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The purist's guide to phở in Hanoi

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Re: The purist's guide to phở in Hanoi

#41

Post by thechao »

anonymouscaller wrote: post #21

For us Americans who can’t make it out to Vietnam, I’ve found the best Pho in the US is in Orange County, CA and Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood!

I've been told my old stomping ground (Houston) is extremely competitive. I've not eaten Vietnamese outside of Texas, so I can't really compare. It was shocking to me, when I moved to Portland, OR, to not have easy access to pho, banh mi, and vermicelli dishes. They kinda make up for it with poke bowls?

Re: The purist's guide to phở in Hanoi

#42

Post by blt »

I knew that adding sriracha and hoisin was considered somewhat gauche / insulting to the chef. But I was surprised to see no mention of Basil, since every pho shop in the USA provides it. Is that also nontraditional? I really like it...

Re: The purist's guide to phở in Hanoi

#43

Post by vogon_laureate »

sailorganymede wrote: post #22
vogon_laureate wrote: post #15

I've yet to visit Vietnam, but a phở my daughter and I had in Reykjavík was properly life-changing. I get the obsession.

I believe I had the same one? I remember travelling Europe and going to the same place like 3 times while I was in Iceland!

Was it Mama Kitchen? https://mamakitchen.is/

Re: The purist's guide to phở in Hanoi

#44

Post by vogon_laureate »

mi_lk wrote: post #17
vogon_laureate wrote: post #15

I've yet to visit Vietnam, but a phở my daughter and I had in Reykjavík was properly life-changing. I get the obsession.

restaurant name if you want to share?

Mama Kitchen. Just super chill lowkey place with incredible food. https://mamakitchen.is/

Re: The purist's guide to phở in Hanoi

#46

Post by uxp100 »

datlife wrote: post #28
anonymouscaller wrote: post #21

For us Americans who can’t make it out to Vietnam, I’ve found the best Pho in the US is in Orange County, CA and Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood!

You are missing out on San Jose. It has the largest population Vietnamese diaspora.

I think that used to be true, but it has been overtaken by Houston. Either way, yes, good place to eat Vietnamese food.

Re: The purist's guide to phở in Hanoi

#47

Post by contingencies »

Aussie with ~20 years in Asia, periodic trips to Cabramatta and California (lived there awhile). I'm a massive fan of the Laos versions which have huge amounts of fresh greenery. The biggest problem with foreign derivatives is generally they skimp on the greenery, use packet stock or use non-fresh noodles. None of these are acceptable. There's some tomato-in-soupified beef ones with differently shaped rice noodles in Xishuangbanna (sipsongpanna) near the Chinese border with Laos, they're excellent also. The Cantonese origin myth seems bogus: I've never had Cantonese food that celebrated subtlety like a pho, nor would I expect to find it. Lived in Guangdong a few years and visited at least 10 cities + HK + Macao so my opinion is somewhat informed.

Re: The purist's guide to phở in Hanoi

#48

Post by nielsbot »

ksaj wrote: post #39
__mharrison__ wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My wife, who doesn't eat beef, once asked for chicken pho, and got an extreme talking to. She was sad because she had good chicken pho in the past.

My partner is Vietnamese, and also a chef. I've had every variation of pho one can think of. There is a group of snobs who think they authoritatively own the opinion and can only think of a single acceptable recipe (or chef, for that matter). But let them be so limited on their own. This isn't a religion. It's a big world out there, and there are a gazillion awesome phos in it.

> There is a group of snobs who think they authoritatively own the opinion and can only think of a single acceptable recipe

Let's talk about Chicago hot dogs

Re: The purist's guide to phở in Hanoi

#49

Post by mc32 »

nielsbot wrote: post #48
ksaj wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My partner is Vietnamese, and also a chef. I've had every variation of pho one can think of. There is a group of snobs who think they authoritatively own the opinion and can only think of a single acceptable recipe (or chef, for that matter). But let them be so limited on their own. This isn't a religion. It's a big world out there, and there are a gazillion awesome phos in it.

> There is a group of snobs who think they authoritatively own the opinion and can only think of a single acceptable recipe Let's talk about Chicago hot dogs

I like mustard AND catsup on mine. I guess that's a big false step to them.

Re: The purist's guide to phở in Hanoi

#50

Post by ksaj »

mc32 wrote: post #49
nielsbot wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There is a group of snobs who think they authoritatively own the opinion and can only think of a single acceptable recipe Let's talk about Chicago hot dogs

I like mustard AND catsup on mine. I guess that's a big false step to them.

Toronto has awesome hotdog vendors. They serve different types of sausages, and of course weiners ready for the flame grill. They are all large size, and there are a gazillion toppings for you to put on yourself. I've never seen better in the US, or anywhere else for that matter.
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