Customers line up in Australia to eat Bat Dan pho
In recent days, the culinary community has been stirred up when Pho Gia Truyen 49A Bat Dan - one of the famous pho brands of Hanoi - hung a sign temporarily closed from July 1st to the end of August 1st. Many diners believe that the restaurant still maintains the summer break for a month for both families and staff to rest.
However, the reason behind this closure was quickly revealed. During the time the restaurant was temporarily closed in Hanoi, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thang and Mrs. Co Thi Thanh Xuan went to Melbourne (Australia) to directly support the opening of the first franchise store of Pho Gia Truyen 49A Bat Dan.
This is also the first time the ancient town traditional pho brand has officially entered the international market after many decades of holding the profession. The store is located in the center of Melbourne, targeting the Vietnamese community, while serving local diners and international communities who love Vietnamese cuisine.
Just a few days after opening, images of diners queuing to enjoy a bowl of Bat Dan pho in Melbourne have attracted attention on social networks. Many Vietnamese people living in Australia come to enjoy the familiar flavor, while many local diners are also curious to experience the dish considered a symbol of Vietnamese cuisine.
As one of the diners present in the early days of opening, Ms. Nguyen My Khanh, from Hanoi, currently living in Melbourne for more than 10 years, said that although she had never eaten Pho Bat Dan in Hanoi before because she was "afraid of queuing", when she learned that the brand opened in Australia, she decided to come and experience it.
From my house to the restaurant is about 7 km, it takes about 15 minutes by train. With Australia, this distance is quite close. The restaurant just opened on July 3rd but was welcomed by the Vietnamese, Australian and many other ethnic groups. It's always crowded with customers, everyone has to queue for about 10-15 minutes to get to their turn," Ms. My Khanh shared.
According to Ms. Khanh, the restaurant has two floors but is almost always fully booked in the early days of operation. Not only Vietnamese people, but many Australian and foreign tourists also come here to enjoy the famous Hanoi pho.
Vietnamese flavor in the heart of Melbourne
To fully feel the flavor, Ms. My Khanh chose rare, cooked, and fermented beef pho - a dish considered a characteristic of Bat Dan Pho. A bowl of pho costs about 20 AUD (equivalent to nearly 380,000 VND).
According to the female diner, this price is much higher than in Vietnam but suitable for the spending level in Australia, especially when raw materials and processing procedures must meet the strict standards of the host country.
The pho is truly top-notch in Hanoi, from quality to flavor, the standard Hanoi flavor is unmistakable," she said.
What impressed her was that the store still retains many familiar features of a bowl of Hanoi pho with hot spring rolls, blanched eggs, chili sauce and garlic vinegar served.
Here, Ms. Khanh felt a close atmosphere when the restaurant owner couple directly chatted and greeted diners. For Vietnamese people far from home, a bowl of pho is more meaningful than a meal.
Enjoying a bowl of Hanoi pho - a dish considered the national soul and essence of Vietnam - right in Australia is like returning to hometown memories," Ms. My Khanh shared.
The store is located at 197 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne City, Victoria (Australia). In addition to serving the Vietnamese community living in Australia, the brand also targets local customers and Asian communities such as Japan, Korea, China...
According to the plan, after the first facility in Melbourne, the brand will continue to expand to other cities in Australia.
