I wrote about Chef Didier Corlou before (see article “Chef Didier Corlou, A Passion for Pho and Vietnamese Cuisine“.) because I very much admire his tremendous knowledge and passion for Vietnamese foods, and for pho in particular. Recently I had a chance to interview the “Maitre de cuisinier de France” himself over email. Chef Corlou is a very busy man so I’m honored to have him spend some time to share his views on Vietnamese and French cuisine, his view on the state of pho, and his new culinary ventures.

First a little bit more about Chef Corlou. In a sentence, Chef Corlou’s resume could be summarized as noted on his homepage of didiercorlou.com.

After over 30 years of experience worldwide – in Africa, Asia, Europe and America – and 14 years as Chef of Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, I now offer you a variety of buffet, diner and cocktail menus, with exotic-themed or European, traditional or contemporary dishes.

“Le Chef” Corlou is a member of the Culinary Academy France and is a 5 Stars Diamond Award Chef. With extensive traveling, cultural and culinary experience from around the world, Le Chef is now working out of Vietnam, running his new Verticale restaurant in Hanoi, opening up On the 6 in Saigon, while managing a training center and catering business.

Here’s a Didier Corlou bio.

• 1956. Born in Henebont, France.
• 1976. Africa, the Big Start: discovering of Ivory Coast and its lagoon from Abidjan.
• 1977. Entering to the ACCOR group: Caribbean, Bora Bora, the Comoros. With the regions and countries, it’s the meeting with the green papaya, giant mussels, wild pig, ginger and vanilla…
• 1991. Arriving in Vietnam…
• 1992. The cuisine simmers with Sultans in Malaysia, Fidel Castro or President Clinton, crowning of Prince Sihanouk; Chef at Sofitel Metropole where he managed a French and Vietnamese restaurants…
• 2003. Winning Gourmand World Cookbook for “Didier Corlou’s Vietnamese Cuisine” and publishing “Cooking with Chef Didier”…
• 2005. Opening of L’Escale restaurant in Siem Reap, Cambodia…
• 2006. Consultant, advisor in gastronomy for Sofitel Metropole and for many projects in Asia; Prepared dishes for President Bush at the APEC Summit…
• 2007. Guest Chef at Le Notre School, France;
Opening of “La Verticale” restaurant in Hanoi, Vietnam – ranked top 100 world best new restaurants by Conde Nast magazine in 2008; Opening of Corlou Catering, Pastry, Cuisine in Hanoi, Vietnam…
• 2008. Guest Chef at “World Gourmet Summit 2008” in Singapore; Guest Chef at “Hotel New Otani Osaka”, Japan; Guest Chef at Le Notre School, France for the new fusion cuisine; Publishing “A la verticale des epices” and “Five seasons – a Vietnamese collection of Gastronomic Journey”…
• 2009. Guest Chef at Diner de gala Escoffier, Shanghai, China; Guest Chef at TRU Vietnamese and Thai, Hongkong; Guest Chef at Ikarus in Hangar-7, Austria.

Chef Corlou has recently received the “Star Diamond Award” from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.

Let’s get on to the interview. I use text in brackets [...] to clarify the message as needed.

Lovingpho (LP): Do you consider yourself a French chef specializing in Viet cuisine, a Viet chef specializing in French cuisine, or maybe somewhere in between, or competely outside of the range of these descriptions?
Didier Corlou (DC): I am a French chef who [is] fascinate[d] in the gastronomy of all the world, and has an advantage in Vietnamese cuisine.

LP: What were the factors that drew you to Vietnam in general, and Viet cuisine in particular?
DC: The first reason is to discover, of course, the Vietnamese cuisine. However one more important thing is the habitants. All these factors make me stay with this beautiful country.

LP: What were some of the most important factors/ideas/concepts during your training that you deem important/critical for your knowledge and success today?
DC: I don’t consider myself a successful chef. However, in my oppinion, the most important factors lie on the way you present your work with a strong will and the desire for learning new things.

