A big bowl of Pho, Sussex St. Sydney

A stop at the Sussex St. food court was at least a weekly thing for us when we lived in Ultimo. Usually walking through Chinatown on our way to work we would stop for lunch on a regular basis. It was usually always a choice of Saigon Pho and Happy Chef (occasionally we'd branch out and have omu rice next door or some BBQ meats).

Today is no exception. We're in the city and swing by for a quick lunch. The decision was Happy Chef or Pho Saigon. We both swung both ways for a while having trouble deciding, but eventually the choice is made, a big bowl of pho bo and iced tea will tickle our taste buds.

The broth here is so heavy on spice, but still with a rich beef flavour, some squidgy rice noodles underneath and more than ample thin slices of fresh raw beef, sliced white onion and spring onion all floating on the top. There's a plate with a mound of fresh, crispy bean sprouts, Thai basil leaves and a wedge of lemon that are all added to the soup. A little of the chilli vinegar mix just enhances all the flavours.




A big cup of icy cold ice tea and this is one mean lunch for under 10 bucks! And it's a nice side trip when Vietnams not on this itinerary.



Pho Saigon
Sussex St Food Centre
Level 1, Shop F6
401-403 Sussex Street,
Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9212 5387

Pho, Hanoi

I love that in Asia you have a proliferation of places that serve one thing and one thing only, if they're good they get a lot of practice, the locals vote with their bellies. If you want duck rice you go to the duck rice place, if you want steamed buns you go to the steamed bun lady and if you want pho you go to pho.

On a street lined with very funky art galleries, shops selling American war (it's a different point of view from here) propaganda posters and a super cool ageing french?? cathedral

there lies a restaurant so proud of it's product it's the restaurants name. As usual we used the old howmanylocalsareeatingthere o'meter, the results came back good so in we went.

There's a menu, it says you can have pho, well no surprise there, but there is a good dozen types of protein combinations to choose from. From raw beef fillet and braised brisket to tendons and tripe (I love the tendons but really have to be feeling like tripe). There's a small kitchen encased in glass so you can watch your meal from go to pho, the whole process taking about 4 minutes, practiced hands slicing, tearing and ladling in a blur of speed.

The pho is great, I could be biased to our first pho actually eaten in Vietnam but it really is good, the broth deep and rich with spice, the beef tasty and tender and a good size with out being so big you can't finish it, on the table you have limes, pickled garlic, some mind blowing chilli's that seriously dented my ego and a big pile of the freshest herbs, each adding layer upon layer on to what was already amazing to start.

We immediately started debating about what we could miss out on eating as a result of returning here a couple of times............ oh the torture. I wish I could speak enough Vietnamese or they enough English so i could tell them how good it was but big smiles and and a two thumbs up is going to have to do.

Pho

Ly Quoc Su

Hanoi

Open Breakfast till gone

P.s across the road is an amazing cafe serving bahn mi with any part pf the pig you can imagine as well as an astounding array of pates and terrines. needless to say we felt well in need of a little afternoon lie down after this little gastroventure.