Delicious Phở

[Mr King]

I was introduced to the Vietnamese Pho soup a few years ago. I did not care for it. One place I found the flavors in the broth to be very weak and the rice noodles were just flavorless. Another the broth had good flavor but the noodles again were just tasteless. It did introduce me to something else I had not eaten before and that was tripe. I did not care for it either. For me it is just a texture thing. A Hawaiian BBQ joint here in town recently expanded their menu to draw in a bigger crowed. One of the dishes they added was Pho. I gave it another shot and I am very glad I did. Now I know why people on culinary forums rave about Pho. The broth is so complex in flavor, it hits all the right taste buds. The beef is very tender. I love the fresh garnish of a lime slice, cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts, jalapeno pepper slices, and a small dish containing half red chili sauce and half hoisin sauce all on the side to be added by the customer to suit their taste. The rice noodles actually pick up the flavor of the soup and have some flavor of their own. I asked the owner about this and she said she used a special rice noodle. She told me she is originally from Hong Kong so I wonder if she may use a type of rice noodle from that area. I would rank her Pho soup right next to my other favorite soup - chicken and dumplings. They are just both comfort food.

[Stargrunt6]

On the West Bank in New Orleans, there's a vietnamese/chinese restaraunt that serves it. It's amazing.

[BP]

Pho can be one of the most amazing dishes. For something that is a basic staple, a "home cooked soup" or "comfort food", it has the potential to be simply sublime.

 

One of the biggest things I miss about living up in Malfunction Junction is all the great Vietnamese restaurants in and around the Washington, DC area, from full-on joints to just little Pho shops. A few Vietnamese places here, all middling.

[thekirk]

If you can find them, the Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwiches are amazing. Done properly, they are to normal sandwiches what Pho is to a Cup of Soup Noodle cup.

 

And, if you want to set off the Vietnamese who run the place, ask for a small bowl of Pho broth, and use that to turn the Banh Mi into improvised Vietnamese French Dip sandwiches. Worth killing for, I'm telling you.

 

An interesting trick I learned with the Pho is to take a small condiment dish and mix Hoisin Sauce, Sriracha, and lime juice to taste. That'll make a dipping sauce for the meat from the Pho. You take the raw meat, dip it into your Pho long enough to cook it slightly, and then move it over for some of the Hoisin/Sriracha/lime mix, dip it in, and then eat... Purest ambrosia.

 

It's almost enough to forgive the French for what they did in Southeast Asia, I'm telling you. Pho is actually a Vietnamese interpretation of the French Pot au Feu, and it's an amazing adaptation. Right along with the Bahn Mi, which would never have happened without French baguettes and liver paste... The Vietnamese made those dishes their own, most assuredly, however.

[Archie Pellagio]

Sacreligious I know, but I just discovered one of those instant noodles in a bowl with pho flavour that is better than a lot of pho I've had from vietnamese restaurants even in vietnam!!!

 

Heaven in a kettle!

 

Now if only to find a way to caffeinate it!

Edited May 2, 2012 by Luke Y

[Mr King]

I dont find it that hard to believe after being surprised by how tasty the instant package of Pad Thai I purchased recently tasted.

 

Kirk I been wanting to try Bahn Mi sandwiches for a while now. I will have to make a culinary visit to St Louis and hook myself up with one.

Edited May 2, 2012 by Mr King

[Simon Tan]

Bastages!!! No pho service whee I am.....waaaaaaaah.

[Stargrunt6]

A pitstop in Harrisonburg, VA had me on the hunt for food. In spite of my hunger, I was ducking chains and fast food of any kind, I'm losing my palate for it. That's when I stumbled upon a small, rather class Vietnamese place called Vietopia. I order the small beef pho, and my gawd, if I had ordered that large, the postpriandial coma would have been too much for me to drive home. Best pho ever.

[Mr King]

Today's lunch

 

[Stargrunt6]

Ferocious.

[Mr King]

Ferocious.

 

Phorocious

[Stargrunt6]

LOL

[X-Files]

Papua New Guinea special recipe

[Mr King]

Papua New Guinea special recipe

 

What is the lesson here folks? Dont use your authority to try to sleep with other peoples wives and daughters.

Edited July 14, 2012 by Mr King

[Archie Pellagio]

Or just stay away from the freaking north of PNG...

[Murph]

My daughter refers to Pho as "Dog bath water soup". We went to A Dong, a local eatery, and she got beef Pho, and could not eat it, claimed the soup smelled like dog bath water. I still offer to get her "dog bath soup" on occasion.