LP: If you can share some of your proudest achievements at the Sofitel Metropole Hotel, what would they be?
DC: During more than ten years working at Metropole, I am glad that I’ve built up the standard of Vietnamese cuisine.

LP: What would you select as some of the most important Viet dish(es)? And why? And what are some of your favorite Viet dish(es) you like to enjoy yourself? And why?
DC: For me, Pho is the most important and also my favorite Vietnamese dish, because it is very delicious, but not expensive. You can find it everywhere.

LP: What would you select as some of the most important French dish(es)? And why? And what are some of your favorite French dish(es) you like to enjoy yourself? And why?
DC: It is difficult for me to say which French dish is the most important. Each region has its own regional product and speciality. So it depends also which French region I am standing to answer the question what is my favorite French dish.

LP: How many years have you followed pho development, or developed pho yourself? And how have you seen pho changed during this time?
DC: [Since] my arrival in Vietnam, I have seen a lot of progress of Pho with better quality and more delicious [ingredients]. Moreover, each region now has developed its own Pho according [to] its own regional product. For instance, now we have Pho with prawn in the regions near the sea, Pho with vegetables in Dalat, and Pho with foie gras… [!]

LP: What are some of the worst/unacceptable pho preparation techniques that you have encountered?
DC: Everyone has own technique but the most important thing to have a good taste of Pho is the broth. In my oppinion, the worst technique is adding the glutamate-Maker of food seasonings [monosodium glutamate] in the broth and I [would] never do it. I make my Pho with Vietnamese spices (Cardamom, star anis…) instead of glutamate.

Chef Corlou’s Pho With Salmon!

Chef Corlou’s Cooking Class – Making Banh Cuon

LP: What do you think is the difference between pho in North Vietnam versus pho in South Vietnam today, or are there differences any more? And if so which do you personally prefer?
DC: North of Vietnam is the origin, the cradle of Pho. Generally, the Pho of the northern [is] featured by the salty taste, and the South by sweet. And Pho in the South is paired with more herb[s] than in the North.

LP: Can you share your thoughts on pho development outside of Vietnam, specifically in Australia, Europe and in the U.S.?
DC: Pho is more and more developed not only in Vietnam. There are 2 Vietnamese dishes that I see developing strongly outside of Vietnam: Pho and “Bun Bo” – Fresh noodle with beef. I see in France, there is the “Pho complet” – The Pho with prawn, pork and beef…in a bowl. It is very good.

LP: Do you see a problem/issue with pho being developed within Vietnam and outside of Vietnam in parallel, at the same time? Will they diverge into something different?
DC: I don’t think the development of Pho is [in any] threat, we must leave Pho [to] progress, we can not put it in the museum. [Everyone] can have his way of cooking Pho [as] he [wishes]. However [even if] Pho has developed to other kinds like “pho cuon”, “pho chua” , “deep fried pho”… no one [should forget] the tradittional Pho.

LP: It is difficult for restaurateurs and business people not to jump in to franchise foods that are popular and if there exists a market for them. Can you share your views on franchised pho?
DC: As you can see, the “Pho 24” is very successful with the franchising. It is no problem if we can market the Pho, but it must follow a recipe. Also, it [still] exists [in] many small restaurant[s] in the street [which are] very popular. I really appreciate that.

LP: Do you have one and only one recipe for pho, or do you advocate several different recipes? What are your reasons for your preference(s)?
DC: I have a basic recipe for cooking Pho. When cooking the “Hanoian Pho”, I respect strictly to this recipe. However, I still create my own style of Pho based on the products [I find]. For example, I can change some spices in the broth but just a little to have a matching between the broth and the products [/ingredients].

LP: Today pho is just fine the way it is for many people. Where do you see pho heading in the future?
DC: Pho is for everyone, [anytime] and easy to eat though it takes a long time to cook. In my opinion Pho is a potential [platform] to develop [further].

