I guess you could say we are on a soup roll. Wednesday we had the first nice sunny day we’ve had in weeks. We got outdoors and decided to go to the library, out to eat, and run some errands. So, at the library I found this great book on soups and when we went out to lunch – yes, you guessed it – we ate soup! And all this after weeks of eating soup. [See last Saturday's post.]
The Restaurant: Pho Vietnam
A few years ago our son introduced us to the delights of Pho. Pho is a Vietnamese soup that is a beef broth base. But it is much more fragrant than the beef broth I make. In fact, the first thing I do when I get my bowl, is put my face right over the top of it.
That wonderful steaming bowl has an earthy smell from the unique blend of ingredients: ginger root, cloves, star anise, coriander, garlic, onion and the beef. From the basic broth base the Pho is made into various types of soups. Jay always orders the Pho Tai (round steak sliced razor thin) and I like the Pho Tai, Bo Vien (round steak and meatballs).
There is more to this soup than broth and meat. The center of a bowl of Pho is filled with rice-stick noodles. Then they add the broth and meat and usually green onions. The eater is given a plate of other items that can be added: bean sprouts, sliced hot peppers and green herbs, often mint or basil. The eater adds whatever they prefer.
The place where we eat this wonderful dish is Pho Vietnam*. It’s in an unassuming shopping center in Santa Rosa, California. When we first started going there it was very small and tight. At the most it had 15 small table and a couple of stools at the counter. We learned immediately not to go there at noon. The line to get in was way out the door.
Word of mouth made this place so popular that it led the owners to double the size by expanding to the shop next door. It’s still crowded between 11:30 and 1:30 but at least there are no huge lines out the door. What I miss with the new place is that the kitchen is closed in and I can no longer see the huge vats where they make the broth. Oh well, the price of progress. I can still smell the broth.
I’ve often thought that I could make Pho myself. In fact, there is a good recipe for Pho here. But Wednesday, as that wonderful hot and fragrant soup slid down my throat, I decided to leave it to the professionals. They’ve been making Pho for generations and probably know all the little tricks to it. I’ll let Pho be one of the dishes I go somewhere else to enjoy.
*If you are ever in Santa Rosa, California (an hour or so north of San Francisco) and want to try Pho, you can find Pho Vietnam in the Stonybrook Shopping Center just off Highway 12 and Stonybrook. Or perhaps you have your own local place to eat Pho. Tell me about it or your favorite place to eat soup.
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Here in PA we’re having soup weather and this Vietnamese soup sounds wonderful. I’ll have to find a new restaurant though since the good Vietnamese restaurant in Binghamton is closing – the owners, who escaped from Vietnam during the war, are retiring and they deserve a peaceful retirement.
I’ve had some amazing Vietnamese soups. This sounds pretty similar to one I had (the restaurant’s now closed, *sob*) called Beef Lagoo Noodle Soup. I was never able to replicate it adequately, alas.
Yes — also in PA! We’re having spicy Mexican pinto beans tonight but this soup sounds fab. They just opened a Vietnamese restaurant around here; now I know what to order.
I’ve enver had Pho, but now I will certainly be looking for it! I do love to make my own soup, but the chain Zoup has some good ones and you can taste them all before you choose one
I’ve heard so much about Pho. None around me though, but of course I’m now in my yearly lobbying-to-go-to-wine-country mode!
the snow is falling here and it is a perfect day for some warm filling soup. yum…
I have a “Noodle Bowl” group of girls that I lunch with at a local Vietnamese restaurant…they all get the soup, but I’ve always just ordered chicken fried rice. I’m going to have to give this a try!
hmmm, sounds delicious. will have to check out that recipe.
We love Chinese, Japanese and Thai food, but have never had the chance to try Vietnamese. We will have to search out a place now to try it. This soup sounds great. I agree – there are some things you just shouldn’t try to make yourself – they are always better when enjoyed at a restaurant.
Oh that sounds so good. I cooked a good dinner for company tonight and I can’t possibly be hungry, but this post has my mouth watering. I agree that some dishes should be left to experts — and authentic Ethnic food cooked by those who love it is the best way to eat out; our favorite kind of restaurants, whatever the cuisine. We’ve found some really good little restaurants over the years that are tucked away in shopping centers.
vI love Pho. It’s all in the broth so I leave it to the professionals as well. I am pretty sure I am going to go Vegan here within the next month but I lucked out and found a fantastic Vietnamese vegan restaurant in Reseda, Ca. It’s very close to where I work so I can go there once a week for their fabulous vegan version.
That sounds like a great soup…I need to venture outside my safety zone and try this sometime!
Oh my gosh! I’m freezing right now and that soup looks and sounds wonderful! I’m like you – some dishes are best left to the professionals.
I remember the first time trying Vietnamese, it was so good I came home and tried to find one. Amazing in Louisville KY we have a verry good resturant Vietnam Kitchen. I love trying the appetisers and noodle bowls – yummy. And very filling lol