Pho Cali, Pho HoaCali, Pho Cali & Grill, Pho T Cali, Pho Cow Cali, Pho Cali Restaurant. When it comes to naming a pho restaurant, it seems we Vietnamese have a problem with good, creative English names. [Rant warning] Now before one says “what about Pho King, Pho Real, What The Pho!, etc.” I will just say this: Sure, funny and creative stuff they are. But those get old, plus I don’t like it when someone is taking my beloved pho a little too low on the respect scale. There, I said my piece.

Back to Pho Cali. Don’t get me wrong, if you understand Vietnamese, then there are some very cool names around. But since this is about Pho Cali, let’s just stay on topic.

Dave Cook from Eating In Translation left me a message today. Dave writes:

I came across your very engaging pho website today, and in the near future I’m sure I’ll be brushing up on my Vietnamese pronunciation. But in the meantime, I hope you can help answer a question that I couldn’t answer for myself by looking at LovingPho.com.

I’m wondering whether the “Cali” in pho Cali, which I encountered in the Bronx, New York, on a restaurant’s business card, is meant as an assertion of regional style and quality. New York pizza, to take one example, has long been considered a style of its own, and a mark of quality, even if pizza lovers in Naples, Italy, might disapprove of the preparation. Is pho Cali now considered emblematic, in some way, of California, enough so that in other U.S. states you can now seek out both New York pizza and pho Cali?

Interesting question Dave. Let’s break it down this way. If you’ve read my article on Bolsa called Vietnamese, Little Saigon, Bolsa, and Pho by the Numbers, then you’ve had a little peek into how we Vietnamese think. We’d say “let’s go to Bolsa,” to mean ‘let’s go to Little Saigon in Orange County, CA and do a little shopping, and a lot of good eating.’ Vietnamese like to take Western words (first French years ago and now English) and make them our own. Anyway, Vietnamese like 2-syllable words, and in the states the word California has way too many syllables (4 or 5 depending whom you ask,) plus the -nia part is kind of weird for many older folks to deal with. Therefore we just say Cali. Short, easy to spell and say, easy to remember. American-born persons would say SoCal or just Cal for short, but Vietnamese like Cali.

Next, because we love Cali, we’ll put Cali on everything we can. Vietnamese in other states desire to be here (despite what they may say otherwise ) According to Wikipedia on U.S. cities with large Vietnamese American populations, the 3 with the highest population of Vietnamese descent by percentage are in the good old Cali (San Jose, 8.8%; Santa Ana, 5.7%; and Anaheim, 3.1%) and of the top 10 U.S. cities with the highest Viet population by percentage, Cali has five (San Jose, Santa Ana, Anaheim, San Diego and Oakland.) So yeah we love our Cali. And guess what, Vietnamese in other states love our Cali too. Little Saigon in Orange County, CA is still a destination for many Viet visitors from the other states. They come here to visit friends and families, and/or just to check things out, to get a little taste for the old country.

So far there is no pho in the picture… Well that’s because it has nothing to do with pho actually. Just as you’ll likely see Pho Bolsa in San Diego or in Sacramento or in York, Ontario, you will see Pho Cali in many other places including the Bronx, New York.

So my dear friend Dave, I’m sorry to tell you the unfortunate news: Pho Cali is not like New York pizza. There is no such thing as Cali branded pho or Cali pho brand that is comparable in the same way New York pizza is. It’s not a style of pho, it’s not a regionally well-known pho in any sense, and it’s not representative of any expected quality. You can’t go to a restaurant and ask for “pho Cali” because it does not exist; what you’d get would be similar to pho that you can get elsewhere in the states, taking into account variations in quality, quantity and price. Pho Cali is just a popular and easy to remember name. Just don’t believe it when someone tries to explain it any other way.

Thanks for a great question. Visit Dave’s blog Eating In Translation.

Read about LA Weekly Blogs’s “Just Pho Fun: Top Ten Phở Restaurant Names.”

Pho Cali, Pho HoaCali, Pho Cali & Grill, Pho T Cali, Pho Cow Cali – What’s in a Name? is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

We call it monosodium glutamate or just sodium glutamate. The Japanese invented (found it in nature actually) and call it umami, for “good flavor” or “good taste.”

Many people have problems with consuming monosodium glutamate, or MSG, in their foods. Chinese cuisine and many other restaurant foods are notorious for having lots of MSG in them. Restaurant pho is no different. In fact MSG use in many pho restaurants is so prominent and unmistakable that you can literally taste it instead of the flavorful pho broth that it should be. While MSG exists naturally around us and its use is considered “safe” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA,) the benefits or ill effects that it brings to human diners (and pho zealots!) remain quite controversial. We each have our own judgement, tolerance, and reaction to MSG but to get a broader understanding of its impact on our culinary experience, I’ve asked a few culinary industry masters to share their views on MSG and how they feel it should be used in our daily lives.

Here are some views on monosodium glutamate from 7 food industry experts. Five of them have extensive culinary experience in Asian foods, the other 2  brings to the “table” (no pun intended) a clear Western viewpoints of MSG use. At least one is a food scientist, and many are respected authors, educators and publishers in their own right. I point this out because, in my opinion, the discussion on MSG cannot omit the differentiation between western and eastern cooking philosophies. In fact, such differences may just explain why MSG receives such notoriety sometimes.

In alphabetical order, they are:

• Donna Bauck, Associate Director of Retail for the University of Montana, Missoula
• Chef & culinary adventurer Robert Danhi, ChefDanhi.com.
• Author & Teacher Andrea Nguyen, VietWorldKitchen.com.
• Pho & coffee master Brian Nguyen, Quoc Viet Foods.
• Sinful recipes with Florentina, Peace, Love & Food! ciaoflorentina.com.
• Sushi, restaurant & marketing consultant Jay Terauchi of TheLASushiGuys.com.
• Author & Asian cuisine expert Corrine Trang, CorinneTrang.com.