LP: Given so many types of foods to choose from, how often do you enjoy a bowl of pho? And if you do, where would you go for pho?
DC: That’s right we have now many types of foods, but for me one bowl of Pho a week in a small traditional Hanoian Pho street is ideal.

LP: Please share with our readers your current endeavors with La Verticale, OnThe6, and your Training Center.
DC: At this moment I want to concentrate on La Verticale and try to put the spices of Vietnam in the right place like they deserve. In Vietnam, we have many spices, we have 54 minorities with a lot of minority spices. The King people is majority but do not know how [to] use these spices. They use more herbs than spices. [Editor's note: King people are an ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, originating from what is now northern Vietnam and southern China, according to Wikipedia on Vietnamese People.]

I want to continue developing the new Vietnamese cuisine; also, to share my cuisine with people who [are fascinated by] Vietnamese cuisine. I [have] issued the collection “Five [seasonings]” with Vietnamese traditional recipes and modern recipes. The [training] center always has these available.

LP: Finally, they say a Frenchman must have wine with every meal. What would you choose that may go well with pho?
DC: It is a interesting question! Normally, at the restaurant, it is difficult to have the matching wine with soup. But for the Pho, it is great to have a glass of Merlot red wine before eating but never beer! The red wine will put up the taste of Pho. However, do not drink while eating the Pho. After, the tea is good idea.

I’d like to send a big thank you to Chef Didier Corlou for this interview, and also to his assistant Ms.Luong for her help coordinating it. All photos courtesy Chef Didier Corlou.

An Interview with Chef Didier Corlou on Vietnamese Pho and Cuisine is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Pho 24 is an up and rising noodle restaurant chain serving exquisite pho rice noodle dishes. Pho 24 now has store locations in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Sydney, aside from its many locations within Vietnam. Pho 24 is part of the Nam An Group, a corporation that specializes in serving Vietnamese food through several restaurant chains the world over. The group is known for its unique pho recipe, which is the secret behind Pho 24′s success.

According to Pho 24, its pho is a carefully mastered art; the founders of Pho 24 ensure that the famous noodle dish is done just the way it’s supposed to be. Pho 24 also focuses on the nutritional aspect of the meal, making sure that a pho dish from Pho 24 has all the important qualities to make a well-balanced noodle dish. But this does not mean that the dish is only healthy; pho is served deliciously at Pho 24, with the soup carefully blended with the choicest ingredients and the most enticing mix of spices.

What sets Pho 24 apart from other pho noodle chains, however, is its attention to the dining environment. Pho 24 maintains small, clean, and cozy stores with great decorations in an East Asian theme and an appetizing ambience, a far cry from the street stalls where pho used to be served. This means Pho 24′s clientele can enjoy pho in air-conditioned, comfortable, clean and safe dining rooms with good service; amenities that many people in Vietnam and other Asian countries consider a luxury. Don’t get me wrong: I’d eat at a side street stall any day, but I think variety is also good for both vendors and consumers.

Pho 24 also has a steady promotional program, the name itself describing what the store offers. The number 24 is meaningful for Pho 24. Let’s take a look.

• First of all, Pho 24 locations open 24 hours.
• Next, 24000 in Vietnamese dollars is the common price for a bowl of pho ga (chicken pho) or pho bo (beef-pho) served at the restaurant. At the current exchange rate of VN$17785 (VN đồng) to US$1.00 (mid-May 2009 rate), this works out to be about US$1.35 for a bowl of pho! Other pho dishes have crept up into the high 30000 to mid-40000 đồng.
• Pho 24 also uses a total of 24 ingredients and spices in its pho broth,
• which is diligently stewed for 24 hours before it is served.

The 24 ingredients plus the thorough preparation process ensures that the pho broth at Pho 24 has a rich and sumptuous flavor, according to the company.

