What the pho? Isn’t this a donut shop?
Pho is authentic comfort food with a mixture of flavors, textures, and spices. It is a noodle soup that excites the palate.
The soup had to remain pure
I was in my mid-40s before I discovered this incredible noodle soup. While in the break room of the BevMo! Bayshore store in San Francisco with the store’s assistant manager, Chad Sinyork gave me the first pho experience He had just taken out an order of nearby Pho to share with me. I watched him empty a plastic bag of bean sprouts, jalapenos, and other accouterments as the soup's garnishes. After methodically placing them into the bowl of soup for both of us, I slurped the soup as I was told to do. Enjoying the soup without adding hot or hoisin sauce to the broth; the sauces were for dipping and the soup had to remain pure.
Pho at Tu Lan San Francisco
What are the origins of pho? The Wonderful World of Pho states, “Pho came from Northern Vietnam and was invented during the early 20th century. One theory is that pho was invented in the city and province of Nam Dinh, south of Hanoi, where people made the dish in order to satisfy the palates of the Vietnamese and French residents. This was achieved by mixing rice noodles (Vietnamese) with beef (French) and putting them together in soup. Another theory is that people in Van Cu village (also in Nam Dinh province) made and sold pho 50 miles away in Hanoi during the 20th century to make a living.” History of Pho (scu.edu) Many of my pho forays included searching in San Francisco’s Tenderloin and Chinatown districts. I always found the soup to be satisfying. Since the beginning of my pho journey, continually searched for the best pho places in San Francisco Bay Area. Following tips from friends, family, and foodies. The following restaurants rank among my favorites: Kevin's Noodle House (also known as Pho Huynh Hiep) in multiple locations, Pho Nation, Little Paris, Viet Quan, and Happy Donut.
I returned on my lunch break, ordered my noodle soup, sat at a back table, and slurped away. The pho was delicious.
My wife Alice wanted me to buy some donuts near my office. I wandered into Happy Donuts on 100 Bush Street at Battery, and what did I discover? Holy pho! While the counter offers loads of sweet pastries, the menu on the wall listed noodle soups and one good pho. I returned on my lunch break, ordered my pho, sat at a back table, and slurped away. The soup was delicious. Happy Donuts became my go-to place! My colleagues would ask me, "Isn't this a donut shop? Pho places often show up in unexpected places. Happy Donuts was my “fast food” pho. While delicious, the bone broth was always a bit shy in its flavors, egging me to make my own pho.
LAIWC-Judges Lunch
Making pho is a slow process.
Making pho is a slow process. It starts with getting bones (beef, pork, or veal), oven-roasting them, and ending up with a delicious, clear broth. Next, assemble the ingredients—thinly sliced raw beef, tendons, tripe, beef balls, yellow onions, garlic, ginger, spices (star anise, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds) and add the garnishes—green onions, bean sprouts, jalapeños, tendons, etc. Finally, sprinkle in a dab of fish sauce. Try the Red Boat brand; it is one of the best and generally the freshest. You can always vary the recipe; this one from the Forked Spoon looks very doable for even the most beginning home cook (https://theforkedspoon.com/pho-recipe/). I have made pho a few times and with pretty good results. My mistake was missing a couple of ingredients and not being patient enough. I found this YouTube by Quang Tran (2.45M subscribers) (537) The BEST Vietnamese PHO Recipe - YouTube to be inspiring.
Amongst the wine trade and many of my colleagues, pho is one of the most popular comfort foods and pairs well with various wines. Spices, meats, and accruements vary and can lead to different wine choices. Clare Rieslings, Fianos, Pinot Blancs, and Grenache Blanc are some of my favorite wine choices. I recently paired the savory and charmingly rustic 2017 Viñedos del Contino Rioja Blanco (a blend of Garnacha Blanc and Viura), and the combination was excellent!
What the pho? Or better yet, where is the pho? In San Francisco, I have found them in Chinatown, the Tenderloin, FiDi, the Richmond District, the Sunset District, and almost anywhere you find local restaurants, and even at Happy Donuts!
