Viet Pho In Bangkok?

[Jingthing]

It seems I am missing yet another classic American food: Vietnamese Pho done the right way.

Now my standard of Pho is such as that found in areas with large Vietnamese populations, such as San Jose, Cali or Orange County, Cali. But this style can now be found in most large US cities now, and there is even a major chain that is quite decent.

The few times I have had pho in Thailand, it doesn't hold a candle to those places.

Pretty much everything is wrong.

The bowl is small.

The beef is low grade and only one grisly cut, no rare meat offered.

You don't get a choice of beef cuts.

The broth is not strongly flavored with the correct spices. And no large chiles on the side to heat up the soup.

They don't serve all the standard side vegetables.

They don't have the two standard side sauces, the red sriracha style one and the sweeter brown one (creating a great yin yang for dipping the meat).

I have been told this style is considered Saigon style, especially if there are lots of bean sprouts to add. I have had good pho in Hanoi, and it was great and a different style. But in Thailand? Dreck. The worse pho I ever had in the US was much better.

Does good pho exist in Thailand? If so, where? Yes, I know the low quality Thai beef is a problem, but it seems everything else would be easy and cheap enough to do right.

(And now as the Iraq war draws to a close and the Iraqi refugee diaspora spreads, what wonderful Iraqi cullinary creation can we look forward to becoming the next American standard?)

[Brother_Tony]

Most of the Vietnamese living in Thailand came here after the French were kicked out of the country. These Vietnamese that came here at that time were those who were in authority in the country under French rule. Being that the French left, their lives were now in danger; so they fled to Thailand. Many of them settled in the Northeast, and you can even find a very large community in some of the central districts. Therefore, the style of Vietnamese food that you will find in Thailand will be the French/Vietnamese style. So this explains about the small bowls of soup as well as many other smaller dishes and less vegetables. In the northeast of Thailand, most Vietnamese restaurants sell mostly "Nam Nueng" (I don't know how they spell it in Vietnamese). In Bangkok, most of the Vietnamese restaurants are tailored after restaurants in Vietnam during the French reign; so they are very fancy and high priced with small portions of food.

But in answer to your question, you will not be able to find the American style Vietnamese "Pho" in Thailand. American style because the portions are alot larger than any where else. The best "Pho" in Thailand, that I have had so far, was in Nong Khai; but it was in no comparison to the "Pho" in California. And even in Vietnam, the "Pho" was alot different than the "Pho" in America. Also, most of the Vietnamese that I know here in Thailand enjoy Thai noodle soup over their own "Pho" due to all of the flavours and spices. I hope this helps. And if you are able to find any good "Pho" in Thailand, please let me know as well. Thanks.

[Jingthing]

Thanks for that. I know there are lots of places in Bangkok serving pho but I don't know of even one place dedicated to pho. Maybe there is some half decent pho out there that someone knows about.

I don't really care much about the bowl size. If it was right, you could just order a second bowl. The one Hanoi bowl I had was maybe the best pho bowl I ever had, and it had no bean sprouts (Saigon style) nor the hoped for side sauces. It was also plenty big and cost under 30 baht. It was just the total experience. Something about the noodles, something about the perfect broth. On second thought, the beef quality/choices are a huge part of the pho experience, so this really would hard to do in Thailand for a moderate price. I don't think people would pay imported beef prices for noodle soup.

What about Saigon? Would I recognize the pho there as being similar to good old American style pho?

[Macx]

If you ever had the handmade noodles, cut strand by strand, that's the yummy stuff. Real texture.

Sorry, I haven't found a decent Pho place in BKK or Phuket either. Some VN-Thai in Phuket told me that many Vietnamese in Thailand have been here so long that they "forget" the real taste of Pho back in the old country.

If you do find one, do post.

[mmushr00m]

That is something I miss too, Canadian-Vietnamese Pho.

Extra large bowl, with beef flank and brisket, some meatballs, even tendons, a huge helping of sprouts and mix in the red and brown sauce...

Only had it once in BKK, bland soup with no sauce or sprouts....very dissappointed.

So if you find a good one...please share

[Jingthing]

That is something I miss too, Canadian-Vietnamese Pho.

Extra large bowl, with beef flank and brisket, some meatballs, even tendons, a huge helping of sprouts and mix in the red and brown sauce...

Only had it once in BKK, bland soup with no sauce or sprouts....very dissappointed.

So if you find a good one...please share

I have also had good pho in Canada. Pretty much the same wonderfulness as in the states. Sorry if that is a blow for Canadian identity. It looks bleak for this happening in Thailand. Thais have their own soups. There aren't many Vietnamese. So the base demand would be farangs for Vietnamese soup. Go figure.

[MickeyM]

Pho Restaurant

25 Soi Chidlom

Bangkok 10330 Thailand+66 2 251 8945 / +66 2 251 8900Open Hours11a-2p & 5p-10p M-Su

[Jimmyd]

Pho Restaurant

25 Soi Chidlom

Bangkok 10330 Thailand+66 2 251 8945 / +66 2 251 8900Open Hours11a-2p & 5p-10p M-Su

But is it any good?

I too miss good pho and eat it often when I get back to the states. I love good kuaytieow, but there's nothing like pho. A Vietnamese friend told me she thinks vietnamese food in the US is better than in Vietnam because of the affluence the Vietnamese community in the states allows them to get the finest ingredients (some of which they have to grow themselves). I still want to go to Vietnam to eat Vietnamese food there, though.

[Jingthing]

Aha, there is a restaurant called Pho. Will try next time I am in Bangkok, others please report what you think.

I had suspected the Viet food is better in the US than in Vietnam which is kind of hilarious (and considering who won the war).

(I used to work with Indians in the US and they liked the Indian food in California better than their home towns.)

[BADBRAD]

Having lived for several years in San Francisco and now in Vietnam I would have to say that in my opinion the Vietnamese food in the better restaurants here is better than that is the U.S. However, everyone has different tastes. As far as pho goes, there is a chain that started here in Vietnam that serves the best pho I have tasted. It is a little more expensive than the average street side stall, (ie about $1.25 for a huge bowl as opposed to around $.65), but they use a higher grade of beef and the hygeine standards are a lot better. The chain is called Pho 24 and they have opened branches in the Philippines and Indonesia and I hear they are planning to open two branches in Bangkok. I don't know how soon or where exactly, but its coming!

[Jingthing]

Great news, Brad! Thanks for that! Are you in Saigon?

[BADBRAD]

Great news, Brad! Thanks for that! Are you in Saigon?

No, I live in Hanoi, at least until the end of this month when I will be moving to Bangkok. As a pho addict I am really hoping they (Pho 24) get there not too long after me.

[Ulysses G.]

Vietnamese food in Vietnam wasn't that good when I first visited in about 1992 because the ingredients were not up to snuff ("Free range" chickens were so thin that the meat was like rubber). However, everthing there has improved since they started kissing America's arse. The food now is WONDERFUL and foreign food is the best in SE Asia!

[BADBRAD]

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