The broth recipe is the same in all Pho 24 locations, as is expected for any food franchise. So wherever Pho 24 takes its pho dishes, you should get the same rich flavor and taste of its pho. This is key to a successful franchise and it’s why the pho experience offered by Pho 24 is fast picking up in worldwide popularity. Ahh, 24 sounds great at about right now…

New pho duoi bo (ox tail pho)

The first Pho 24 store opened in Saigon back in 2003, and this was quickly followed by other locations in the different Saigon districts, and in Hanoi. The first overseas jump was established in Jakarta, Indonesia, marking the beginning of Pho 24′s international growth. Currently, Pho 24′s franchise locations, counted at 70 locations, are not the largest in terms of the number of countries, but the restaurant chain has envisioned itself as an international pho brand name, and it is working steadily towards this goal.

To speed up the process, Pho 24 provides small stores and requires low investments to make the franchising opportunity possible for anyone interested. Pho 24 also makes it easy for franchisees, offering a standardized operating and management procedure as well as guidance in store selection, design, staff training, and an ongoing marketing support. If you are interested in franchising, and specifically pho, Pho 24 may be a good program to check out.

Named as one of the Top Restaurants in Asia and featured in The Miele Guide, Pho 24 is definitely the perfect place to get acquainted to or to enjoy both classic and unique pho dishes. For now no U.S. location exists, so if you happen to be in Vietnam, don’t forget to check out a Pho 24 store. And if you had eaten there, please share your experience with us.

Visit Pho 24.

Eating and Franchising Pho 24 – Bringing Secret Pho Recipe to the World is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Updated 05-02-10. Among all the Vietnamese dishes that came to the attention of the people in the western hemisphere, nothing else has received such tremendous acceptance as pho. Pho is considered as the national dish of Vietnam, and it has captured the fascination of so many people in the west because of its deceptive simplicity and its complex flavors. Pho is the perfect comfort food – warm, hearty and deliciously refreshing. In Vietnam it’s the common people’s food. It’s street food.

Pho can also be seen as a mirror that reflects Vietnamese heritage and way of life. A dish that is steeped in tradition, pho is closely tied to Vietnam that the history of pho can read as a parallel to the history of its country of origin itself in the last hundred years. With the migration of Vietnamese across the globe after the Fall of Saigon in 1975, the national dish of Vietnam came to grace the tables of people of different heritages, thus leading to the colorful evolution of pho throughout the years. In this article I’ll discuss pho, its history and what makes pho many people’s favorite dish.

What Is Pho?

Of course, before I go into the history of pho, we should first tackle a more fundamental question about pho, namely: What in the world is pho?

Many readers know exactly what pho is. Articles on pho that you find around the Internet define the dish simply as Vietnamese noodle soup, traditionally made with beef or chicken broth that is flavored with various spices and topped with various herbs. But this definition seems far too simplistic because it does not really capture the rich and intense essence of beef in the broth that can only be achieved by simmering marrow-rich beef bones on low heat for at least three hours. It does not describe the complex layers of flavor created by the herbs and spices in pho. It does not illustrate the many textures created by the chewy rice noodles, the tender beef slices and the crunchy bean sprouts in the soup.

At the very least, the description “noodle soup” may be a misnomer. Soup implies that the dish is a side dish, but in fact pho itself is the main course. Pho is a noodle dish, and not a soup dish. So if you catch the phrase “noodle soup” somewhere on this side then it’s only because I let my guard down for a moment there. Pho should be called “Vietnamese noodle” or “soup noodle” because it is a noodle dish.

You cannot expect two bowls of pho made in two separate kitchens to ever taste the same. There are many recipes of pho existing out there, with each recipe somewhat different from each other. But those are only the published ones. There are countless others that are closely held by professional chefs running popular pho restaurants, and we’ll never know what they are. So techniques in cooking and preparing pho vary from chef to chef. Variations can also depend on what type of pho is being prepared. For instance, pho bac, which is pho from the northern regions of Vietnam, is made quite differently from how pho is prepared in southern Vietnam.

The history of pho stretches only a hundred years back in Vietnam’s recent past. But just as those hundred years have shaped Vietnam into the country it is today, so do those hundred years have shaped the way pho has become. Three events in Vietnamese history have marked the history of pho. They are

1. The unification of Vietnam under French rule in 1887,
2. The splitting of the country into North and South Vietnam in 1954, and
3. The Fall of Saigon in 1975.

