My First Pho

My First Pho
At lunch today I continued my exploration of North Sydney. On Miller Street I found a little food court called “Street Eats,” and inside I was thrilled to spot a “Pho Express” stall. I’d never had pho before! So I ordered the basic beef noodle soup and was soon presented with a big steaming bowl. They had a condiments tray nearby with sliced chili, lemon wedges, and several different types of sauce (“pho” sauce, soy, fish, etc). I didn’t know exactly which was best to use, so I pretty much put some of everything on. It was fantastic. The beef was tender and juicy, and the broth itself tasted slightly sweet and salty. There were bits of green onion and bean sprouts hiding amongst the slippery noodles. It was actually lucky that the food court was so noisy, because I caught myself (more than once!) making contented “mmmmm” noises as I slurped my soup!

So, any pho experts out there? Any tips on the proper application of pho condiments?

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  1. Mmmm… pho…. We just had some Friday night, actually. I add everything: basil, jalepeno, hot sauce, lime juice, bean sprouts, whatever else is on the table, and slurp away. My latest, slightly rude, trick is to hold the chopsticks in one hand and the spoon with the other so that I can get a bite of noodles or meat and then quickly slurp in some broth. Perfect for a cold and rainy day or whatever ails ya. Glad you’ve discovered the fah!

  2. Pho is basically dowhatchalike. Some people will go nuts, adding about 10 things and tasting after each addition to get the balance right. Try this one as a guide:

    http://factorytown.blogspot.com/2005/11/how-to-eat-pho.html

    Myself: Throw in about a third of the bean shoots, every single basil leaf (one by one), and a squeeze of the lemon. Then taste for salt, is usually OK, but if it’s off I’ll add fish sauce. Next I’ll make a little bowl with half sriracha (hot chilli sauce) and half hoi-sin, dipping the pieces of beef into eat before I eat them.

    I normally go for the one they call “Special beef noodle soup” or “Pho Dac Biet” (pronounced “F*ck Dat B*tch”), containing some tripe, tendon and wonderful meatballs along with the brisket and raw beef fillet. For some reason, they put it #1 on most menus. #2 is brisket and beef fillet only. Forget Pho Ga (Chicken Pho), it’s completely pointless.

    Makes a great breakfast as well. Don’t be afraid to slurp, and don’t be afraid to drink the soup straight out of the bowl either.

    You can make it yourself at home as well:
    http://picasaweb.google.com/gtoast/Pho
    .
    .
    .
    (help me, I have no life)

  3. HA! I *knew* you’d be a wealth of info, Mr. Toast Man. 🙂

  4. I LOVE pho! There’s a cheap and delicous place not to far from the lab..it’s a grad student favorite. I get the spicy chicken curry pho every single time. Mmmmmm!

    I add the basil, sprouts, and a couple squirts of lime, but I agree with the others: anything goes.

  5. I hate bean sprouts, but love the green herbs. I add heaps of lemon and lime, and sometimes a bit of the brown sauce, but it’s so yummy on it’s own there is no need for too much fuss 🙂

    Pho is one of the things I really miss as a vegetarian, so I have managed to make a passable veg version at home. As the weather cools down, I can see myself making this again!

  6. I LOVE PHO!
    Even though the stock isnt vegetarian, I tell myself it is…. 😉 and get the tofu one… yum!

  7. mmmm I love Pho too, but not the “Special” pho which I ordered by mistake at Pasteur one time.
    IF only it has a sub title thet “Special” meant cow guts.

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