Being more than just a national dish and a bowl of noodle soup, Pho carries the tradition and history of Vietnam since the 19th century. Pho has since gone through a series of modification as the years go by, but it remains a well-loved dish by many.

Amongst the many food options in Somerset, we spotted this Que in TripleOne Somerset that serves Pho, Banh Mi, Bun Cha and other Vietnamese dishes. The menu is relatively affordable with nothing over S$10.90.

Aside from the usual chains you see in town, maybe this could be a new choice for you to savour!

Our Beef Pho (S$10.90) came served in a huge bowl; plus points for big portions! We first tried the broth on its own without adding any extra condiments and thought it was too light. Masterchef us started to add various sauces and toppings that were available at the counter in using our “agaration” to create our work of art.

We threw in some hoisin sauce, fish sauce, sriracha sauce, black pepper, two small limes (make do with just one if you don’t like it too sour) and some beansprouts. The flavours were immediately enhanced and the broth came to life.

Out of the few ingredients in the pho, we were bowled over by the beef balls that came with a chewy consistency and a pleasant beefy fragrance.

If pho is not your thing, here’s a rice option. As one of the highlights on their menu, the Grilled Pork Rice (S$8.90) comes with a fried spring roll. It was covered in a sweet sauce, similar to teriyaki or Thai pork skewers, moo ping, but with a firmer texture. The nuts and shallots sprinkled on it added some crunch and a nutty aroma to it.

The lady boss shared that she uses pork collar as it contains less fat but still has a good bite to it. Personally, we thought that a little more fat would have done this dish more justice with a more tender bite and fat-rendered goodness, possibly by using pork belly.

A dipping sauce made with fish sauce, vinegar and sugar that tasted similar to achar was served on the side, and it blended well together with the pork.

This food stall is a one-man show by this Vietnamese lady boss and was previously located at Toa Payoh before shifting here. She prepares everything on her own and we could feel her sincerity in cooking while tasting the food. Her friendliness and hospitality made the dining experience at Que even warmer than the bowl of noodles we had.

111 Somerset Road
#01-K10, TripleOne Somerset
Singapore 238164
Sun to Fri: 11:30am to 8pm
Sat: 11:30am to 3pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

There was a big hoo-ha at the dining table when I mentioned that it was my first time having the famous Vietnamese Pho. My one and only experience with Vietnamese food was during last Christmas Eve; where I had an impromptu party with dweam and monoxious at NUOC Vietnamese Restaurant Orchard Central.

When they asked me which Liang Seah Street Restaurant to go for dinner, I suggested Madam Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant as I wanted to try the Pho.

A platter of Spring rolls ($17.90), which is a popular Vietnamese dish, appeared on the table. Luckily, they didn’t disappoint: the semi translucent raw spring rolls went well with the sauce; as for the deep fried ones, we agreed that deep-fried food always taste good.

The Vietnamese Fried Calamari ($9.50) was very different from the ones that I had before. For one, it wasn’t round and they were broke down into strips, bearing a close resemblance to fries. It was a very addictive snack/appetizer, and we enjoyed it with the light dipping sauce.

Coming back to the Vietnamese Pho ($8.90), I thought that Madam Saigon’s rendition was not too bad. But Arissa who tasted Pho in Melbourne thought otherwise. Valerie definitely didn’t think much of it too, for she had savored the best Vietnamese Pho while she was in Vietnam before; cannot get any more authentic. It was hard to pin-point what was missing, but it was just different from the one they had before. Perhaps, it’s a case of the grass being greener on the other side. But since there aren’t that many Vietnamese restaurants in Singapore, we just have to make do with what we have. If not, get a ticket and fly to Vietnam this weekend for a delicious bowl of Pho.

We tossed lots of raw beansprouts, mint and squeezed wedges of lime into the Pho. There was silence for a a few jiffies, and this life-changing moment of my first banter with Vietnamese Pho has set its page on my history.

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Instead of having Western or Japanese food all the time, why don’t you try Vietnamese food at Madam Saigon Restaurant Liang Seah Street for dinner?

Restaurant Review
Madam Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant
30 Liang Seah Street Singapore
Tel: +65 6333 9798