Here’s an article on “What is Vietnamese Pho: Think You Know? Think Again,” which discusses what is and what is not pho.

The Murky Beginnings of Pho: a French Connection?

Despite the fact that pho is a reflection of the culture and history of Vietnam, no one really knows how pho came to be. Restaurateur and author Mai Pham’s research on pho, as cited in Vietnamese culinary expert Andrea Nguyen’s blog, stated that there is nothing written about the early history of pho. All there is left are oral traditions handed down by elders. It is, however, agreed upon by many experts in Vietnamese cuisine, including Ms. Pham and Ms. Nguyen, that the history of pho began in Hanoi in northern Vietnam and that it started when the French colonized the country in the late 1880s.

In the SpiceLines interview on Ms. Nguyen, she said that before Vietnam was conquered by the French, the Vietnamese people did not slaughter cows for food. Instead, they used these animals to till their rice fields and as beasts of burden.

The general theory held by most Vietnamese culinary experts is that the word “pho” is a corruption of the French “feu” or “fire.” Pho could be a Vietnamese adaptation of the French soup “pot au feu” or French beef stew, which the French brought to Vietnam when they came to rule the country. But let me take this theory further into something more concrete to possibly reflect facts. It is this: Vietnamese love to take foreign words and use them as our own, but with a Vietnamese accent. Thus “feu” became “Phở.” But there’s more. It’s always been a popular knowledge that the French, specifically a man named Jesuit Alexandre de Rhodes in the country between 1624 and 1644, helped convert Vietnamese written language from a variant of Chinese characters into the modern age with translations using the Latin alphabet system. So the French connection to pho and Vietnamese language is much more intimate than casual, and it’s not unthinkable that pho did come from feu. Read more on the Vietnamese alphabet.

“Pot au feu” literally means “pot on the fire,” signifying the long hours required to create the soup. Just like with pho, cartilaginous, marrow-rich beef bones are used to make the broth of the pot au feu. These bones are left to boil and simmer in water on low heat for at least three hours, and the scum and foam formed by excess grease from the bone marrow are skimmed and discarded.

Another similarity that pot au feu shares with pho is the fact that ginger and onions are also roasted in an open flame before they are added to flavor the broth. Vegetables like carrots and turnips are used to top pot au feu. In pho, these vegetables are replaced by bean sprouts and herbs, with a little lime juice added in for taste.

Pho Bac: Pho of the North

Another theory that Vietnamese cuisine experts agree on is that the birthplace of pho is northern Vietnam, near Hanoi. Given the theory that pho is a Vietnamese adaptation of the French pot au feu, it is not surprising to think that pho originated from the north.

Hanoi has always been the center of political power in colonial Vietnam, with only a few short interruptions. The city has always been the seat of Vietnamese kings and emperors since 1010, except during the rule of the Nguyen dynasty, when the capital was moved to Hue. When the French conquered Vietnam and established the colony they called the French Indochina, they made Hanoi their capital city.

The French brought pot au feu to Vietnam and introduced the idea of slaughtering cows for food to the Vietnamese of the north. The northern regions of Vietnam are not as rich as those in the south, and food scarcity is not a stranger to a northern Vietnamese household. The northern Vietnamese get their food where they can find it, and they learned to take the beef parts and bones that their French conquerors did not want for their table. It is widely believed that this is how pho of the north, called pho bac, came to be.

Pho bac has an intense and delicate flavor that is entirely different from pho nam, which is pho of the south. The focus of pho bac is on the taste of its clear and simple broth. The star anise and other spices commonly used in pho serve as subtle undertones of flavor rather than complex layers. The main ingredients in pho bac are the rice noodles and the thinly sliced rare beef cooked quickly in the hot broth. You would not find a bowl of pho bac topped with the popular herbs and garnishing found in pho nam or in pho outside of Vietnam.

