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

Updated 05-16-11. Vietnamese bánh mì is not pho, of course, but I get inquiries about it so here are the pronunciations for various bánh mì types. By the way, it is spelled bánh mì (banh mi) and never bahn mi as you may see around the Internet. “Bahn mi” is an incorrect spelling.

Vietnamese banh mi, Google search results

Vietnamese bánh mì or banh mi has two main meanings. One, banh mi in general means a loaf/slice/piece of bread, most often related to the French baguette, but banh mi can also be used to describe sliced bread and other breads. It basically means bread of any kind. Two, banh mi refers to the bread stuffed with a variety of meats and Viet pickles. It is what most North Americans know as the submarine sandwich. In a Viet sandwich shop, you can buy not only the whole baguette banh mi, but also order the bread stuffed with meat sub sandwich kind of banh mi.

“Bánh” itself really has several meanings, but in this context it means any flour-, rice- or wheat-based food that is baked, cooked, or steamed (bánh ngọt means sweet cake, bánh bao means ball-shaped steamed dumpling, bánh chưng means rice cake, etc.) “Mì” also has several meanings (one of which is egg noodle) but in this context it means bột mì or wheat flour.

For a more detailed story on Vietnamese Banh Mi, head on over to read Andrea Nguyen’s post on banh mi, “Master Banh Mi Sandwich Recipe.”

Pronounce: Various types of Vietnamese bánh mì.

1. Bánh mì gà (banh mi with grilled chicken.) Southern accent then Northern accent.
2. Bánh mì trứng (banh mi with egg-omelette style.) Southern accent then Northern accent.
3. Bánh mì bì (banh mi with shredded pork.) Southern accent then Northern accent.
4. Bánh mì thịt nướng (banh mi with grilled pork.) Southern accent then Northern accent.
5. Bánh mì xiú mại (banh mi with pork meatballs.) Southern accent then Northern accent.
6. Bánh mì thịt nguội (banh mi with cold cuts-cured pork & pork roll.) Southern accent then Northern accent.
7. Tôi muốn ổ bánh mì chay (I would like a vegan sandwich, please.) Southern accent then Northern accent.

Thanks to Christian Belanger and Jim Fung for the request for the audio files.

If you have another type of banh mi you’d like to hear, please drop a request in the comment below. Okay this is a pho blog, so please take a poll below.

How to Say Bánh Mì (Banh Mi) Vietnamese Submarine Sandwich is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Looking for pho at a Fall Festival this year? You might find just that with current popularity of pho. In fact I found some great pho at the St. Barbara Parish Fall Festival in Santa Ana this past Saturday Sept. 26, 2009. There were carnival rides and games, international foods, and live entertainment, plus a raffle grand prize of $10,000. The festival ground was crowded with the young and old of various ethnicities. Not surprisingly, this is the heart of Little Saigon in Orange County CA, so the festival goers were predominantly Viet.

The festival itself actually spanned from Friday Sept 25 to Sunday evening of Sept. 27. Vendors volunteered their time, products and services as charity to the church, so it’s all for a good cause. The Quoc Viet Foods® folks also set up shop inside the main tent, serving three kinds of noodles (pho bo, pho ga and bun bo Hue,) together with their branded coffee Cafvina.

Behind the serving counters, they had 6 large 40-gallon vats brewing pho and bun bo Hue broths all day. To one side is a separate, smaller pot of boiling water for blanching pho noodle (banh pho.) Both the operation and the service were efficient, as Quoc Viet Foods® has been participating at events like this for many years.

So Vietnamese pho at a Fall Festival? Depending on what festival you go to, you can find both the traditional and unconventional kinds of food nowadays. It may be unheard of a few years back, but with the popularity of pho raging in many places in North America, pho just may become the next big festival food. It’s even cooler when you have all proceeds going to support a local church.