I hope you will find their comments and viewpoints interesting and educational as I did. We are all humans and have our own biases and personal preferences, but insights from professionals in their own fields like these on a semi-controversial subject like MSG is a worthwhile read and definitely a learning experience. You will find both extreme and more moderate points of view on this thing we call MSG or umami. My own notes or clarification, if any, are added in brackets [...] to the end of the experts’ individual statements.

1. What are your views on MSG and its use in food preparation in general? Was its creation a blessing or curse to the culinary world?

Donna Bauck. Both a blessing AND a curse. As we all know many people are sensitive to it. In the “corporate” food world it is often banned. Corporations spend a great deal of time and money finding other ways to boost flavor, and I know some products are no longer used because they contain it. On the other hand, we all want to honor traditions AND cultures. In the case of  “America” we have often taken too many liberties in Americanizing foods. In the food industry, many of us realize we have lost the heart, soul, and flavor of many cultures’ foods by doing this. What is the answer? I don’t think anyone has come up with a good one. [I think Ms. Bauck's latter point is that, in americanizing ethnic foods, we make changes to them (including taking out MSG) to the detrimental effect of the foods' authenticity and taste, which I totally agree with.]

Robert Danhi. Chef Danhi wrote passionately and extensively about the subject of MSG in his book Southeast Asian Flavors. With his permission, I’m quoting relevant paragraphs here.

… For years I’ve had an internal battle over whether to use monosodium glutamate (MSG) in my cooking. The struggle began more than a decade ago when I really began to understand Southeast Asian food. I avoided using it, since as a classically trained Western chef, I was taught it was cheating and unnecessary to achieve really good food (actually true). But the challenge is that the food I’ve loved so much when I’ve traveled tasted so different from what I would make in my kitchen stateside. I realized there was no question that the prevalent use of MSG in restaurants and by street vendors of Southeast Asia was a significant factor affecting the flavor. I have ventured into hundreds of kitchens in Southeast Asia over the past twenty years. Most use MSG in one form or another. I have decided to address what most cookbook authors avoid—the topic of monosodium glutamate…

… I do not recommend nor disapprove of its use. The reality is that a majority of the kitchens in Southeast Asia use it. In the U.S.A. “No MSG added” is a common restaurant claim. But while the cooks may not have added MSG in its pure form, they probably still use sauces that have it added at the factory. Many cooks exclaim they do not use MSG, but frankly many do not even realize that they do…

… I believe much of the modern-day use of MSG in the foods around Southeast Asia is a cost-cutting measure… … That stated, MSG is a relative newcomer to Asian cookery, having been in use for just over one hundred years. Although I was not around two hundred years ago, I’m sure there were amazing, vibrant, flavorful foods long before MSG’s invention…

Andrea Nguyen. MSG is not a terrible thing but it’s [oftentimes] [overused] to make blah, poorly made food tasty. Umami is important in lots of Asian cooking but there are natural ways to achieve it. MSG is a chemical product. Who wants to add extra chemicals to their food? It’s not natural.

Brian Nguyen. MSG is a flavor enhancer. Until today, FDA and most, if not all, health officials from other countries have not banned of using MSG in foods. The chemical components of MSG are Sodium and Glutamic Acid. Glutamic Acid is an Amino Acid. Our body requires Amino Acid. However, our body can produce it, luckily. Without it, our foods would be very bland.

Florentina. MSG is simply not good for you. It might have been a blessing for the culinary world, but definitely a curse for me and you, the consumer.

Jay Terauchi. I don’t use MSG in my cooking, unless it’s an Asian packaged or canned product. I understand having to use it in processed foods, but I won’t use it as a flavor enhancer.

Corinne Trang. In my Asian side of the family, we used it all the time. Some still do, but I don’t. It is unnecessary. Salt can open up your taste buds. Spices and herbs can enhance any foods, curing, heat cooking, etc… can do the same. There [are] so many ways to create beautiful flavors with fresh ingredients, why would anyone want to use MSG? It’s definitely a curse, and quite frankly it should be taken off the market.

2. How much, if any, do you use or recommend the use of MSG in any recipe?

Donna Bauck. I stay away from it as much as possible. There is no way of knowing if my customer base has sensitivity. Though I attempt to label any foods that I am aware of (just as you would for nuts,) I believe there is a growing population that does know if they are sensitive, [therefore] may steer away from foods labeled as such.

Robert Danhi. Don’t use in recipes.

Andrea Nguyen. I don’t suggest using MSG in any of my recipes. I’m more intrigued by what natural glutamates do in food, how they make food taste good.

Brian Nguyen. Most food products contain naturally occured Glutamic Acid. However, during the cooking process, most of Glutamic Acid is destroyed by heat from over cooking. The amount of putting the MSG back into food varies. However, it should be much less than 1% in finished products.

Florentina. I do not use MSG in my cooking and I would never recommend it in a recipe.

Jay Terauchi. None.

Corinne Trang. Zero.

3. Are there certain dishes that you feel will always need at least some MSG?

Donna Bauck. I do not believe I am in the position to answer this. I do not use it, though I am sure I have eaten it. I have never studied the effects of a recipe with or without MSG.

Robert Danhi. [No.]

Andrea Nguyen. Nope. Some Viet people say that pho is not pho without MSG but that’s just because there is rampant use of it in pho. They are used to the ‘sweet’ flavor that MSG lends. Using yellow rock sugar makes that happen in pho broth.

Brian Nguyen. As I mentioned above, MSG is a flavor enhancer not a flavor. Most cooked dishes require MSG since it has been destroy[ed] by heat.

Florentina. Absolutely not. With all the spices we have available to us today, there is no need for MSG at all.

Jay Terauchi. I don’t feel that but understand that most Asian dishes use it and that’s what people know it to taste like that.

