What do foreign tourists say about eating pho for 150,000 VND and 60,000 VND in Hanoi?

(Dan Tri) - After trying two famous chicken pho restaurants in the capital with quite different prices, a Malaysian customer said he preferred the 60,000 VND bowl of pho because it suited his taste.

Having traveled to Vietnam many times to learn about the culture and experience the cuisine , this guest from Malaysia built a personal channel called Wander Eats where he shares his experiences.

During his recent trip to Hanoi , he spent time visiting famous chicken pho restaurants in the capital. The guest deliberately chose pho restaurants with different prices, even quite different prices, to compare.

"Hanoi's Old Quarter is home to some of the best chicken pho restaurants, from Michelin-starred street stalls to more upscale establishments. I want to try them all to evaluate the taste, price and deliciousness, and find the bowl of pho that suits me best," he said.

A customer enjoys a bowl of chicken thigh pho for 150,000 VND on Bao Khanh street (Photo cut from clip).

The first pho restaurant the Malaysian guest visited was a shop located on Bao Khanh Street in Hang Trong Ward. The guest ordered a special bowl of pho, a chicken thigh dish, for 150,000 VND.

This is also the bowl of pho that the restaurant emphasizes as a "best seller". Meanwhile, the price of a normal bowl of chicken pho is 100,000 VND, mixed chicken pho is 150,000 VND, and beef pho is 120,000 VND.

The first impression of a customer is a full bowl of pho with chicken thighs chopped into pieces. The broth is sweet and clear with thin rice noodles.

"The chicken thighs are firm and juicy. The pho is perfect with hot broth and green onions on top," he commented.

However, the customer thought that the portion seemed a bit small compared to the price. However, because the restaurant is located in a prime area near Hoan Kiem Lake, the customer thought that the price was still acceptable.

Chicken stall located in front of the entrance (Photo: Nguyen Quang Huy).

The next restaurant he chose was a popular chicken pho restaurant located on Phu Doan Street, also in Hang Trong Ward. The restaurant was honored for 3 consecutive years in the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list (a title awarded to restaurants with delicious food at affordable prices that customers don't have to spend too much money on).

Here, the customer also ordered a bowl of chicken pho similar to the previous restaurant. The bowl of pho cost 60,000 VND, surprising the customer with both the taste and the price.

He commented that the restaurant uses firm chicken, not mushy, still retaining its fat and juiciness. The broth is clearer than the previous restaurant. The pho noodles are soft, have a chewy texture but still retain their smoothness.

In his personal opinion, the Malaysian guest said that the first advantage of the second pho restaurant is that the price is much cheaper than the first one. In terms of taste, he found both restaurants delicious, worthy of positive reviews from customers on many platforms. However, if given the choice, he would still prefer the second pho restaurant because it suits his taste.

According to the investigation, the second pho restaurant the customer visited was located near a large hospital, so it has long been jokingly called "hospital pho" by locals. The restaurant is small, about 50 square meters.

The owner of the pho restaurant, Ms. Le Thi Minh Nguyet, revealed that at first, the restaurant only had a small pho pot and a few plastic chairs on the sidewalk. After saving a certain amount of capital, she opened the chicken pho restaurant in 2009.

The chicken pho restaurant on Phu Doan Street has been honored by Michelin for three consecutive years (Photo: Nguyen Quang Huy).

The restaurant is open from 6am to 1pm and 5pm to 1am, especially crowded from 5pm to midnight.

Entering the restaurant, customers are attracted by the processing counter with chicken meat with golden skin, and on the left are 2 pots of steaming broth. Every day, the restaurant uses 15 to 20 chickens, using chickens from a familiar source that are not fed with feed.

After the meat is boiled, the staff divides it into neat portions such as breast, thigh, and wing. When the customer orders, the chef will debone, slice the meat, and place the golden-skinned, juicy parts of the meat on the bowl.

The secret to the special flavor of Nguyet chicken pho lies in the broth that has been simmered for more than 20 hours from 4am every day. In addition, the broth has been simmered with pork bones for 16 hours to create a rich flavor, highlighting the golden color of chicken fat and a hint of natural sweetness.

Ms. Nguyet's experience is not to choose the ham bone because it easily makes the broth cloudy. All ingredients are used on the same day, do not leave overnight until the next day.

Despite receiving many positive reviews from customers, this pho restaurant is still criticized by many for its unclean space, sometimes with trash falling underfoot because the staff has not yet cleaned it up. Due to its location next to a motorbike repair shop, many customers find it unpleasant to smell the greasy smell of machinery.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/an-pho-gia-150000-dong-va-60000-dong-o-ha-noi-khach-nuoc-ngoai-noi-gi-20251019180255734.htm