Here’s a short video showing pho action at the St. Barbara Parish Fall Festival. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYquwQJfLNo

Pho, Charity and Fall Festival – A Match Made in Heaven 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.

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

In Vietnamese pho, you are likely to find chopped cilantro blanched by the broth in your bowl. Many pho recipes that you will find either in Asian cookbooks or on the Internet also recommend using cilantro, chopping it finely and sprinkling it on the noodle-and-meat assembly before the broth is ladled over it. It is very unusually to find pho bowls in restaurants or recipes that skip on cilantro. It’s always there, giving us the flavor that we sometime take for granted.

Given all that, what is cilantro and just how important is its inclusion in Vietnamese pho?

What Is Cilantro (rau ngò)?

Cilantro actually refers to the leaves of the coriander plant. When you encounter the terms “fresh coriander” or “coriander leaves,” these terms actually refer to cilantro. It can also be called Chinese parsley or Indian parsley. Among the Vietnamese, cilantro is called ngo.

The coriander plant, which botanists call Coriandrum sativum, belongs to the parsley family. In fact, cilantro is often mistaken for Italian parsley, and these two plants are indeed related. The coriander plant is an annual-growing herb, and the plant can grow up to 20 inches in height. The shape of the leaves vary; the leaves at the base of the plant appear lobed while the ones near the top and on the flowering stems are slender and lacy. Coriander can bear white or pale pink flowers, and coriander seeds are also widely used in cooking.

It should be noted that although cilantro and coriander seeds both come from the same plant, they are not interchangeable when it comes to using them for cooking. Cilantro leaves can be very pungent, and some find it bitter to the taste. In fact, a lot of people, particularly Europeans, are not able to stand the smell of cilantro because it is akin to that of crushed bedbugs. Coriander seeds, on the other hand, are pleasant to the nose and have a warm, citrusy flavor. For North Americans, cilantro reminds many diners of Mexican foods, particularly the popular Mexican salsa for dipping.

Relation to Vietnamese Coriander and Long Coriander (Culantro)

Although cilantro is a common ingredient in Viet and other Asian dishes, people who are not familiar with the plant often mistake Vietnamese coriander and long coriander for cilantro. These three herbs are essentially different even though they are all called coriander plants.

Vietnamese coriander (rau răm) is what the westerners call the laksa plant. They also call the plant Vietnamese mint although the plant itself is not even closely related to the mint plant. While Vietnamese coriander is just as widely used as cilantro in Southeast Asian cuisine, the similarity between Vietnamese coriander and cilantro end in the fact that they have a slightly similar smell. The leaves of the Vietnamese coriander are long and broad, and it has knotted stems.

Long coriander, on the other hand, is also known as saw leaf herb or culantro (ngò gai.) It also belongs to the parsley family, just like cilantro. And just like cilantro, long coriander/culantro can be found as a garnish in pho rather than a main source of flavor during the cooking process. Long coriander has an odor similar to cilantro, but the taste is much stronger. Those who love pho are familiar with its long and thorny leaves.

The History of Cilantro

Cilantro is said to be the oldest herb to be used by man. There were evidences of coriander being cultivated during Neolithic times. Ancient Egyptians are known to grow and use coriander, and there is a reference to coriander in the Old Testament of the Bible.

The coriander plant is native to the middle-eastern regions of Asia and in Southeastern Europe. Through trading and migration, the plant made its way to China and then to Southeast Asia, where it was used in salads, rolls and soup noodle dishes like pho. The Spaniards who came to Asia brought the coriander plant to Mexico, where cilantro became a vital ingredient in salsa and other Mexican dishes. From Mexico, the use of cilantro spread to the western and southwestern areas of the United States.

The Role of Cilantro in Pho

There are two major influences in Asian cuisine, and they are those of India and China. China’s influence has strongly marked Viet cuisine (Vietnam was under Chinese rule for a thousand years,) and among the Chinese cooking principles adopted by the Vietnamese is the principle of balance. This principle states that all the five tastes – salty, sour, spicy, sweet and bitter – should be present and existing in perfect harmony with each other in every dish.