Corinne Trang. No.

4. With respect to pho, is MSG (at any quantity) an important ingredient? What about any other broths/soup dishes?

Donna Bauck. Same answer as above. Additionally, though I have eaten pho, I could not answer from a cultural, or personal experience as to its importance.

Robert Danhi. Use lots of meat, enough fish sauce and long simmering to harness umami and no MSG is needed. [If you] can’t afford the meat and time, add some MSG and broth will taste better.

Andrea Nguyen. See response to #3 above.

Brian Nguyen. The most important ingredient in Pho or any dishes is not MSG. MSG is not a primary ingredient. It is a secondary ingredient. It is there to enhance not to act as a flavor.

Florentina. I don’t believe so. More people should try using sea salt and lots of aromatics to enhance the flavor of their meals.

Jay Terauchi. I think to give it the authentic flavor YES, otherwise I think it would lack the familiar flavor that people know.

Corinne Trang. MSG is not necessary in any food, including pho or other broths or soup dishes. Again my family has used [it] for sure, but I don’t see a good enough reason to add it to any of my meals.

5. The bottom line: would you enjoy a bowl of pho (homemade or restaurant) knowing that MSG was used?

Donna Bauck. Since I have eaten pho, in traditional settings I believe I can safely assume I have eaten it with MSG. Though, again, I believe the public needs additional education on MSG. It is one of those products that we hear (as example) may cause headaches if you are sensitive to it. No one I know wants to “risk” a headache… so though they may have eaten MSG prior, they may not know they have. Theoretically, I believe some people would shy away from a food product with this ingredient because of this.

Robert Danhi. Yes, I do here in USA and in Vietnam where most cooks use it… Sad, but they [can't] afford the pure meat/bone broth.

Andrea Nguyen. When I have pho in a restaurant, most likely there’s MSG in the broth. That’s fine and expected. What’s not fine is when there’s a ton of MSG in the broth. That’s just bad cooking.

Brian Nguyen. Whether homemade or restaurant made, MSG should be used sparingly.

Florentina. Yes I would, occasionally, but if I were given the choice between a bowl of pho made with MSG and one made without the use of MSG I would pick the latter.

Jay Terauchi. I understand that it’s traditional and enjoy the flavor from the stock of bones, etc.  If the broth only had flavor from seasonings such as MSG, then No. It’s a big selling point to Americans if you don’t use MSG.

Corinne Trang. I would. I did when I was in Vietnam. I have when enjoying pho in a NY City’s Chinatown, because when in the company of friends, you talk about other things besides MSG! At home when I make pho, or any Asian soups, I never use it.

My take on MSG.

So there you have it. Certainly learned a lot myself. My own personal view on MSG is more moderate than many people’s, and certainly more moderate than some of our culinary masters here. I myself do not get adverse effects after consuming moderate amounts of MSG, except for the normal thirstiness which comes with any sodium consumption anyway. I do agree that many food vendors overuse MSG and my level of enjoyment would drop like a brick; I don’t like salt water and it’s just a waste of my money actually. In any case I think the MSG controversy will continue on. What’s the bottom line? I think it is this:

• MSG is not banned simply because it is not necessarily bad for many of us, but we do have our own choice of what we consider a quality and healthy diet. Education and understanding are key.

I want to send many warm thanks to Donna Bauck, Robert Danhi, Andrea Nguyen, Brian Nguyen, Florentina, Jay Terauchi and Corrine Trang for participating in this roundtable discussion on MSG. You gave us valuable insights into this tough culinary subject.

Now let’s go eat some pho.

Oh and please take the MSG survey below.

Vietnamese Pho With No Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)? Sure You Want It That Way? is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Bánh phở is the noodle used in the Vietnamese pho dish. Reader Eric left a request over at the other post “Pronunciation of Pho and Other Vietnamese Words and Phrases” inquiring about what to say when you want to order extra Bánh Phở noodles, or a side order of pho noodles. Eric says:

hi there- i’m wondering how to pronounce the following question about ordering extra rice noodles:
có thể tôi xin có bún thêm cho một đồng đô la phụ? Tôi rất đói.
the direct translation (from google translate) is:
can i please have extra rice noodles for an extra dollar? i’m very hungry.
thanks!

Hmm Google translation helps sometimes, but not in this case.

But first let’s get something straight. In my opinion, the best thing to do is to have bánh phở added to your bowl in the kitchen before they pour in the hot pho broth. Some may prefer a side bowl of just bánh phở at your table, but if you think about it, you’ll want everything in the bowl before the broth is poured in. This is because bánh phở needs to cook with the rest of the other pho ingredients in the bowl. Even if the pho noodles are blanched and then served in a separate side bowl at your table, you’ll have to immediately put it in your bowl. Otherwise if you leave it in the side bowl while enjoying the main portion first, the side noodles will continue to cook on the inside and get all lumped up and mushed together, and will become cold and dry on the outside, all while your broth is cooling in your bowl as well. Anyway if you must then you must, but I recommend extra bánh phở inside the bowl, not outside.

Note that Eric’s message implies that he wants certain quantity (a dollar’s worth) of pho noodles. As far as I know, most pho restaurants either charge one price for sides or none at all. So specifying a dollar amount’s worth of banh pho may not work well in most situations. Also there is absolutely nothing wrong with the “very hungry” part, but I’ll leave that part out of the audio files as well. If someone really must have the “I’m very hungry” then please leave a request in the comment, I’ll do it then.

As requested by Eric, below are 3 variations of ordering extra pho noodles when you’re in a restaurant. The variation between each phrase is very minimal, but the impact can be major. They range from more formal to casual ordering tones.

Pronounce: Ordering extra bánh phở noodles with your phở.

