Pho is considered one of the typical dishes of Vietnamese cuisine. Besides the famous long-standing pho restaurants in Hanoi's Old Quarter, there are many new pho brands that are causing a stir because of their flavors as well as many other special factors.
Recently, social media has been buzzing with images of a version of pho with different ingredients and prices.
According to Mr. Hoang Duc Lam, owner of the pho brand with many branches in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Binh and Ho Chi Minh City, the special pho bowl here has 8 types of ribs and other meats such as rare, well-done, flank, brisket, tendon... with a total weight of 450 grams. In addition, diners will be served a bowl of poached eggs and a plate of fried breadsticks to eat with it.
Beef ribs are one of the impressive highlights of the pho bowl. According to Mr. Lam, all the beef ingredients of the restaurant are fresh meat imported daily from the largest farm in the North. In addition, the restaurant's broth is also simmered from bones and sea worms for 24 hours, giving a rich, natural sweetness without the need for too many other spices.
The pho noodles are made to order and are borax-free. The restaurant offers traditional pho noodles and hand-cut, large noodles, serving one or two people depending on the customer's request.
The factor that makes pho attract many customers is the price. According to Mr. Lam, the special pho bowl at the restaurant costs 168,000 VND - meaning Nhat Loc Phat, according to the concept of wealth. This is four to five times more expensive than the average price.
However, only 10 bowls of special pho are sold at each location each day because the quantity of fresh beef ribs is limited. "Our regular pho only costs from 40,000 VND/portion. In addition, the restaurant also has a variety of hot pot dishes and other hot dishes made with fresh beef," Lam shared.
What's special about this pho is the preparation process and the very large bowl.
"Pho is served in a ceramic bowl hand-painted by Bat Trang artisans in 8 hours. With 5 colors representing the five elements. Each customer using the Lanh bowl will be advised by the staff to choose a color that matches their destiny or preference," said Mr. Lam.
The owner said each bowl costs about 3 million VND and is custom made.
At the restaurant, most diners who ordered this pho dish positively rated the ingredients as very well-prepared, ensuring food hygiene and safety.
Not only Vietnamese people, but also foreign tourists are very excited to enjoy the restaurant’s pho. Some even buy the elaborate bowls from the restaurant as souvenirs when they come to Vietnam.
Before the news about this version of pho, many people said that the price is too expensive, not suitable for most diners. Serving pho in a bowl costing 3 million VND is also unnecessary or can highlight the flavor of the dish.