Cilantro is known for its somewhat bitter taste. Some people have even gone to the extent to describe the taste of cilantro as soapy and have made a point of avoiding eating it. But it can nonetheless be said that cilantro provides the bitter element in a bowl of pho. For me and many Viet, cilantro gives a very nice, pleasant fragrance.

The one thing about cilantro is that it is best eaten fresh. When it is cooked or when it is left exposed for a long time, it loses its flavor. Thus, when preparing a bowl of pho, chopped cilantro is usually the last ingredient to be put in the bowl assembly, sprinkled over the noodles and the meat. The hot broth is then poured over it, and the bowl is served immediately.

The Health Benefits of Cilantro

For all its bitterness, cilantro is actually a very healthy herb to eat. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, namely: iron, potassium, calcium, folate, lutein, beta-carotene and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, E and K.

Cilantro also has a number of desirable medicinal qualities. It is quite well-known for helping to stimulate the appetite and to secrete gastric fluids that digest food. The herb can also aid in lowering bad cholesterol levels as well as blood sugar levels in the body. It also has the ability to cleanse the blood and to fight infection.

You are very likely to find cilantro in the majority of Viet dishes. Whatever you order at a restaurant, you’ll probably have cilantro with it.

Growing and Harvesting Coriander

The coriander plant is an annual herb, meaning it can grow and flourish any time of the year. It can also grow indoors and outdoors as long as it is not exposed directly to sunlight, especially during the hottest hours of the day. The plant also grows quickly and has to be replanted every six weeks for a steady supply of these herbs in the kitchen.

In order to plant coriander, its seeds must first be prepared. The husks are cracked slightly and the seeds are soaked in water for 48 hours. The seeds are then planted in a pot or in a bed at around three to four inches apart from each other and covered with a layer of soil about a quarter of an inch thick. If the coriander seeds are planted indoors before transplanting to a garden outdoors, the transplanting must be done when the plant has grown two inches tall. Once the transplanting is completed, the watering must be done constantly.

When the coriander plant begins to bolt, meaning to produce flowers and seeds, its leaves cannot be eaten anymore. Cilantro, the leaves, must be harvested once every week to make the plant last longer and to prevent bolting temporarily.

When harvesting cilantro, a few leaves must be left on the stem of the plant so that the plant can continue feeding itself. Only clean and sharp planting scissors must be used to harvest cilantro. Once the coriander plant has bolted, the seeds can be gathered for replanting.

There you have it. The lowly cilantro in fact has a long history of its own. Cilantro never takes the center stage, but you can’t have pho without it.

Cilantro – Man’s Oldest Herb a Must-Have Ingredient in Vietnamese Pho is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

The popularity of pho is rapidly spreading, and here in the Philippines, the pho-nomenon is currently on the rise. Although it is not extremely popular, the pho industry here in the Philippines thrives on certain market niches such as health conscious eaters, diet watchers, food lovers, and the huge Chinese and the growing Korean population.

The first few restaurants made their way to the area not because of high demand but to take advantage of franchise and expansion opportunities. In fact, when the first pho restaurants opened, several people were not familiar with the dish and the types of food served. Most were unsure how the word “pho” should be read. But when the pho restaurants came, they conquered, and eventually, pho became a cultural favorite among families and friends, especially those who love to try culinary varieties and for those who like to experience different culture, with pho being a representative of the Vietnamese, and partly of the Asian, culture.

Pho Hoa Franchise

The most popular pho restaurant in the country today is Pho Hoa, which is part of Pho Hoa franchise headquartered in Northern California. Pho Hoa now has eleven branches scattered across metropolitan Manila and Quezon City, the main branch being the Tomas Morato location in Quezon City. Aside from that, Pho Hoa can also be found in Makati, Greenhills, Libis, and other much farther locations such as Alabang and Pampanga. Some of the locations can be found in malls, enjoying a regular and constant stream of casual diners and mall visitors.