Even today, northern Vietnamese and pho purists consider pho bac the true pho. It is not uncommon to find a person from northern Vietnam or a pho purist to turn away from lavish preparations of pho nam or from pho that is not made from beef stock. Some of them find such preparations shocking and even disgusting.

Pho Nam: Pho of the South

French rule did not last in Vietnam. The Second World War saw the country known as French Indochina fall under Japanese occupation, although the new Japanese rulers retained their French administrators. But France was not to regain her full political influence on Vietnam. After the war, a series of events led to the splitting of Vietnam into North Vietnam and South Vietnam in 1954. North Vietnam, which is Communist country, kept Hanoi as its capital. South Vietnam is a democracy centered on Saigon (or Sài Gòn).

Thousands of North Vietnamese fled the Communist rule, and escaped across the border to South Vietnam. These refugee families took with them their cherished pho recipes and introduced pho to their brethren in the south. Here, pho is to make a turn that eventually shocked pho purists from the north.

Unlike in North Vietnam, food is rich and abundant in South Vietnam. Herbs and other ingredients are used liberally. The Vietnamese of the south put their taste for the lavish on the frugal pho bac to create the classic pho nam. They put more spices in their pho than their northern counterparts. They experimented with other beef parts, and even used other ingredients such as chicken and tripe. They added bean sprouts and herb garnishing as topping on the soup. They were also very liberal about the use of fish sauce and hoisin sauce to flavor their pho.

Pho flourished, and due to its versatility and popularity, Vietnamese eat pho everyday, at any time during the day. Pho vendors do business everywhere, from pushcarts to neighborhood street stalls, from pho restaurants to elegant bistros. But most importantly, pho is the food of the working people.

The Fall of Saigon and the Evolution of Pho

Conflicts between North and South Vietnam continued long after 1954. These conflicts were fueled by the Communist superpowers, namely the Soviet Union and Communist China, who gave their support to Communist North. Into the fray also came the Americans, who favored the Democratic South Vietnam. The conflicts became known as the Vietnam War, which raged full scale from 1963 to 1973, and ended in the Fall of Saigon in 1975.

The Fall of Saigon saw masses of Vietnamese people flee for their lives to various corners of the world. Many of them were accepted to the United States mainland in the few years immediately after 1975, while many others tried to escape in rickety boats as “boat people” for 15 or more years to come. These Vietnamese boat people created colonies in neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, although some even reached as far as Australia and even Europe.

Among the treasures that Vietnamese refugees brought with them from their homeland were their cherished pho recipes. Soon enough, restaurants serving pho emerged in the communities these Vietnamese migrants established in their country of exile, and these restaurants introduced pho to their non-Vietnamese neighbors.

As time went on, an evolution of pho was seen outside of Vietnam. Although the basic ingredients were retained, pho recipes were adapted to suit whatever ingredients were available locally. Non-Vietnamese who attempted to create their own version of pho also used techniques and ingredients that are far away from the traditional methods of creating pho.

One cannot stop evolution. Personally, I admire the creativity of these chefs, but if you want good pho, then go where the crowd eats. Chances are they eat the more authentic kind.

Vietnamese Pho Today

Outside of Vietnam many Vietnamese culinary experts have taken upon themselves to protect pho and help it retain its traditional identity. Pho has nonetheless taken on an adaptive nature. Many other versions of pho have emerged outside of Vietnam that contain seafood and pork and are called “pho” by their creators. Such dishes actually already exist in Vietnamese cuisine, being called “hu tieu” with different local variations.

For the pho connoisseurs, these so-called seafood or pork pho recipes cannot be considered pho in the strict traditional sense. In any case, the fact remains that pho has captured the fascination of people from all over the world because of the appeal of its distinct and layered flavors. There’s no question you’ll find great tasting and authentic pho in many of Vietnam’s local pho shops. But wherever you are in the world – whether in the United States, in Europe, in Australia or even in other Asian countries – you are sure to find a Vietnamese restaurant that serves pho as well, the authentic kind.