• More formal. Xin cho thêm bánh phở (Please add/give more banh pho noodles.) Southern accent once, then Northern accent twice.
• Neutral. Cho tôi thêm bánh phở (Add/give me more banh pho noodles.) Southern then Northern accent.
• Casual. Cho thêm bánh phở (Add/give more banh pho noodles.) Southern then Northern accent. 

Thanks for the question Eric!

So have you ordered anything extra with your pho? Take the poll below.

How to Order Extra Bánh Phở Noodles With Your Pho is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Updated 10-15-10. We all have our own reasons why we like Vietnamese pho, and we have our own reasons to keep coming back to our favorite pho restaurant(s.) The reasons we like our pho restaurants can be as varied as pho recipes themselves, but when one boils it all down (no pun intended) to the pho essentials, there are really a finite number of reasons why a pho restaurant deserve your business and my business. Here’s my take on what makes a great pho restaurant. You are welcome and definitely encouraged to add your own take in the comments section.

Please be aware that, though I’d like to think of myself as a fair person, I realize that each of us do have our own certain personal preferences and biases. Our preferences may be directly or indirectly influenced by other factors such as where we live, where we come from, what we believe in, and sometime our own economic situation of course. Who says pho is not a religion? Maybe not yet, but the critical mass is already swelling. We can all feel it.

So with the prelude out of the way, let’s look at a couple of recent polls running on LovingPho.com. You are welcome to take them if you haven’t done so. Click “Vote” under the results to take a poll and add your voice among other pho zealots (thanks Andrea Nguyen for the term) and tell us what a great pho restaurant means to you. Why these two questions? Well the first poll, “How important is authentic/good pho to you?,” is repeated here just to set the stage for the fact that, despite my own expectation (and maybe yours too,) there are almost 1/4 of the people who took the poll (20% + 4% saying good pho is subjective or not important) feel that it’s ok to have less than authentic/good pho.

The second poll, “Your perfect pho restaurant?,” is really where the meat is (again no pun intended.) Here it is.

Go ahead, take the polls if you haven’t done so.

OK so let’s pick them apart. The results discussed below are based on poll results as of September 28, 2010. It is expected that the general trend of the results will continue. I’ll continue to track and make updates as needed.

More than 50% say great quality and fresh garnish are the most important pho restaurant attributes.

• Great Pho Quality. Eighty eight percent (88%) say great quality is important. While it is obvious that quality is of course important, it is not 100%! This attribute is a tough one to judge for many non-Viet, but actually it’s pretty easy. Quality is like beauty, it’s in the eye, or the mouth in this case, of the beholder. Alright I’ll just rephrase it; Pho quality is in the mouth of the slurper. We all have our own measuring stick when it comes to pho quality, but even for non-Viet diners it’s pretty safe to say that as a group we all know what pho quality means. It’s what makes us keep coming back for more.
• Fresh Pho Garnish. Sixty two percent (62%) say fresh garnish is important. Well of course! It’s what pho is all about. But the flip side again is interesting too. Thirty eight percent (38%) say they don’t care much about fresh garnish. Wow this really opens my eyes. My theory? Well assuming if one likes to have the garnish, then it has to be fresh; who wants stale garnish right? So one plausible explanation is, pho is so good in itself, many non-Viet diners don’t need/don’t want/can’t stand the garnish or care about the freshness of it. I would expect a very small number of Viet diners do not like fresh garnish so these folks do not contribute to the results.

Cleanliness is an important pho restaurant attribute, but it’s not necessarily what it seems.

• Pho Restaurant Cleanliness. Forty seven percent (47%) say pho restaurant cleanliness is important. I’m sure this applies to any other restaurants as well, but again what’s happening with 53% who say it is not important? Is our expectation that low, or do we actually get used to a “typical” pho or Vietnamese restaurant look and feel? It is what it is? I do know one thing: if the quality is great, cleanliness will always be secondary. For those who never had pho at a street stall on the streets of Saigon or Hanoi, you are missing the total pho experience. And you know what? I totally appreciate people taking time out to participate in this poll, but I now have a lot more respect for the pho zealots who voted quality above cleanliness. Keep on slurping.

Large portions, good service, and low price: restaurant attributes that can be important, or not.

• Large Pho Portion and Low Pho Price. Thirty two percent (32%) and 36% say large portion and low (or affordable) price, respectively, are important. These two certainly go hand in hand because having one normally means having the other as well. What does this really mean? To me it means that, as Vietnamese food is already very affordable in the U.S., when you have the goodness of the all-in-one-meal Vietnamese pho, it is a great deal all around and very hard to beat.
• Good Service. Likewise, 32% say good service is important. This is a non-pho attribute so I think it’s the reason why only a third says it’s important in this context. Let’s face it, a typical pho restaurant is not necessarily a fancy date destination, so you don’t expect much in the service department. The other 68% just say: “Let me have number 2 please, and a glass of water. That’s all I want.” See this poll below about pairing beverages with pho.

Other Viet foods, Viet music and large Viet clientele are not key pho restaurant attributes.

• Other Viet Foods, Viet Music and Large Viet clientele. At the low end of the important attributes spectrum are variety of Viet dishes (12%,) Viet music (4%,) large Viet clientele (21%) all of which to me have to do with the environment or ambiance. This is a pho poll so of course we don’t care much for other Viet dishes. We just want our pho! On the other hand, for those who took this poll, my interpretation here is that Vietnamese pho is reaching a point where the customers, I surmise to say, are knowledgeable and understand the dish enough to care a lot more about the pho they eat and not much else. That’s the way it should be in my opinion. Out of my own curiosity I included these non-pho attributes in the poll, and you are essentially saying: “Just give me good pho any day!” I’m with you on that.

So how am I doing “profiling” a pho zealot? And how do you see yourself among the pho faithful? If you’re thinking about opening your own pho restaurant, I hope you take note. The LovingPho Restaurant will definitely have all the important attributes, but I assure you it will be clean too.

