Hanoian pho makes its way south

Hanoians who live in Ho Chi Minh City will no longer have to travel all the way back to the northern capital to sample their hometown’s signature dish of pho (beef noodle dish), as one of the city’s popular brands is already here.
The name “Pho Thin,” a beef noodle soup restaurant, is no stranger to the six million Hanoian residents who are known for their selective choices when it comes to food.
“Pho Thin” was named after Bui Tri Thin, a chef known for his special versions of pho which are made in the simple Hanoian style; bringing out the original flavor and texture of the beef and noodles.
“The broth must be clear, the noodle must be chewy and the beef fillet must be soft,” Bui Thanh Mai, one of Thin’s children, said about her father’s creations. “Just use a little spice; only use non-roasted fresh ginger and cow bone stock.”
She told Lao Dong (Labor) newspaper one of the important steps when making the dish was to create the mouth-watering smell of pho to attract passers-by to the restaurants.
Five of Thin’s nine children have followed his footsteps in opening four more pho restaurants in the capital to continue introducing their father’s exquisite dishes to the locals.
About two months ago, Mai opened the family’s sixth eatery, but this time, it is in the southern hub.
Mai’s decision to open down south was not just a business decision. She was also motivated to resurrect her late father’s restaurant in the city.
“My father opened an eatery on the Cach Mang Thang 8 Street in HCMC in 1979,” Mai said. “Lots of people came to try out his ‘pho Thin.’”
Mai said the cuisine styles and the ingredients to make pho in the two regions are different.
They use different stocks and recipes, Mai said.
The typical pho in HCMC often has a richer taste coming from the cinnamon, cardamom, roasted onion, pig bones and other ingredients which may not suit the taste of those who have gotten used to the simple taste of beef noodle soup in the north.
“Also, northerners are willing to eat at small venues and they wouldn’t mind if the restaurant has ran out of herbs to go with pho,” Mai said. “But southerners only like spacious venues with good service and they often order different types of vegetable and herbs.”
Mai also named her eatery “Pho Nho” (Small street) as a reminiscence to the small, narrow streets in the capital city and turned the whole venue into a little Hanoi with pictures and wall paintings of the city’s renowned Old Quarter.
Visitors to the restaurant, at 170, Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, District 3, can enjoy a wide variety of pho served with ceramic utensils made from the 500-year-old Bat Trang pottery village in northern Vietnam.