When it comes to pho, a Vietnamese would have the distinct advantage of knowing how to enjoy the noodle dish. Eating pho is always an adventure, even for those who have had it all their lives. For first-time diners, the key is to relax and enjoy. You’ll find your own pho in no time.
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. Who cares, you say? Well I hope at least some people do.
My intuition told me I needed to pick up the spoon and try the broth immediately. All I can say is: it is what pho broth should be. So then on this rare occasion, I finished this huge bowl of pho without adding the hoisin sauce for pho and the red hot sauce. No I didn’t forget. I just didn’t need them. I normally only do this for authentic Pho Bac, the northern kind. Read the rest of my Pho Lu review.
Vietnamese pho in Europe? Well 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.
Among the 3,000 or so YouTube pho videos there are many how-to-cook, how-to-eat and a variety of parody clips. After viewing a few, you’ll wonder why you’ve wasted a good chunk of your life on them, time that you’ll never get back. On the other hand, there are a few gems that will enhance your knowledge and appreciation of pho in many ways. Here are some of the best pho-related YouTube videos worth seeing.
Vegetarian pho, or phở chay, has never been about healthy eating in Vietnam. Now with pho very popular in the U.S. and the population more conscious about leading a healthy lifestyle, it’s only natural that restaurants offer vegetarian pho or pho chay on their menus. Temple chay foods are true vegetarian and healthy, but once vegan foods get to the restaurants, chefs spice things up to attract paying customers.
Here’s quick look at stats on Vietnamese pho restaurants in the U.S. They’re part of a market analysis project I’m working on. Vietnamese pho market analysis: Vietnamese pho restaurants in the U.S. showing top U.S. cities with pho restaurants, top California cities with pho restaurants, top states with pho restaurants.
Here’s the ultimate noodle face-off between pho and other Asian noodles. Ratings are based on deliciousness of pho, degree of difficulty to make pho, degree of difficulty to serve pho, number of ingredients required for pho, and pho popularity among non-Asians. You may think we have our own bias on a pho blog like this, but the numbers (and results) make a lot of sense.
Corinne Trang is a prolific cookbook author and Asian cuisines and culinary expert. Her latest book, Noodles Every Day, is my kind of book. I love anything slurpable, pho or otherwise. So now that her new book is out, I am excited to have an opportunity for a Q&A with Corinne Trang. I got her to do a noodle face-off between pho and other noodles, and talk about finding one’s roots, writing books, teaching others, making food and living life.
Pho going mainstream? Not quite yet. 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. Many existing pho restaurants have huge menus, but large pho menu does not equate to quality pho. Having clear and easy to understand pho menu will improve the clientele’s pho experience, and will definitely attract new business. Here’s why.