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What Makes a Great Pho Restaurant? is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Updated 03-22-11. By now you probably know how passionate I am about my beloved Vietnamese phở. With everything that’s going on in the pho industry, if you can call it that, from pho franchises to “new” forms of pho (seafood, pork, etc. – I’m shuddering brrr…) to pho shops owned by non-Viet restaurateurs, I have a serious concern for where the authentic pho as we know it may be heading – at least the version I know I like. Who cares, you say? Well I know there are many who care, or should care.

Of course “authentic pho” itself is debatable, so let’s talk about influences.

Vietnamese Pho: Chinese and French Influences

Vietnam was under Chinese rule for about 1000 years, then another 100 years under the French after that, so one can make up his/her own mind about who gave what and how much influence to the Vietnamese. Pho is no exception.

If you haven’t done so, I invite you to read the following articles:

• The History and Evolution of Pho: A Hundred Years’ Journey
• Pho in the U.S.: Sweeping North America Since 1975

Those who know Vietnam know the fact that Viet culture definitely have Chinese and French influences. French was the second language in the country even past the Vietnam war in 1975, after the French were long gone and large number of Americans were there since the early 60s. After 1975 and throughout the subsequent communist Soviet Union influence on the country, Russian was becoming the predominant second language in many schools. However, French influence remained a part of Vietnamese life right through the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Many people fail to realize how strong the Viet-French tie has been and will ever will be. Even in the 10 or so years following 1975 when the Communist government in Vietnam closed up the country, it was the Europeans and specifically the French who came back to Vietnam first to open diplomatic relations. Despite historical genesis, the French love Viet people and vice versa. Not surprisingly, one of the leading culinary experts in Viet cuisine is a French named Didier Corlou! The Communist Vietnamese took credit for kicking out the French in 1954, but they won’t admit that in post-1975 Vietnam depended even more on the French and was glad they came back as they did. It actually opened up the country again to Western investments, trades, education, and other good things. It wasn’t until around 2005 when President Clinton normalized U.S.-Vietnamese relations that English was moved up as the language of choice for international and business communication. Yet that French influence (and Chinese, obviously) remains indisputable far into the future.

One thing for sure though, Viet people (especially the commoners) adopted foreign words and added our own accents to make it “look” and “sound” right for Viet conversational use. The “ph” in “phở” is pronounced exactly as an “f” in French, since there is no letter f in the modern Viet alphabet. And I want to stress that there is no “p” sound in “phở” either. Read more on the History of Pho.

Vietnamese Pho: American Influences

Here are a couple of things that happened after 1975 and is happening now. One, pho is now popular around the world due to the millions of Viet refugees who left the country since 1975. Without this key group of people I doubt if pho would have received much attention at all aside from a few tourists and foreigners adventurous enough to try out a bowl of pho when visiting Vietnam. Two, with such large Viet communities in the U.S. and more and more Americans searching out for pho everyday as the new comfort food, pho itself is being influenced by Americans, American taste, American way of life, and the American marketplace as we speak.

So how is pho being changed? Here are a few ways:

• The viral pho reason. As second, third and subsequent Vietnamese-American generations spread outside of the Vietnamese enclaves around North America, more and more Americans who consider themselves ”meat-and-potatoes” kind of diners will be exposed to pho and will add pho to their list of preferred Asian foods. Sodexo even listed pho as the number 3 food trend on U.S. college campuses for 2010. But guess what? Pho will need to change to the new palates, not the other way around, if the restaurants are to survive in areas outside of the Viet communities.
• The variety pho reason. Once Americans like something, they will demand choices, and there will be restaurateurs who will oblige. Already we’ve seen pho choices that a Vietnamese would not see or order in a more authentic Vietnamese restaurant. I’m talking about pho varieties with seafoods, pork, fish and other non-traditional ingredients. Again when the clientele demands, the restaurateurs will provide. On top of this, when the competition heats up, what does a creative chef or restaurateur do? Of course, he/she creates new variations  of pho to stay competitive.
• The healthy pho reason. Pho itself is probably already more healthy than the typical American foods. With millions of Americans actively searching for healthier diet choices, many already found what they need in Vietnamese foods. The trend will be even more creative and non-traditional pho to be offered by restaurateurs in the forms of vegetarian, tofu, and other non-red meat ingredients.
• The alternate ingredients reason. Let’s face it, when a Vietnamese restaurant owner ventures outside of the Viet community, fresh ingredients will become harder to acquire locally. The net result will be more expensive pho, or pho without the right ingredients. While this maybe a small issue for some, it can and will contribute to the creation of pho fusion, as the local new clientele may not be able to tell the difference.
• The parallel tracks reason. Since 1975, there are multiple versions of pho that continue to develop around the world. It’s hard enough to track the changing pho in Vietnam. It used to be Pho Bac for the north Vietnam region, and the more elaborate pho version for the south. Now with franchises like Pho 24 and Pho Hoa popping up around world, you’d have pho for the mass. It’s not easy to put your finger on it, and it’ll be interesting to see how all this will transpire.

So there you have it. Pho is changing. Regardless of if you’re for or against it, or maybe don’t even care, you can’t stop it. The only thing you and I can do is to help control it through our own pocketbooks. I know we have urges to try something new all the time, but I also know I need to give my continued business to good authentic pho restaurants who go out of their ways to do it right. It doesn’t have to be prepared in traditional way necessarily, but it has to taste the way it should be. There are real and important reasons to patronize good pho restaurants, because if they go away, you’ll never know what you’ll get in their places.

Please take this poll on the subject.

