Tis the season for pho, Vietnam’s most famous dish. Johannes Pong dives in.

What the Pho?

It’s Vietnam’s national dish. Vietnamese mothers cook it up at home, while street vendors in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City sell it as breakfast to the hungry public.

Pho is the ultimate fusion dish. In fact, some believe the word “pho” (pronounced “fuh”) comes from the French “pot-au-feu.” Beef broth is not traditionally Asian, as the beast of burden is way too important to be cooked and eaten. But beef was what the Gallic colonists craved, and hence the Vietnamese pot-au-feu evolved.

A bouquet garni of cinnamon, star anise, bay leaf, cloves, fennel and/or black pepper (depending on the cook’s preference) subtly flavors the beef stock. And the onions and ginger for the broth are char-grilled first (similar to the French technique of adding roasted onion to pot-au-feu), an interesting phenomena that sets pho apart from other Asian noodle soups. Add a sprinkling of bean sprouts, sliced onion, scallions and Asian basil on the side, and the diner is free to garnish their bowl to their heart’s content.

There are pho fans all over the world - thanks to the Viet diaspora, pho restaurants have opened up all over the globe, offering inexpensive and delicious meals in Paris, Sydney, the West Coast and even the Midwest in the United States.

But what about Hong Kong? We’re just a few hours away from Hanoi, but somehow, it’s hard to find a decent bowl of pho. Could it be because our government decided to forcibly repatriate more than 110,000 Viet refugees back to ‘Nam, so no Vietnamese immigrants settled to open up authentic Viet restaurants in our city? A lot of local “Viet” restaurants use the softer Cantonese ho fun instead of the chewier Southeast Asian banh pho, while the raw herbs that are so prominent in authentic pho are often ignored as locals like their veggies flash-fried and piping hot. But fortunately, we no longer have to suffer MSG-laden Chinese noodles hiding under a slice of onion, masquerading as pho. The Viet scene is finally changing as the influx of Western culinary culture and their salads means that it’s increasingly common to munch on raw leaves. As a result, new Vietnamese establishments now authentically provide garnishes à la Viet, even rare herbs like culantro, or long cilantro.

What Makes a Good Bowl?

San Francisco Chef Dennis Wong oversees the award-winning restaurant Le Soleil. He’s Vietnamese-Chinese and grew up in Ho Chi Minh City, and says the key to a good bowl of pho is timing - the rice noodles have to be perfect, so that they retain their chewy texture without turning into mush.
And of course, the perfect stock has to be made from oxtail and bones for more than ten hours. “I bake the onions first so that it gives it sweetness. The essence of the broth has to be clean and naturally sweet. A lot of commercial vendors spend less time on their broth and just artificially flavor it with MSG and sugar, making diners thirsty afterwards. A good broth shouldn’t make one thirsty.“

Luu Vinh An, Australian-Vietnamese owner of Pho Saigon, swears it’s the ample fresh herbs that make a good pho. His noodles swim in a dark green broth, with diced basil, mint, scallions and cilantro already added to your bowl.

Pho Vs. Pho
Here’s our breakdown of some of Hong Kong’s biggest Viet restaurants, including the best – and worst – places for a bowl of pho.

Green Cottage
For first timers, there is only one rule: order the damn chicken wings. Yes, they’re dripping with butter and you’re going to stink of garlic. But they’re also the best in town.
Pho Factor: Minnesota has better pho.   
2/F, Cigna Tower, 482 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay, 28322863

Golden Bull Restaurant
One of the oldest “Vietnamese” chain restaurants around, Golden Bull basically offers Chinese food, but with more garlic, curry powder and butter. Stick a piece of garlic bread on the side and hey presto! Vietnamese cuisine! Their famous roast chicken with naam yue (fermented beancurd paste) is lip-smackingly good, but hello, it’s Cantonese.
Pho Factor: Insipid. 'Nuff said.
11/F, Times Square, Food Forum, Causeway Bay, 2506-1028

Le Soleil
The Hong Kong branch of the popular award-winning San Francisco restaurant specializes in Asian-fusion. The duck in yellow curry and the lobster is absolutely out of this world.
Pho Factor: Pricey, but hey, it’s fine dining. The beef bowl comes with a big, tasty piece of gelatinous tendon. It’s also accompanied by a plate of the freshest bean sprouts and basil I’ve ever seen.
3/F, The Royal Garden Hotel, 69 Mody Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, 2733-2033

Lian
It’s a Viet/Thai bar/bistro by M.A.X. concepts. As if the two Southeast Asian cultures have identical cuisines. Oh well, thank Buddha they get the two culinary traditions sorta right.
Pho Factor: It’s a pretty epic bowl. Who would’ve thought a fusion place would have decent cuisine?
Shop 2004, 2/F, ifc mall, Central

Nha Trang
The tables are packed during mealtimes, a testament to the kitchen staff that generally comes up with the goods. They have a more modern take on its dishes, like the tasty deep fried cod and salad rice paper roll.
Pho Factor: tasty and gratifying, pho sure. The chicken pho is marvelous as well.
G/F, 88-90 Wellington St., 2581-9992

Perfume River (Huong Ha)
Cheap, lightning-quick service and totally worth the wait. The best dishes are the ones you eat with your fingers - the spring and rice paper rolls or the heap of lemongrass frogs’ legs.      
Pho Factor: Purist northern style with a clear, satisfying broth and just a few scallions and onions. Not a lot of fresh herbs, although a plate of basil and mint will be served if you ask.
G/F, 89 Percival St., Causeway Bay, 2576-2240

Pho Lemon
We shouldn’t have to pay that much for refried spring rolls.
Pho Factor: You’d think a SoHo joint would offer overpriced and dull pho. But it’s premium beef in a fragrant broth with ample herbs. Pass. With flying colors.
G/F, 25 Elgin St., Soho, Central , 2523-8272

Pho Saigon
They have a variety of Vietnamese soup noodles, including Hue-style, a spicy tomato and shrimp-based broth.
Pho Factor: Southern-style with lots of diced herbage. Pimp your pho with your choice of brisket, flank and/or other bits of cow.
G/F, 319 Hennessy Rd., Wan Chai, 2833-6833, phosaigonhk@gmail.com

Ricepaper
French-Vietnamese cuisine. The décor here is of a spectacular white floral lattice, and the view of Hong Kong’s night scene from the al fresco dining area on the spacious wooden balcony is to die for. Complimentary rice paper and leaves to wrap food in, including slices of starfruit.
Pho Factor: Bland, but what a view.
Shop 3319, Harbour City, 3-27 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3151-7801

Song Cuisine d’Indochine
This place is softly lit, with wooden tables and pillowy chairs. It’s ideal for a private wine party. Like, drinks only please. They serve pork-neck roast and vegetable stir-fries that are otherwise more sizzling and succulent at half the price in any other Chinese restaurant.   
Pho Factor: Pho-get about it.
L/G, 75 Hollywood Rd., Central, 2559-0997