As for the other branches, these are the testimonies of the popularity of pho in the Philippines since customers actually go out of their way to visit these locations. Pho Hoa is currently the leading pho restaurant in the country, serving authentic and enticing pho dishes and other Vietnamese culinary treats. The food offered are truly Vietnamese and when you eat there, you can smell and feel the flavor of exotic pho in the air, completing your Vietnamese culinary experience. read more about Pho Hoa franchise.

Pho Bac

Pho Bac Metro Manila. Photo courtesy RonnieR, skyscrapercity.com.

Following not far behind in terms of popularity is Pho Bac. Pho Bac has often been compared with Pho Hoa. Even if a lot of customers still prefer Pho Hoa, Pho Bac has its own unique offers.

Noticeably, the Pho Bac restaurant interior feels a little homier than most Pho Hoa branches. Pho Hoa has a casual air, while Pho Bac feels cozier. A lot of pho lovers seem to prefer the casual atmosphere for eating pho because it livens up the experience, but the Pho Bac locations have their own appeal.

Comments about Pho Bac vary; some find that it lacks the authentic Vietnamese touch and the food is not as good as those served in Pho Hoa. On the other hand, for those who want to be able to enjoy Vietnamese food for the taste and not as a food expert or a culinary critic will definitely find the Pho Bac menu tempting and comfortable at the same time.

Pho 24

Aside from Pho Hoa and Pho Bac, Pho 24 is also gaining popularity among Filipino and Filipino-Chinese eaters. Pho 24, like Pho Hoa, is another popular international pho franchise brand headquartered in Saigon, Vietnam. It has a branch in Makati, with the restaurant brightly lit and decorated in Southeast Asian theme to stay true to Vietnam’s culture.

The food is great and authentic, though in terms of popularity, it has not yet reached Pho Hoa’s level since the latter came to the country earlier. Pho 24′s mall-based location, however, helps it bring in a steady flow of customers looking for Asian food, noodles, or simply something different. Read more about Pho 24 franchise.

Now, gone were the days when the people in the Philippines were baffled at the exotic-looking restaurants with the unusual names. The pho scene in the Philippines is on a continuous growth spurt. The niches are also starting to break, as more and more people become acquainted with pho and definitely hooked to it. The battle for pho supremacy in the Philippines may have already started.

Pho in the Philippines – Battle for Pho Supremacy is Heating Up is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Updated 09-24-09. I started this poll about a month ago (April 23 to be exact) just out of my personal curiosity, and I’m floored by the result so far. As of today, May 26 2009, the running count is as shown to the right.

According to the numbers, a whopping 45% of pho slurpers invited themselves to their first bowl of pho! That’s absolutely amazing!

Only 40% were dragged in by their friends and acquaintances.

I labeled it “Bravery & curiosity” to be a little funny about it, as I thought to myself: “can’t imagine who would do this?” except for a few individuals who’ll just try anything. But, man, was I wrong!

For whatever reason that a person got the urge to go and order a bowl of pho for the first time himself or herself, I’m totally impressed. True bravery & curiosity. I wish there’s another way to understand this sort of mass movement, but unfortunately not from the same data collected. Maybe we’ll get people to leave comments about why they do this?

I’m sure over time the result may change, but at this rate I’m not so sure. Anyway the poll will continue. If you haven’t dropped your vote I hope you do so. And thanks to all who voted, and to those who are about to.

Pho Eaters Are a Bunch of Brave Souls – Who’d Have Thought? is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Hello and thanks for visiting lovingpho.com’s Pho Polls page.

