American vlogger Sonny Side is the host of the Best Ever Food Review Show, a channel with nearly 11 million subscribers. It is one of the largest food review YouTube channels in the world. Sonny Side and Vietnamese-American chef Calvin Bui recently tasted pho dishes ranging from super cheap ($1) to super expensive ($164) in Vietnam.
The pho dish that surprised and intrigued both of them the most was the expensive pho bowl that cost 164 USD (equivalent to 4.1 million VND). Hearing the price, Calvin was shocked and exclaimed "what's in there, a whole cow?".
To enjoy the most expensive bowl of pho in Vietnam, two diners went to a restaurant located in the Landmark 81 building, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City. Sonny Side shared on his channel that pho is very popular in Vietnam, a bowl of pho only costs 2 - 3 USD (50,000 - 70,000 VND). Therefore, this super expensive bowl of pho is really a "huge" thing.
Chef Le Trung, who created Pho King, said he has been serving the dish for about five years. "I love pho, and I wanted to create a pho dish that could be placed on a high-end restaurant menu, giving diners a new level of pho-eating experience," the chef said.
First is the rich pho broth made from oxtail, marrow bones, ribs, chicken stock, and chicken feet to increase the thickness and sweetness. The broth is simmered for 48 hours continuously with lightly roasted shallots, star anise, cinnamon bark...
However, the question is why pho costs up to 4 million. Find out more and you will know that pho King uses many premium ingredients, world-famous for both quality and price. That is foie gras, Kagoshima A5 wagyu meat, beef ribs sprinkled and marinated with ginger, cinnamon, star anise and duck fat then grilled in the oven, truffle mushrooms, gold leaf...
A bowl of King Pho is presented as follows: pho cake, beef ribs, fresh herbs, foie gras and truffle mushrooms, thinly sliced wagyu beef and gold leaf. The final step is to add hot bone broth and ground pepper.
Taking a sip of the pho first, Sonny found the flavors melding together, but the first impression was of the truffle, while Calvin sipped the foie gras and called it "the meal of a lifetime."
The two diners were ecstatic as they enjoyed each piece of gold-leafed wagyu beef and beef ribs. "The beef had a harmonious balance of lean and fat, and was tender and melted in the mouth. The beef ribs had a thick layer of meat that made me want to bite into them," Sonny described enthusiastically.
Of course, eating pho cannot be without the soft, fresh pho cake. Calvin said that the pho cake source comes from a family of Northern origin, who has been selling pho for over 30 years in Ho Chi Minh City.
The Vietnamese-American chef commented: "The ingredients seem unrelated but when combined together they are surprisingly delicious. However, this bowl of pho really shows the chef's skill and excellence. I am very proud to see that Vietnamese food not only has cheap delicious dishes but also expensive delicious dishes."
