If you find that pho doesn't suit you as much -- for any reason, and I'm not saying that it won't! -- do please try some bun (vermicelli bowl with meat and vegetables), too. There are so many wonderful dishes in Vietnamese cuisine to try! Pho is just one. A delicious one, but only the tip of the iceberg.
Try here for a little sample of other dishes: Pho One
sheeats at 10:53PM on 05/22/08
For years, my comfort food was fried chicken. Bad for me, but if I was having a down day and needed a pick-me-up, it was Fried Chicken. That was replaced by Pho 3 years ago and to this day, I don't miss the chicken.
Warm, comforting, yummy. You can have it any way that makes you feel right - noodles only, or with any combination of meats. My favorite is with sliced brisket, tendon, tripe, and pork meatballs. Best part about pho is that you can eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It's good anytime. Like right now!
Thanks, embolini. Now I'm hungry for a bowl.
philn at 12:53AM on 05/23/08
We have a restaurant here on the lovely Central Coast of Cali that's called "Pho King."
And since "pho" is pronounced "fuh ..." well, what you get is a teenager and his friends who find that hysterically funny.
maered at 1:58AM on 05/23/08
here in Vancouver we have the Pho Bich Nga... always a favourite.
rhinny at 3:46AM on 05/23/08
Only the most delicious deliciousness ever! As everyone else has said, Vietnamese beef soup with flat rice noodles. My momma used to make pho every Friday and the whole family would come over for dinner. The stock would simmer the entire day and when I'd get home from school the entire house just smelled amazing. We ate the meatballs dipped with plum sauce and sriracha. Sigh. How I miss ye olden days.
Adam Roberts wrote about his first pho here: http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2007/12/my_phirst_pho.html
marchpane at 9:28AM on 05/23/08
To me, there really is nothing better than a fabulous soup, and pho has that amazing balance of the rich, heady beefiness and star anise broth with the bright herbaceousness of the cilantro, the bean sprouts, the lime...
Man, I'm a douche. But I can't help it. It's God's food, is what it is.
BangieB at 10:31AM on 05/23/08
i'm so obsessed with pho. i made a ridiculously easy vegetarian version that was amazing. i'm still dreaming about it.
http://betsycookshealthy.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/pho-licious/
betsyg at 11:28AM on 05/23/08
Wow, apparently I've been missing out!! Thanks for the info, guys, especially the website, wookie, I've located a bunch in my area and I'm going to check one out in the next week. I asked my BF about it and APPARENTLY he's been trying to get me to try Vietnamese food for years and I always refuse. I have no memory of it, but it's possible I did cause most of the Vietnamese restaurants near us are in Lowell, which is the least fun city in the universe to get to, drive in, park in, and be in. BUT I will brave it for some pho!!!
embolini9 at 9:06AM on 05/24/08
embolini9: go to Southeast Asian Restaurant in Lowell. You won't be disappointed.
Luther at 11:32AM on 05/24/08
Thanks to this post, I am no longer a pho virgin. I used the website mentioned above and found a reviewed Vietnamese restaurant within 10 miles of me.
I had the rare beef pho tonight and it was delicious!! So flavorful, and I so enjoyed tearing and smelling the basil as I added it to the soup. I can see why it could be considered food of the gods!
Now, if someone would explain to me how to eat those delicious noodles without dripping broth or noodles down the front of me, I would be forever grateful. I am considering making a plastic shirt to wear the next time I go back!
SayWhat at 7:48PM on 05/24/08
It takes practice man... or woman. Isn't it awesome? Sometimes i twirl 'em up on my chopsticks. Keep your face damn near in the bowl. or pick up a gob of them with the chopsticks and kind of put your spoon under it as a catcher while bringing the gob to your mouth. LOL (Note: I once worked in an oriental restaurant (many, many moons ago) and it was considered polite to make plenty of noise while eating. i.e. slurping, etc. The more noise you made the more you were complimenting the chef/owner.) But i still get it all over me, too! Learned to use a napkin 'bib' if i was in a suit. Or just wear an old t shirt! I like to put half siracha and half hoisin sauce in one of those little dishes they give you and dip my meat slices in it. I don't know if they have it by you or not, but my restaurant has what they call "hot oil" or "hot garlic oil", they make it homemade and serve it you a single serving about 2 teaspoons worth in a small container. It won't be on the table you have to ask for it. Just put it all right in the soup and mix it in. Can you say spicy?? When I first read your post it made me want to go out and have some. Havent' made it yet. Maybe tomorrow. Once you 've had pho, you just CRAVE it.
nightmoon at 8:42PM on 05/24/08
PS... Sometimes they don't even give me a menu in my restaurant.. the server just comes up and says" Number 21?" I say yes please! I think they're getting to know me pretty well.
nightmoon at 8:43PM on 05/24/08
Yes, nightmoon is right. All Asians make an embarrassing amount of noise *ssssssslurp* when eating noodles. It's really funny when they do it with non-Asian noodle dishes like spaghetti. Well, as a teen I was embarrassed when my folks did it, but now, I think I do it, too. Egads, I'm turning into my parents.
wookie at 8:49PM on 05/24/08
I am no longer a pho virgin!! I went to Pho88 in Lowell last night and had me some pho!! It was actually really good, different from what I was expecting. For some reason it tastes like it has cardamom in it, is that one of the ingredients? I was also worried about the cilantro (since i hate it with a passion) but it didn't taste cilantro-ey at all. My friend taught me how to dip it in those sauces (the brown one and the hot one?) so that was good, too. I only got the rare beef, maybe next time I'll branch out more! I also loved the vermicelli my friend got, and the ma kathong my BF got...apparently I've been missing out on something by avoiding Vietnamese food for so many years!
Thanks guys! I'm also glad this post inspired someone else to wander into the wonderful world of pho
embolini9 at 9:04AM on 05/25/08
@embolini9: the next time I come "home" for a visit (I am a native of MA) we can get together and toast Serious Eats over a bowl of pho for expanding our eating horizons. :-)
SayWhat at 3:04PM on 05/28/08
@SayWhat - haha sounds good, but we have to get some vermicelli too - my friend had it when I got the pho and I ended up eating half of it off his plate. Vietnamese bacon? Fantastic.
embolini9 at 12:31PM on 05/29/08
You can always order it "w/o greens" so they don't put the cilantro in it. That is the way I order it, mainly because I hate cilantro and onions. :P
I also order the sliced beef raw on the side. Since the soup should arrive piping hot, the meat gets cooked, but not over cooked...you control the doneness.
Glad you enjoyed your first pho!! I am always afraid of telling people to try pho, in the offchance they think I'm on crack after touting that it's the food of the gods that I eat at least 5 times/week, in the offchance they get a really bad bowl.
The soup can change from restaurant to restaurant. Some may use cardamom, some may not. I adore the anise in the soup and the Thai basil added at the table. Sometimes the cinnamon can be overpowering. :(
*drool*
Cassaendra at 12:44PM on 05/29/08