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Leave your opinion and feedback by taking the following poll. Have a suggestion? We’ll gladly take it in the reply below. Have a great pho day!
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Pho Polls is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles

Updated 04-10-09. Chef Didier Corlou is one of the well-known Pho authorities that you will likely come across around the web. Chef Corlou is the former executive chef of Hanoi’s Sofitel Metropole Hotel. He served at the hotel for more than ten years, during which he established his presence as a French chef with an innate love for Vietnamese cuisine, especially the pho soup noodle. Currently, the 5-star Diamond Awardee French chef runs his own business: the Verticale restaurant, also in Hanoi.

In 2003, Chef Didier Corlou published a booklet regarding a seminar series specifically on the famous Vietnamese cuisine staple, the pho soup noodle. The seminar series was organized by Chef Corlou himself with the cooperation of the European Commission to Vietnam. The seminar series, being specifically centered on the pho dish, is a testimony of the growing popularity of the famous Vietnamese dish, and Chef Corlou’s direct and spearheading involvement in the series is proof that the chef is a well-known, highly credible, and well-recognized authority when it comes to Vietnamese pho.

In the booklet, Chef Didier Corlou wrote a feature entitled “Pho’s Art,” in which he explains the most important and sometimes neglected and taken for granted parts of preparing pho. In the feature, the chef sought to communicate that preparing pho is not like preparing any other meal; in fact, Chef Corlou, with the title alone, considers the act of making pho an art.

The preparation process is also not the only work of art in the matter, as “Pho’s Art” further implies. Chef Corlou writes that the mere experience of eating pho in a packed pho shop, mixing in the various ingredients and garnishes, stirring the soup, and finally taking your first spoonful of the broth an art or a “ritual,” as he called it. Furthermore, the pho-loving chef advises not to leave fresh pho noodles for more than 5 minutes without eating them. According to him, the pho noodles easily lose texture within 5 minutes.

Chef Corlou also further establishes his knowledge and credibility regarding the subject by explaining how the pho dish made its way into the Vietnam mainstream. The feature explained how pho went from being a breakfast dish to an all-day meal that can be eaten even at lunch and dinner. There is also a summary of pho’s history. It is clear from the feature that Chef Didier Corlou, who also dubs pho as the best soup noodle in the world, has informed himself thoroughly on the matter and has immersed himself completely into the world of pho, so who better to trust when it comes to pho recipes?

The booklet also contains the chef’s own pho recipe, the one that Chef Didier Corlou himself authored, and also the same one that he serves in his Hanoi-based restaurant. The recipe can serve approximately ten persons. Some of the ingredients are pho noodles, beef bone, beef rump, beef fillet, shallot, old ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, cardamom, lime, spring onion, fresh herbs such as coriander and mint, as well as fresh chilli, salt, and pepper for taste. The procedures have been kept short and simple, making them very easy to follow. Chef Didier Corlou also adds a note for when you prefer to use rare beef or add spuncules or sea worm for added taste. His recipe is probably one of the best-tasting pho recipes you will find on the web.

For a look at Chef Didier Corlou’s pho recipe, visit Andrea Nguyen’s blog article titled “Pho by Chef Didier Corlou.” There are some interesting discussions on pho there, and the recipe can be found toward the end of the page.

Chef Corlou’s Vietnamese Cuisine (or Ma Cuisine du Vietnam in French) is a food-lover’s collection item and is sold exclusively at the Sofitel Hanoi. Another book, Corlou’s Vietnamese Home Cooking, is more widely available. Both books pay homage to the Vietnamese culinary art that Chef Didier Corlou is obviously very fond of that his passion shines right through.

So you can’t buy Ma Cuisine du Vietnam unless you go to Hanoi, but you can definitely purchase Didier Corlou’s Vietnamese Cooking (Cooking (Periplus)) at Amazon.com. Visit didiercorlou.com.

All photos courtesy VietNamNet.net, which has lots more images showing Chef Didier Corlou in action.

Chef Didier Corlou, A Passion for Pho and Vietnamese Cuisine is a post from: Vietnamese Pho Noodles