Also see “Pho in the U.S.: Sweeping North America Since 1975.” For an excellent recount of the Vietnamese experience and history of Little Saigon, see “Little Saigon, Orange County – California” by Wandering Chopsticks.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and welcome your comments, corrections and suggestions. Share them with us in the comments below.

The History and Evolution of Pho: A Hundred Years’ Journey is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

All-you-can-eat Pho? Well not quite, not here in the states anyway. I have not found a place for all-you-can-eat pho that will stay in business for more than a few weeks. There have been several attempts in Little Saigon area (Orange County, CA), but those places definitely didn’t do it right. These restaurants tried a few things, but in the end they suffered from low quality, less-than-appealing presentation and clientele, and bad food selection. Wow, talk about how not to operate a restaurant.

I continue to wish for an all-you-can-eat pho place.

I did have a great experience with all-you-can-eat pho in Vietnam, at Nha Hang Tan Son Nhat (Tan Son Nhat Restaurant), near the airport Tan Son Nhat in Saigon. The restaurant had a huge offerings of authentic regional Vietnamese delicacies, arranged into different food types at their own serving stations. Here are a couple of shots showing the pho station. Wow that was pho heaven! Just come up to the pho station, let the server know what you’d like (I think rare beef, well-done brisket and beef balls were available), and he prepares a steaming hot bowl of pho for you right on the spot. Then you take what you need from the abundant tray of  basil, culantro ngo gai, sprouts, etc. Yum! There were so many other great authentic Vietnamese dishes as well, and I did have some of those as well. But thank you very much, I’ll have another bowl of pho please.

My first pho bo of several.

Gotta have my ratings right? So here goes.

Jan 8, 2008

Pho tai, chin (beef: rare, well-done brisket).

• Pho noodle: (4/5)
• Soup stock: (4/5)
• Meats: (4/5)
• Garnishes*: freshness (5/5)
• Garnishes: extra points for fresh ngo gai (5/5) – ngo gai galore!
• Price: (5/5) all-you-can-eat, plus tons of other food dishes and free meal coupon!
• Extra points: (5/5) for clean dining area, airy and light ambience, good reliable service, totally authentic Vietnamese ambience.
• Total points: 32

* No points for expected garnishes of sprouts, Thai basil, lime and chiles.

So restaurateurs: want to open a great all-you-can-eat pho or, for that matter, Vietnamese restaurant that will last more than a few weeks or months? I’d fully support it. But you’ve got to learn from the Americans and Chinese on how to do all-you-can-eat the right way. Or visit Tan Son Nhat Restaurant in Saigon. For now, all-you-can-eat Pho in the states? I can continue to dream.

How about you, would you support all-you-can-eat pho? Do you have enough stomach (literally) for all-you-can-eat pho? Share your views with us and leave a comment below.

Sign in front of Restaurant Tan Son Nhat, Saigon. The 55,000 dong for adults works out to be roughly USD3.70 (early 2008 exchange rates). For kids, 44,000 dong or USD2.70. And we had a coupon for free meals, so this was the best pho deal ever.

Restaurant Tan Son Nhat All-You-Can-Eat Pho Station.

All You Can Eat Pho is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Updated 2/3/09. Pho Hoa Pasteur holds a special place in my early teen heart and memory. Not just because of its hearty bowls of pho. No. Not the Pho Hoa Pasteur you’re thinking about. I’m talking about the original place in Saigon.

I don’t remember frequenting Pho Pasteur in Saigon all that much before leaving the country in 1975 - Pho Pasteur as I recall it, not Pho Hoa Pasteur. More importantly this place (and this street Pasteur) is special to me because I bicycled along this street everyday going to school in the early 70′s.

Located at 260C Pasteur, Pho Hoa Pasteur has changed quite a bit I’m sure, but I don’t remember exactly what it was like. When you’re in an environment for thousands of times, you tend to ignore it. But then I was always concentrating on getting to school on time. We take things for granted I guess. Any way when coming back in January 2008, I had to stop by and have a bowl of pho here. Afterward we went outside and I took this picture of the Pasteur Institute across the street. Pho Hoa Pasteur is the original place.