Pho Is Changing – Chinese, French and Now American Influences is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Vietnamese pho in Europe? Not exactly catching on by storm like pho in the U.S., Canada and Australia, but there are enclaves of Vietnamese living in Europe. Let’s take a look at how pho got to Europe and how it’s doing in the European marketplace. Through my communication with a few European pho fans on Twitter, I could see pho’s prominent existence in places in Europe. And we all know…

Where There Are Vietnamese, There Is Pho

Pho is a dish that is closely identified with the culture, way of life, traditions and history of the Vietnamese people. Thus, it is more than reasonable to expect that where there are Vietnamese, there is Vietnamese pho.

The story of how pho came to Europe is not similar to how pho came to the United States.

There were at least 3 major waves of Vietnamese arriving in Europe. The first was during French colonization of Vietnam (or Indochina.) This long period has seen Vietnamese people traveling to France and settling there since early 19th century. Of course there were slaves, but the majority were educated and affluent (if not noble and royal) Viet citizens. The second was after the Fall of Saigon in 1975, when thousands fled Vietnam to find freedom elsewhere. These were mostly from south Vietnam, but the refugees included many northern Viet who migrated south in 1945. This second Viet diaspora saw the displaced Vietnamese settling en masse in the United States, in Australia, in various corners of Asia, and in Europe – France in particular. The second wave, which lasted for more than 15 years, saw a more educated population in the early years and those more desperate to get out at any cost in the latter years. The third wave consisted of Vietnamese workers sent to the then Eastern Bloc European countries, including the U.S.S.R., as laborers by the post-1975 Vietnamese Communist government.

So why are all this important? They’re important for several reasons. My theory is that the first wave did not have much to do with pho in Europe. This is because pho did not come into existence until early 20th century. After that pho would go on its own development/formative years in such a way that it became the commoners’ food – hardly worth the trouble for Vietnamese to worry about heading off to Europe. It was a time for Vietnamese to learn and explore, or to slave for someone else. In either case, whatever Viet foods they prepared for themselves while in Europe would face a challenge of finding the right ingredients anyway.

The second wave after 1975 was the key force responsible for bringing pho to Europe. These were refugees looking for new homes, and they found their new livelihoods in Europe. These large settlements combine to create the perfect ingredients for Vietnamese pho to thrive, both in the form of home-cook pho and restaurant businesses with an eager clientele.

While many Vietnamese from the third wave stayed on in Europe after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc circa 1989-1991, there was no evidence that they contributed in any major way to popularize Vietnamese pho in Europe. For some who opened their own pho restaurants, they were merely riding the wave of Viet presence already established by Viet refugees in these countries.

Vietnamese Pho Marginalization in Europe

One of the sad facts of the Viet diaspora is that the Vietnamese in Europe have not really flourished in that continent as they have in the United States. In many European countries, especially those in Central and Eastern Europe, the Vietnamese are somewhat marginalized and are simply trying to make ends meet. The Internet has many stories including this one about the plight of the Vietnamese in Poland.

But it’s not impossible to find pho in Europe if you know where to look. The pho-nomenon may not be as hot in Europe as it is in the United States or Australia, but if you want a good bowl of pho in Europe, just find your way to a Asian/Chinese/Vietnamese enclave. If one does not exist in a country, then it doesn’t exist. But you can’t miss if you can find your way to a Chinatown or “Asiantown.”

Pho in Europe: The Bottom Line

In the end, it’s not fair to speak of Europe as a single place. There are of course many countries and there are pockets of Viet people living in each country. It’s almost too funny to say it, but if you want to find good Vietnamese pho in Europe, start in France. Here’s a piece on Vietnamese Pho in France. With the availability of the Internet nowadays, it’s super easy to find if there’s a pho restaurant nearby. And once you find one, remember my motto: If a Viet restaurant has no Viet clientele then continue your walk. A crowded pho shop with Vietnamese slurping away is a sure sign of great pho. In Europe or anywhere else.

Vietnamese Pho in Europe: A Far Cry from Home? is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Updated 12-02-10. Vegetarian pho, or phở chay, has never been about healthy eating in Vietnam. Of course there are people who must go the vegetarian way due to health or personal belief reasons, but for the majority of the population, pho chay, and other chay foods, are more about observing strict non-meat meals as part of the Buddhist religious observance. Now with pho being quite popular in the U.S. and the population becoming more conscious about leading a healthy lifestyle, it’s only natural that restaurants offer vegetarian pho or pho chay on their menus.

Pho is the well-known Vietnamese rice noodle dish. The authentic version has its broth made using beef or chicken bones, then served together with various kinds of beef or chicken meats. The noodle dish is essentially a meat-based dish. In the words of Asian cookbook author Corinne Trang, pho is really two separate dishes in one: the broth, and the noodle with its ingredients. It would take good skills and experience to create imitation pho, which is exactly what vegetarian pho is.

A vegetarian pho, or “pho chay,” can be vegetarian on at least 2 levels. I’m a purist so, to me, vegetarian means absolutely no meat. For many of my American friends, however, vegetarian might mean no meat, but seafood is okay. You can find both varieties at pho restaurants in the U.S. If in doubt, ask the restaurateur of what’s actually in their pho chay. Or alternatively, you can find more authentic vegan dishes at strictly vegetarian restaurants, which are popping up like mushrooms around Little Saigon in CA, as well as other Little Saigons around the world too.

A real and completely vegetarian pho is made entirely from vegetables. Instead of using meats and bones, the broth depends entirely on vegetable ingredients such as leeks, wheat gluten (mock beef, chicken, etc.,) tofu and mushrooms for flavors and textures. Important pho ingredients are definitely retained to keep the pho flavors, and as long as they are not meat-based. These include onion, star anise, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and the likes. Vegan or not, pho would not be pho without these ingredients to give pho its unique aroma.

