“Phở” – specialty of Hanoi
It is difficult to deny that whenever people have talks about famous cuisine of Hanoi, Phở is the first dish recommended to taste once in life.
Although Nam Dinh was assumed to be the first place in Vietnam to have Phở, Phở Hanoi is thought to be the most delicious and fussy not only because of the quality itself, but also because of how it is made and tasted.
Phở includes rice noodle, stock and beef or chicken or even ground pork. It sounds easy to make, though to have a delicious bowl of Phở made is not that easy. Broth must be made from cow bones and it will be at best quality when it is pure and sweet. Rice noodle must be soft but not doughy; and the meat must be fresh. Additives are also important to make Phở tasty. There should be some vegetables, onion, pepper and a slice of lemon. Phở is best to be tasted when it is still hot and there is some “quẩy” (a special kind of cake made from wheat flavor, sugar and eggs). Each shop may have its own secret recipe with some special additives to make its own Phở different from others.
Besides, Phở is also a well-known common breakfast of the Hanoi people for its quintessence whenever we recall Hanoi food. For those travelling to Hanoi, eating Phở in the morning is really an unforgettable memory. Let’s try at least one of the 5 following “Phở” destinations below:
1. Phở Bát Đàn (49 Bat Dan street, Hoan Kiem district)
With more than half a century of history, this store is handed down from generation to generation and is considered as the indispensable one for tourists in Hanoi. Besides its long-standing history, the special thing here is the image of people queuing up in a long line everyday to get a bowl of Phở which was only seen in the Vietnam’s subsidized regime in the old days.
The attractive thing in Phở Bát Đàn is its traditional flavor: a clear and sweet broth, the tough noodle, the fresh and soft beef, etc. At the peak time, the waiter cannot serve all of guests so that all guests have to queue up in a long line to order, pay money in advance, and bring it to the table by themselves without any complaints.
2. Phở Thìn (13 Lo Duc street, Hai Ba Trung district)
With the history of more than 30 years, Phở Thìn confirms its brand name by its only one dish: “Phở bò tái lăn” (medium rare fried beef) . While other traditional Phở restaurants try to keep a clear and sweet broth, Phở Thin follow its own way. Its broth is actually greasy thanks to the special combination between the rare-fried beef and the fragrant of ginger and garlic.
This cooking method obviously makes the eater quickly feel cloyed. That’s why not many restaurants take risks to follow Phở Thin style. Nowadays, Phở Thin is still so confident in its unique recipe and causes its guests addicted.
3. Phở Lý Quốc Sư (10 Ly Quoc Su street, Hoan Kiem)
Phở Lý Quốc Sư is famous and the old-aged one in Hanoi, and has successfully opened new chains all over Hanoi. Phở here is quite a lot of options for you, for example, Phở Bò is various in bò tái, bò chín, nạm gầu (types of beef). The broth has strong taste, seductive scent, best served with hot crispy quẩy.
You can visit one of three branches of Pho Ly Quoc Su in Hanoi:
– Branch 1: No.10 Ly Quoc Su street, Hoan Kiem district
– Branch 2: No. 42 Hang Voi street, Hoan Kiem district
– Branch 3: N2A Hoang Minh Giam street, Thanh Xuan district
4. Phở gà Yên Ninh (63 Yen Ninh street, Ba Dinh district)
This might be the most expensive Phở restaurant in Hanoi. However, it is worth money because the bowl of Phở is bigger than in others pho restaurant, with scented bantam sliced chicken. And the shop will provide more options for the guests if they want more, such as: chicken heart, chicken egg, chicken leg, chicken wing, etc.
5. Phở 24 (No. 1 Hang Khay street, Hoan Kiem)
The name Phở 24 means that there are 24 spices in its broth, the processing time of Phở 24 is 24 hours and you can have Phở 24 during 24/24 a day and for many other interesting things, etc.
Phở 24 might be considered as the representative brand for Phở in Vietnam because it filters the best quintessence of traditional Phở but combined with modern international food standard. One of the most features asserting its rank of Phở 24 is its space and display besides its taste. All the furniture is in black color while the bowls is made by high-quality white ceramic, the green table cloth, the warm light, etc., which are all harmonious. You can visit one of the following branches of Phở 24 below:
– No. 45 Huynh Thuc Khang street, Ba Dinh district
– No. 37 C Phan Dinh Phung street, Hoan Kiem district
– No. 69 Tue Tinh street, Hai Ba Trug district
– No. 3B Thi Sach street, Hai Ba Trung district
– Vincom City Tower
– No. 57 Dao Tan street, Ba Dinh district
– No. 191 Giang Vo street, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi
– No. 61 Van Mieu street, Dong Da district, Hanoi
– No. 79 Tran Dang Ninh street, Cau Giay district