I’m postulating this is why many restaurants in the US (and I’m sure elsewhere outside of Vietnam as well) are named some variations of Pho Hoa Pasteur. The place was that well-known and popular.

For the hard-core (or the curious) fans who want to read more about Pho Hoa Pasteur, the Pasteur Institute across the street from it, and the history behind it, click over to read about “Street of Saigon: Pasteur“, courtesy of SaigonToday.net.

Here’s what I had and my ratings:

Jan 16, 2008

Pho tai, chin (beef: rare, well-done brisket), large size.

• Pho noodle: (4/5)
• Soup stock: (4/5)
• Meats: (4/5)
• Garnishes*: freshness (5/5)
• Garnishes: extra points for fresh ngo gai (5/5) – Ngo gai galore!
• Extra points: 3 for clean dining area, comfortable ambience, authentically friendly service.
• Total points: 26

* No points for expected garnishes of sprouts, Thai basil, lime and chiles.

Pho Hoa Pasteur, Saigon is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Vietnamese pho in shopping malls? How about at Treasure Island in Las Vegas? Pho franchises? Yes, yes and yes.

I came across Saigon Noodles in the UTC shopping center in San Diego CA (Saigon Noodles reviews on Yelp.com). And while in Reno NV I saw Pho 777 so took a quick shot on my camera.

Saigon Noodles UTC Food Court, San Diego

Pho 777 Reno, NV

I’ve always known that Vietnamese pho restaurateurs are a bunch of creative entrepreneurs with tough business sense. Just look at the numerous pho stalls, bistros and restaurants in Vietnam, and the density of pho places in pockets around California and other states. Pho is everywhere, so you run into them with more frequency lately, many times in unexpected places.

And when you consider that ingredients are now much easier to source, that if you can recreate a great pot of soup stock in a cookie-cutting way over and over again, coupled with the fact that restaurateurs are more confidence about how a non-Vietnamese might accept and enjoy a healthy bowl of pho, you have a good formula for expansion.

Take Pho Hoa for instance. Owned by the Aureflam Corporation in Sacramento, the chain has almost 90 stores worldwide (both company-owned and franchised), with 33 in the U.S., 12 in Canada, and 42 in Asia, according to company literature. Aureflam also operates Pho Cong Ly chain stores in Texas and several other states as well, including Falls Church, Va. As expected, to succeed with a larger clientele, Pho Hoa and Pho Cong Ly must become somewhat “Americanized” in order to support their expansion outside of ethnic communities. Within competitive environment with lots of other pho choices, I’d recommend the other choices. My personal experience with Pho Hoa, located right in the middle of pho capital of the USA (Little Saigon in Westminster CA) was barely average. You can read more about Pho Hoa.

Across the Pacific you have the more exotic PHO 24, which is expanding fast across Southeast Asia and into Australia. According to the company, PHO 24’s vision is to be the number one brand name of Vietnamese Pho noodle restaurant chain inside and outside of Vietnam, and its website says it has 65 stores at the time of this post. Looking at its menu and new products, I see PHO 24 is confidently bringing out new pho options that are definitely pushing the traditional, like the Kid Combo (cool idea) and pho duoi bo (pho with ox tail – would love to try this). True to being a franchise, I saw PHO 24 all over the places when visiting Vietnam in 2008, but regrettably did not have chance to eat in one. Here’s a shot of the one on Le Thanh Ton Street in District 1, Saigon. The interior shot is courtesy of PHO 24 website.

PHO 24 Le Thanh Ton Saigon

PHO 24 Interior, Le Thanh Ton Saigon courtesy PHO 24 website

So there you have it. Vietnamese Pho is taking over the world!

And I like it. More chance for me to enjoy a bowl pho wherever I go.

Vietnamese Pho: Franchised and Going Mainstream? is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles