In the Sydney Morning Herald , Ben Groundwater writes: It's 7am in Ho Chi Minh City, the air is cool and fresh, I wake up and think about what to eat. And the first Vietnamese dish that comes to mind is pho.
There is nothing more satisfying than this, sitting at a rickety table amidst the crowds in the country's busiest city early in the morning, the smell of motorbike exhaust almost completely masked by the scent of shredded basil and the extremely distinctive broth right in front of you.
Pho is Ben Groundwater's favorite Vietnamese dish.
PHOTO: SMH
I have eaten a lot of pho. Vietnamese pho is perfectly balanced, the broth is herbal and aromatic, the noodles are smooth and chewy, with medium-cooked beef, crispy bean sprouts, thinly sliced onions, fresh basil and many other herbs. I know pho and I love pho.
But this is the best pho I have ever had.
It’s Pho Phu Vuong, a Michelin-recommended restaurant, not exactly the most basic pho restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, but certainly not the most luxurious. Stainless steel tables, plastic chairs, casual service. But the broth is surprisingly, wonderfully delicious.
I have less than 48 hours in the city before I board a Mekong River cruise to Phnom Penh, and I plan to eat as much good food as I can in Saigon. This is the city with some of the best food, and it costs just a few dollars more...
I arrived in the city one evening with just enough time to check into my hotel, Fusion Original Saigon Centre, and then hit the crowded sidewalks towards the Michelin-starred Co Lieng in District 3.
An old, simple Saigon eatery, with a charcoal grill, glass display cases out front and basic table settings in a cramped space. The specialty is beef in betel leaves, with marinated ground beef wrapped in betel leaves and grilled, served with herbs, pickled vegetables and rice paper.
Beef wrapped in betel leaves, a dish at Co Lieng restaurant, is listed in the Michelin guide.
PHOTO: SMH
The result is a sweet, sour, salty and smoky mix that perfectly characterizes a Vietnamese dish, and is also the kind of dish that is so elegant that you can leave enough room for another dish.
So, I must eat bread.
Luckily, Huynh Hoa Banh Mi is just a block away. I ordered a traditional baguette stuffed with pate, mayonnaise, slices of bacon, pickled radish and carrots, and the shop's signature pork floss.
The next morning, I walked to Trung Nguyen Legend, a coffee shop near the hotel, at 6am for a ca phe sua da, or Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk and ice. It was a great way to start the day.
Back at the hotel, the restaurant buffet features fresh beef pho, a medium-sized bowl filled with everything you could hope for.
Crab noodle soup is not easy to eat for many foreign tourists.
PHOTO: SMH
A few hours later, I found myself in a dusty place of Da Kao, District 1, on Nguyen Canh Chan Street - a bustling bun rieu place.
This is not for the faint-hearted: the broth is made with tomatoes and freshwater crab, rice noodles or rice paper, sliced pork and pork skin, chopped banana blossom, fresh herbs and boiled pig's blood on top. I was definitely sobered up after eating a steaming bowl.
Dinner later was crab noodle soup, a thick crab soup with chewy noodles, at crab noodle soup 87 in District 1.
And finally, the next day, the best pho of my life. I would have another meal at Pho Phu Vuong, another plate of banh cuon with shrimp and pork, before rushing out of town. But pho will stay with me forever, something I will always pursue and never forget.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khach-uc-khoe-an-het-mon-viet-ngon-nhat-sai-gon-trong-48-gio-185250317152644275.htm
Comment (0)