For devoted Buddhists, some root vegetables like onion and garlic may also be excluded. If you have a chance to try vegetarian foods served at a Buddhist temple, you’ll notice that it’s a lot simpler and may taste bland to the common person. The point is it has nothing to do with enjoying a meal at the temple (hardly the proper place to look for culinary nirvana, but definitely a place to find culinary creativity,) but everything to do with knowing you have a meal without killing an animal. Temple chay foods are true vegetarian and healthy, but once vegan foods get to the restaurants, chefs spice things up to make it more attractive to paying customers. Most vegan dishes at these places are quite good to eat, and many are really excellent.

Vegetarian pho or pho chay will never be as popular as pho bo and pho ga, but when done right, it’s an excellent vegan choice.

Share your favorite pho chay restaurant experience with us in the comment below.

Vegetarian Pho or Pho Chay – a Tasty Healthy Vegan Choice is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Updated 09-22-09. Here are some stats on Vietnamese pho restaurants in the U.S. – part of a market analysis project I’m working on. The results are still preliminary but worth sharing. I had many sources, but the data presented here came from PhoFever.com’s own Pho Restaurant Directory. Thanks to Tom Nguyen of PhoFever.com for keeping up the database. I’ll share other interesting info as they become available.

Caveat #1. The pho restaurant industry in the U.S. is quite dynamic, and with the popularity of pho on the increase, new pho restaurants are open all the time. I don’t think there is a list anywhere that can call itself a complete pho restaurant directory. Since many available pho restaurant lists are really voluntary efforts, meaning the restaurants are either submitted by the restaurateurs themselves, or by diners giving reviews, the “most complete” list would have to be one that is active and updated often. I think PhoFever.com’s directory is a good starting point.

One thing is for sure: the actual pho restaurant industry is larger than shown here. Once we can include them all, I’m sure adjustments of the rankings for some markets will need to be made. Not all, just some.

Caveat #2. Because of the dynamic nature of the pho market and the voluntary nature of these databases, absolute numbers are not available at this point. Much more important, though, are trends for relative comparison and quick glance purposes. You won’t find exact numbers here, or anywhere else.

Caveat #3. Many many Vietnamese restaurants offer pho, but some specialty restaurants do not. Though they exist, I don’t expect many non-pho restaurants present in PhoFever.com’s Directory.

On with the stats. Below are some snapshots of the data. The market analysis itself is much more extensive. Click on the graphics to get larger versions.

Top U.S. Cities With Pho Restaurants

The first graph shows the top 15 American cities with the largest number of pho restaurants. Many of us take for granted that we have a pho shop right around the corner, within driving distance, or multiple places to go for our pho fix. For many others, such luxury is not available to them. Much more detailed stats to come.

Pho Restaurants in California Cities

An overwhelming number of Vietnamese live in California, with many many more pho lovers who are not Vietnamese. Here are the number of restaurants doing business in California cities. San Francisco leads the pack with trendy places, high tech-mined population, cool young and old people (both restaurateurs and diners,) and a huge number of Chinese/Viet descents. My San Diego is not doing too bad at rank number 5. Collectively though, Orange County is still the place to go if large numbers matter to you.

Pho Restaurants by States

Of course east and west coasts of the U.S. have the most pho restaurants. Houston, Texas stands its own ground smack in the center of the country, of course with a very large Viet presence there. So what’s amazing? It’s the fact that, though still sparse in many places, there are now pho restaurants in all 50 states, including Alaska, Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota! The U.S. is a big place, so there’s still some more work to do.

Stay tuned for more stats from the analysis.

Pho Restaurants in the United States – Pho on the Move is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

The pho menu needs a major improvement or facelift. Pho noodle itself is great, but the pho menu needs to get with the 21st century. Here’s why.

Existing Pho Menu - Too Many Choices

Vietnamese pho is poised for an explosive growth around the world; it already started by some estimates. Pho as a dish should retain its authenticity, taste and tradition, but the pho menu needs to be upgraded if pho stands any chance of really going global and staying global. Pho menu needs a better appeal to a wider audiences outside of the Viet communities.

Too Many Unnecessary Choices

Starting in North Vietnam, Pho Bac or Northern Pho is pretty much available at street vendors as a single dish. Once brought to the South in 1945, pho took on more elaborate form with many options of meat and garnishes added. Pho restaurants in the South present customers with a menu that include all combination and permutation possible of the same pho bowl. Forty five years later the same practice continues, as it migrated with Viet immigrants to all corners of the globe.

Looking at the pho restaurant market, there are really only 2 groups of pho customers: one already knows pho, the other does not.

The fact is, when ordering pho, Vietnamese and many many non-Viet diners do not need to look at the menu. On rare occasions, he/she (more likely a she through my observations) may want something else for that meal, thus he/she wants to look at the pho menu. But for the vast majority of us, we know what we’re there for.

Much Improved, More Simplification Still Needed, Pho Hoa Franchise Menu Page 3

The Trouble With Current Pho Menus

So what’s the real problem? Considering the non-Viet clientele and those new to pho, let’s start with these:

• Too many choices. Too many combinations and permutations of the same thing as already described above.
• Unfamiliar ingredients and terminologies. Let’s face it, pho is ethnic food outside of Vietnam, definitely in the U.S. Facing the challenge of conveying pho and its ingredients in English terms, early Viet immigrants did okay by strictly translating ingredients. At times these translations are a little too literally and may not be suitable for menu use.
• Culturally “unconventional,” odd, strange and scary meat parts. Many meat ingredients in pho are nonexistent on an American or Western dinner plate. When you talk about diners taking a “risk” to try the tendon, tripe, etc., you pretty much just created an obstacle in helping pho expand in popularity.
• Lack of explanation on proper use of garnishes. Thai basil, culantro and bean sprouts are important pho experiences, along with the chili sauce and hoisin sauce for pho. “Foreign” diners are left on their own to figure these out by themselves.
• Missing chicken meat choices for chicken pho. Beef pho is the king of pho, but chicken pho is very good too. On most menus chicken pho may be mentioned as a single item. This is true even for restaurants well known for their chicken pho! What more, that single chicken pho item is listed as the last item under the beef pho menu. Pho restaurants in the U.S. are missing an opportunity to sell thousands of chicken pho bowls to non-red meat diners.

