From street pho stalls to restaurants honored by Michelin

Generations preserving the family pho profession

Pho has long become a familiar dish in Vietnamese life, especially every morning. Not just a simple dish, pho is also considered a part of Vietnamese culinary culture with its characteristic aroma from broth, soft pho noodles and elaborately prepared slices of meat.

On Bao Khanh street (Hanoi), Huyen Huong chicken pho restaurant is one of such addresses, where the story of the pho profession has been passed down through generations in the family.

Few people know that before becoming famous for chicken pho, Mrs. Do Thuy Huyen's family had been attached to the beef pho selling profession for many years. From the time of her grandfather with a pho stall on his shoulders, to the time of his parents opening a fixed shop from 1986, the pho profession has become an indispensable part of the family's life.

Ms. Huyen said that she has helped her family sell goods since she was very young. In 2005, when directly managing the restaurant, she decided to switch to chicken pho.

At that time, I was doing a restaurant business, so I didn't want the smell of beef to be too strong and affect the space. I thought of chicken pho because of the lighter flavor. But when I started doing it, I put a lot of heart into it because I had loved cooking and cuisine since I was little," Ms. Huyen shared.

The secret lies in the meticulousness in every detail.

According to the female owner, to create a delicious bowl of pho, it cannot only rely on one individual factor but is a combination of many stages, from selecting ingredients, processing to serving customers.

In which, raw materials are always put first. Chosen chickens must weigh about 3 - 3.5kg, raised for 10 months to 1 year to have moderate chewiness, fragrant and sweet meat and maintain the characteristic crispness.

Do not choose chickens that are too young because the meat will be mushy and bland. Chickens that are too old have chewy and hard meat. We have to be very careful in the selection process to ensure a stable flavor every day," Ms. Huyen said.

Besides chicken, the broth is also a carefully cared for element. The pho broth is simmered from chicken bones, pork bones and chicken broth for 17 - 18 hours. Grilled ginger, grilled onions and spices are balanced just enough to create a sweet and characteristic aroma of Hanoi pho.

According to Ms. Huyen, the most important thing is to maintain the cleanliness and freshness of the ingredients. Each stage requires meticulousness and patience to bring the best experience to diners.

Not only selling pho but also selling satisfaction

Currently, the restaurant can serve about 70 customers at the same time. During peak hours, many diners have to wait from 30 minutes to 1 hour to have a table.

However, according to Ms. Huyen, what makes her most proud is not the large number of customers but the fact that many people return after the first time enjoying it.

I always hope customers will remember the flavor of the restaurant after eating. To do that, not only delicious food is needed but also sincere and friendly reception from the staff. When customers feel comfortable and welcomed, the food also becomes more delicious," Ms. Huyen shared.

The cozyness of the restaurant space is also something that many diners mention. Many people said that although they have experienced many luxury restaurants, they still like to return to this small pho restaurant because of the feeling of closeness and familiarity.

According to Ms. Huyen, the restaurant being recognized by Michelin is a great joy for the family after many years of attachment to the profession. However, the title is not the final destination.

When we have been recognized by customers and Michelin, we have to try even harder to maintain the quality. Getting results is difficult, but maintaining them is even more difficult," Ms. Huyen said.

Currently, the family pho brand has been passed down to the fourth generation. For Ms. Huyen, the biggest goal is not to expand the scale or maximize profits, but to continue to preserve the traditional Hanoi pho flavor to introduce to domestic and international diners.

Nearly 40 years at the current address and through generations, the pho restaurant on Bao Khanh street still persists with a simple philosophy: Good ingredients, dedicated processing and putting customer satisfaction first. This has helped the restaurant retain many generations of customers in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter.