Just a stone’s throw away from the hotel we were staying at in Ho Chi Minh City, sits cosy little pho joint, Mama Pho Restaurant. The seemingly cafe-style establishment serves up pho as well as other local delights but how it differs from those you get from the streets is a massive variety of pho types, as well as sides.

Mama Pho has a stellar pho-centric menu, featuring not only different flavours of the classic soup-based pho. Here is where you’ll find unique pho-based creations such as their Crispy Pan-Fried Pho, Rolled Pho and even Wok-Fried Pho.

You won’t find many locals dining here given its higher price point, but here’s why we think that Mama Pho is worth a visit regardless.

Stepping into the cosy little joint, you’ll be greeted by gorgeous floor tiles and comfortable seating. The wait staff was attentive and their strong air-conditioning really relaxed us after a long day of walking in the heat.

We went right for the unique Pho Sate Bo (78,000 VND, S$4.61) which is essentially beef pho but served in a rich peanut-based broth instead.

The pho broth was incredibly unique and we liked that it wasn’t overly rich, complementing the springy rice noodles and tender beef slices to perfection. After trying so many bowls of pho, we were glad to dig into something a little different.

We were torn between the Wok-Fried Pho and Crispy Pan-Fried Pho but we settled for the latter.

The Pho Ap Chau Tom & Rau Cu (Sautéed Shrimp & Vegetables over Crispy Pan-Fried Pho, 78,000 VND, SS$4.61) was, unfortunately, a little too tough to bite through.

For a light nibble before your meal, order up the Cahn Ga Chien Sa Nghe (Fried Lemongrass & Turmeric Chicken, 48,000VND, S$2.84). This deep-fried chicken wing delight comes served with a sweet chilli sauce on the side but truly, it stood up well on its own.

The chicken wings were marinated well and who can dislike the combination of turmeric and chicken, fried to golden perfection?

There were a few hits and misses during our visit but despite that, Mama Pho certainly deserves praise for their unique pho creations. Which one will you be trying?

Mama Pho Restaurant
111, Hem so 9, Ben Nghé
Quan 1, Ho Chí Minh, Vietnam
Daily: 8am – 10pm
Tel: +84 28 3915 1009

In a bustling city like Ho Chi Minh City that bustles even more at night, places to find food in the wee hours of the morning is never a difficult feat. And Pho Ha, a cosy little pho-focused eatery in District 1 just a short walk from where we stayed, proved to be a solid go-to to satiate our pho cravings from as late (or early) as 1am.

This late-night spot is a bit of an institution in Saigon. Before the arrival of Bitexco tower across the road, the street that Pho Ha sits on used to be packed with late night pho outlets serving Saigon’s later night revellers.

Having been around for the past 20 years, these folks know how to serve up a proper bowl of pho, so skip your McDonald’s and head over to Pho Ha for a delicious late-night bite instead.

Having knocked back a couple of beers, we were hankering for something hot, soupy and comforting, hence, a bowl of beef pho seemed to be the only logical choice.

Meaty and straightforward yet brimming with heady notes of spices—at only 50,000 VND a bowl—there really is no questioning why the locals here can have this every single day.

Delving into unfamiliar territory, we decided to order their Fried Pho with Beef (85,000 VND). The dish resembles that of the crispy noodles we often find in zi char stalls in Singapore with the only exception being that it did not come with much sauce.

Because there wasn’t much sauce to soften the noodles, the noodles did become a hassle to chew through and our jaws ached after a while. The only saving grace to this would be the strips of tender and well-seasoned beef and onions that helped to amplify the dish’s otherwise non-existent flavour.

Pho Ha
19 Hai Trieu, District 1,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 91 394 49 43
Daily: 4pm – 2am

For more recommendations, read our Ho Chi Minh City’s guides to discover the best places to visit in the city.

A popular pit stop among the Vietnamese locals, Nhu Lan Bakery houses several food stalls in one. The establishment functions as a banh mi kiosk, a proper sit-down Vietnamese eatery as well as a delicatessen and meat grocer.

Every morning from as early as 5am, throngs of locals park their scooters right outside the eatery, grabbing themselves a quick bite before going about their day. Curious, and pining for a taste of what locals deem delicious, we decided to pay the humble eatery a visit.

They serve everything under the sun, from tasty, proper bowls of pho bo, to a massive selection of banh mi toppings and even some other local delicacies not commonly found elsewhere.

Outside is where you can get your hands on some freshly-made banh mi. Inside, however, they serve a pretty impressive variety of noodle and rice dishes from the classic pho, dry rice noodles to some pretty interesting, rarely heard of items as well.

Having read so much more about Vietnam’s many varieties of noodle dishes, we decided to wing it with their Rice Noodles with Fried Spring Rolls and Barbecued Pork (40,000 VND).

The dish features a colossal portion of rice noodles along with some pickled vegetables, spring rolls, barbecued pork, ground peanuts and a lime wedge. Like most Vietnamese dishes, it also comes with a platter of fresh herbs.

To get the ultimate combination of flavours and textures, you really have to mix everything together. We went with a dash of fish sauce, lime juice, chillis, garlic, fresh herbs simply torn in and sriracha for ours.

The result? A vibrant and addictive mix of fresh flavours that encompassed sweet, sour, salty and spicy.

Unsure of what else to get, we decided to go with our gut and randomly pointed towards one of the lesser intimidating items on the menu. Thankfully, what was served to us was the Rice with Fried Roast Pork, Braised Pork, Pickled Cabbage & Egg (40,000 VND).

Laced with a tangy, salty kick from the pickled cabbage, coupled with the fresh taste of coriander along with the smoky, meaty taste of the barbecued pork, this was honestly one of the most delightful we had—that isn’t pho.

The flavours reminded us of pig’s organ soup, especially with the heavy emphasis on pickled vegetables to counter the porky taste, just that this was much drier.

Stuffed from edge to edge with thin rice noodles, fresh vegetables and slivers of shrimp, we absolutely couldn’t get enough of their Pork & Shrimp Spring Roll (15,000 VND). The rice paper was a little stiff and tricky to nibble through, but besides that, everything was perfect.

We’re not fully sure what went into the dipping sauce, except that it was a mixture of sweet, tangy, savoury and nutty qualities. Come to think of it, hoisin definitely made up a majority of its flavour.

Nhu Lan Bakery
50 Ham Nghi, Ben Nghé, Quan 1,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 28 3914 1338
Daily: 4am – 11pm
SGD to VND: S$1 : 16981.22 VND (aprox)

For more recommendations, read our Ho Chi Minh City’s guides to discover the best places to visit in the city.

]]> https://www.ladyironchef.com/2018/09/nhu-lan-bakery-hcmc/feed/ 0 https://www.ladyironchef.com/2018/08/pho-hai-trieu/ https://www.ladyironchef.com/2018/08/pho-hai-trieu/#comments Sun, 19 Aug 2018 06:17:14 +0000 Dick Tan http://www.ladyironchef.com/?p=167399 Continue reading →]]>

To only have a single bowl of pho during a vacation to Vietnam is a downright atrocity. The popular street food is the core staple of Vietnamese cuisine and is literally what going to Vietnam’s all about—for us anyway.

Stumbling upon a rather unassuming eatery by the street going by the name Pho Hai Trieu, we were lured in by the bold aromas of simmering meat broth and freshly stir-fried delights, as well as a team of friendly wait staff who were eager to sit us down.

Specialising in an assortment of chicken dishes, pho and hearty soups, this humble eatery may not seem like much at first, but it really does impress with its wide array of menu offerings—especially their chicken dishes.

While pho was the main item on our agenda, we were intrigued by the sheer number of dishes available in this small eatery. From an assortment of chicken dishes, comforting soups that include anything and everything, to a wide array of noodle dishes, they have it all.

Seeing as to how literally every table was having chicken, we decided to give their chicken a go too. Ordering a bowl of their Pho Ga (55,000 VND) did not disappoint as it came with a generous portion of tender shredded chicken meat, sliced onions and an insanely huge serving of rice noodles.

The broth was heavenly, to say the least, with every mouthful delivering so much more than just a deep, comforting chicken flavour. There was a subtle sweetness in the broth that complemented the overall savouriness of the dish as well as a thin yet crucial layer of chicken fat that provided an additional layer of hearty chicken flavour.

The Pho Tai (55,000 VND), essentially a bowl of beef pho featuring rare steak, was a tad underwhelming—only because of the fact that we already had our minds blown from the beef pho at Pho Phuong.

Nonetheless, the broth and everything else in it was pretty solid. Our only gripe was that the beef could have been slightly rarer so as to give it a better texture.

Great if you’re in a hurry—because service here is lightning quick—, Pho Hai Trieu may not be the best place for pho if that’s your main goal, but it sure does pack a substantial arsenal of yummy delights with their chicken dishes standing out the most.

Pho Hai Trieu
Ben Nghe, District 1,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 98 984 62 18

For more recommendations, read our Ho Chi Minh City’s guides to discover the best places to visit in the city.

Walking down the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, one might find it a challenge to identify exactly which pho stall is truly the best especially with the sheer amount of street-side stalls, food stands and restaurants selling it.

But perhaps one of the best and most highly recommended pho places in Ho Chi Minh City to visit is Pho Phuong 25 in District 1. Having heard so much praise being sung by both locals and tourists, we did not hesitate to pay this humble corner stall a visit—we were far from disappointed.

For a truly authentic and out-of-this-world beef pho experience when in Ho Chi Minh City, you really have to drop by Pho Phuong 25.

Based on the only menu that was given to us, it seemed that the eatery only had one item on the menu but served with different varieties of beef cuts and offal.

Feeling a mad hankering for all things beef, we opted for the Large Bowl (75,000 VND), a monster-sized bowl that comprised all sorts of beef types from the tender brisket, to semi-rare beef slices and even cartilage and soft tendon as well.

The first thing that hits you—besides how enormous the entire bowl is—is the fragrant scent of beef broth that you just know packs unbeatable flavour. Served alongside it is an entire tray of fresh basil, lime wedges and chilli.

Brimming with an insanely concentrated beef flavour along with a heady back note of warm spices and fresh herb, the broth was pretty clean tasting yet super flavourful. Every component from the rice noodles to the individual beef slices was cooked perfectly and each mouthful was just literal comfort at its best.

Crucial to a bowl of pho bo (otherwise known as beef pho) is the addition of raw garnishes and truly, the experience was elevated tenfold when we tore bits of basil leaves into the mixture along with some lime juice and chilli.

We may not have gotten the real deal when it came down to ordering up a glass of their Vietnamese coffee but the one thing that we can admit to is that it tasted really good. Like drinking a liquified version of Kopiko.

Besides offering tasty bowls of pho, we really liked the overall atmosphere of the eatery. Featuring both indoor and open-air seating, you could easily bask in the aroma of simmering beef broth and freshly plucked herbs surrounding the entire eatery.

And another interesting thing to note if you’re a foodie is that just around the corner nestles one of the most popular street food restaurants in the whole of Ho Chi Minh City—the widely praised Lunch Lady.

Pho Phuoung
25 Hoàng Sa, District 1,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Daily: 6am – 9pm

For more recommendations, read our Ho Chi Minh City’s guides to discover the best places to visit in the city.