Good Explanation of Ingredients and Options, Pho Hoa Franchise Menu Page 4

What Is Pho Really?

Why not just tell or show what pho really is? If you really look at it, pho is quite simple to serve and to order, and the menu should reflect this fact. Any bowl of pho (pho bo or pho ga) consistently contains the following:

• Pho noodle, or bánh phở: the square variety of rice noodle.
• From-the-kitchen garnishes: the standard chopped green onions (scallions) and cilantro.
• Pho broth: either beef or chicken broth option.
• Choice of meats: various beef or chicken meats. Chicken pho has many options or choices of chicken meats and parts as well, but these are excluded or omitted outright.

Once served at the table, diners can further customize with additional garnishes and sauces. That’s it. There are not 20 or 25 pho dishes to choose from.

Pho Menu For Mainstream Appeal

Existing pho menus can benefit from a good facelift. A very attractive design, with clear explanation, and great graphical elements will help take pho menus, and pho itself, mainstream. Content-wise, solution for a better pho menu should consist of the following characteristics:

1. Simplify description of pho choices. Keep it easy to understand.
2. Explain ingredients and their terminologies. Add photos or other helpful visual cues.
3. Describe unfamiliar meat choices and meat parts. Elaborate on their tastes, textures, etc. and why they’re important to pho.
4. Provide instructions on how to enjoy the garnishes and sauces. Present brief dos and don’ts.
5. Provide clear options for phở gà or chicken pho. Add a separate section for chicken pho and give it the same level of attention as beef pho section.

Several pho restaurants already made attempts to improve their menus, most probably to differentiate from the competition and/or to appeal to more clientele. In doing so they are (deliberately or inadvertently) taking their pho menus in the right direction. For now these are the exception rather than the rule though, and it will take more to go mainstream.

David McGaw's Repaired Pho Menu

Pho Hoa (the franchise) incorporated some innovative features in their menu, which are very helpful for pho diners. See the graphics above.

To the right is another great example. It’s David McGaw‘s repaired pho menu. It’s got many elements that can provide inspiration for improved pho menus. Read his full write-up on pho menu.

So pho restaurants, having a large pho menu does not equate to having quality pho – the two are mutually independent. But having clear and easy to understand pho menu will improve your clientele’s pho experience, and will definitely attract new business.

Pho franchises should take note.

Improving the Pho Menu For Mainstream Appeal is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Editor’s note: From time to time LovingPho.com features guest posts offering various interesting views on pho. This is a guest post from a Filipino acquaintance.

Updated 09-15-09. Vietnamese pho is, without argument, the most well-known noodle dish in Vietnamese cuisine. Pho noodle has swept all across the world, making those who tasted it so enamored with the dish that they always want more. So how is Vietnamese pho doing in the Philippines, a mere 1000 or so miles east of Saigon? Are Filipinos as taken in by pho as, say, the Americans and the Australians?

Filipinos Loves Foods

No doubt, Filipinos love good food. They have an active interest in food and they will try anything at least once. And since the Philippines is the land of the infamous balut (duck embryo) and barbecued chicken intestines, among other exotic fare, you can be sure in the knowledge that Filipinos can be adventurous with their food.

This innate love for good food and the fact that the Filipinos are quick to embrace foreign cultures explain why foreign cuisine is so well represented in the Philippines. Spanish, Tex-Mex, French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Australian, German, Middle Eastern – you name the cuisine, and you are highly likely to find it in the Philippines. No surprise, Vietnamese cuisine is well represented in this country as well.

Vietnamese Pho in the Philippines

Admittedly, the craze for Vietnamese pho has not yet taken root in the Philippines. The presence of pho in the Philippines can be felt, and pho does have its own fan base among Filipinos, but not as strongly as might be expected. The Philippines is a melting pot of cuisines and pho is just one among many that are trying to gain the fickle taste buds of the Filipinos.

In the Philippines, pho has strong competition among both foreign and local dishes. Japanese and Chinese noodle soups are well loved by Filipinos, at least partially because they are very good and because they’ve been here much longer than pho. The notorious tom yam soup from Thailand has its own followings. In fact the Filipinos themselves have their own soups that are just as flavorful as pho.

Nonetheless, if you are in the Philippines and you want pho, just head to one of the numerous malls in the country. You will inevitably find a Vietnamese restaurant there that serves pho. Some of the more popular Vietnamese restaurant chains in the Philippines are:

• Pho Hoa. Pho Hoa belongs to a franchised chain whose parent company is based in California. Pho Hoa serves pho in the southern Vietnamese style, and diners can choose from many standard meat cuts they want in their pho.
• Pho Bac. Pho Bac (Northern Pho) is also a franchised chain in the Philippines. Contrary to its name, the place does offer a choice of southern Vietnamese style pho.
• Pho 24. Pho 24, the most successful chain of restaurants specializing in pho directly from Saigon, Vietnam, also has a presence in the Philippines. Company owner Ly Quy Trung has expanded his company worldwide through franchise agreements, and the Philippines is among those covered.
• Independent pho shops. Many Vietnamese in the Philippines patronize other independent Vietnamese restaurants and Vietnamese pho shops as well. These are general established by Viet refugees before the franchises came in, their quality are very good, and they continue to be strong competitors in the pho war.

Pho Still Has A Long Way to Go Yet

If you want pho in the Philippines, you will definitely find it inside many malls and in Vietnamese and Chinese ethnic business areas. Authenticity is generally up there, and pho in the Philippines is as good as one can get within and outside of Vietnam. It has its niche of followers, but it still has a long way to go in the Philippines.

Pho in the Philippines: Have Filipinos Taken to the Pho Phenomenon? is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles