The difference between Nam Dinh pho and Hanoi pho

Nam Dinh pho has a strong fish sauce flavor, commonly pan-fried or rare, while Hanoi pho has a clear and light broth, with main dishes being rare, well-done, and rare well-done.

Pho Hanoi and Pho Nam Dinh were recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage on August 9. Despite much debate, both localities are considered the "birthplace" of pho. However, pho in each place has its own differences.

Hanoi Pho at a restaurant in Dong Da district. Photo: Quynh Mai

Regarding the origin, in the book "One Hundred Years of Vietnamese Pho" published in 2022, scientist Trinh Quang Dung, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, said that there are two opinions about the origin of pho: Hanoi or Nam Dinh. Accordingly, in the early 20th century, the "pho troop" of Nam Dinh pho traveled to Hanoi to practice. Also during this time, the pho lineage originated from Di Trach, Ha Dong province (now Hanoi).

Another unofficial theory, mentioned in the Heritage Profile of Nam Dinh Province, suggests that a chef in Nam Dinh City invented pho because this was once the largest colonial textile center in Vietnam, home to French owners and Vietnamese workers. The chef came up with a soup that would please both groups. He used two main ingredients: pho noodles (of Vietnamese origin) and beef (of French origin) and added some spices to create the pho as it is today.

Nguyen Thanh Dung, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, on Nam Dinh pho in Hanoi in 2001, mentioned by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports in the document recognizing "National Intangible Cultural Heritage", also has the same opinion. Accordingly, based on the stories of the owners of some pho shops in Hanoi who are from Nam Dinh, it is possible that people from Van Cu village, Tay Lac (Nam Dinh) went to Hanoi to work for Chinese shops and learn the trade, then stayed in Hanoi to open pho shops, contributing to the formation of the "Nam Dinh Pho" brand in Hanoi. Hanoi has since become the cradle for pho to develop because the market is more abundant.

In terms of preparation, the broth is the most important ingredient of each bowl of pho, and is also a characteristic to evaluate the quality of the dish. The broth shows sophistication thanks to the combination of herbs and spices to create a unique flavor. The difference between Hanoi and Nam Dinh pho also lies here.

With Nam Dinh pho, the broth cannot lack the fish sauce produced in the local sea. The recipe and process of making the broth is both a secret passed down through many generations in families in Nam Dinh such as Pho Cu Tang, Pho Co, and also the creativity and mark of the next generation. The broth is simmered from marrow bones, and oxtail can be added to create a rich flavor. When simmering the bones, the broth is used a second time to avoid the unpleasant smell of the beef bones.

With Hanoi pho, long-standing pho shops here only cook the broth from beef bones combined with ginger, adding roasted onions, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom and other ingredients. The ratio and timing of adding ingredients to the broth is the secret of each shop. During the simmering process, the foam must be skimmed off, after 24 hours, it must be removed and the broth must be drained. The broth is seasoned with salt and spices, very few places use fish sauce like Nam Dinh.

Ms. Ha, owner of Cu Tang Nam Dinh beef noodle shop, prepares pan-fried beef noodle soup. Photo: Thuy Linh

Nam Dinh pho has both rare and well-done dishes, but pan-fried is popular and loved by Nam Dinh people. The beef is stir-fried in a hot pan with crushed garlic, mustard greens, tomatoes, onions, carrots, then seasoned with spices, pepper, and a little pho broth to soften the meat. After blanching the pho noodles, add the stir-fried beef on top, pour in the broth, and enjoy.

Hanoi pho is commonly served rare, well done and rare well done. The meat is usually tenderloin, brisket or beef core. The meat is sliced thinly along the grain.

The difference lies in the variation: Hanoians add chicken pho. The chicken pho broth is simmered from chicken bones, heads and feet or pork bones combined with ginger, boiled, skimmed off the foam and simmered until the bones release their sweet broth. Good chicken is usually naturally raised chicken weighing no more than two kilograms. The chicken skin is yellow, the meat is dark pink, without fibers and without subcutaneous fat.

In terms of enjoyment, the similarity between Hanoi and Nam Dinh pho is that good pho restaurants often have shabby tables and chairs. Pho tables are a bit lower than normal so that the broth does not splash on the clothes when diners bend down. There was a time when air-conditioned pho restaurants from the South appeared in Hanoi, but they did not develop and were considered unsuitable for the culture and eating habits.

Hanoians eat pho without squeezing lemon or adding chili sauce, only using garlic vinegar and fresh chili because the sourness in lemon is stronger than the sourness in vinegar, so lemon enhances the flavor of chicken pho broth, but ruins the flavor of beef pho. However, many pho restaurants now serve lemon, chili, garlic vinegar and fried breadsticks. Hanoi pho is often eaten with bamboo chopsticks and spoons.

Pho restaurants in Hanoi usually specialize in one type of pho, beef or chicken. The reason why you can’t serve beef and chicken pho is because the flavors will mix, and the broth can’t be used together. Pho is served in a bowl, without any other side dishes, except for fried breadsticks.

Traditionally, Nam Dinh and Hanoi pho noodles have large, hand-cut noodles, with moderately thin noodles. The noodles are soft and smooth but not mushy, and absorb the sweet aroma of the broth. However, most pho noodles are now machine-cut, so the noodles are smaller.

According to 2024 statistics from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh, the province has nearly 500 pho shops, of which Nam Dinh city and Nam Truc district are home to many long-standing shops, many of which have been around for two generations, such as Pho Cu Tang, Hai Pho, Pho Truong, Pho Ba Thu, Pho Tao, and Pho Co. In Hanoi, statistics by the end of 2023 from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism show that there are nearly 700 pho shops in the capital, mainly concentrated in the districts of Ba Dinh (21 shops), Hoan Kiem (32), Cau Giay (29), Dong Da (9), Hai Ba Trung (30), Thanh Xuan (56), and Long Bien (93). Traditional pho brands include Pho Chieu, Pho Tinh, Pho Tu Lun, Pho Suong, Pho Vui, Pho Nho, Pho Thin (Bo Ho), and Pho Thin Lo Duc.

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