Vietnamese noodles pho your soul

published by asingh on Tue, 02/14/2012 - 21:14

By Natasha Chudyk

Special to The Post

For those who have never come across pho, it is what some would call Vietnamese comfort food.

Pho is a soup-based dish full of vermicelli noodles and garnished with bean sprouts, onion, jalapenos and topped off with the meat of your choice (usually beef or sometimes chicken).

Fresh basil leaves are optional and help flavour the broth.

The soup is typically a beef or chicken based broth and the dish usually comes in two sizes (large and very large).

Pho can be complimented by a spoonful of chili sauce, a squirt of hoisin and a squeeze of fresh lime-juice that a diner can add to suit their own personal taste.

There are many options for what meats you can have in your bowl of pho such as tripe, flank, beef balls or brisket. My favourite is the thinly sliced rare steak which comes raw and actually cooks and browns in the bowl while it is served to you.

Throughout my own culinary adventures in Richmond (my neighbourhood these days), I have come to really enjoy the dishes at Pho Ten in Richmond. My favourite is pho tai which is #18 on their menu.

Arguably the most popular and recognizable dishes hailing from Vietnam, pho originated as a dish that aimed to appeal to both Vietnamese and French cultures in the early 20th century.

These days in multicultural Vancouver, pho is a must-eat food for BC’s cold rainy winter days.

Wherever you go, you are sure to have an un'pho'gettable experience.

Natasha’s Choice: Pho Ten Restaurant

Location: 11080 No. 5 Road, Unit 130

Dish: Vietnamese Noodle Soup

Price: Large bowl $7.95