The eldest grandson reveals the secret to keeping customers for the past 68 years of Pho Thin Bo Ho
VietNamNet•03/03/2023
Located in a small alley at 61 Dinh Tien Hoang (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi ), Pho Thin has become a familiar address for many people in the capital and tourists. The restaurant is small and old, very different from other restaurants in the area. However, every day, the restaurant still welcomes several hundred diners. Morning and noon, the two rows of tables of the restaurant are packed with customers. The alley is already small, and when it is crowded, it is even more difficult to move around. However, the people in the alley have gotten used to it over the past 68 years. Pho Thin at Dinh Tien Hoang was founded in 1955 by Mr. Bui Chi Thin (1928-2001). Currently, the restaurant is managed by the eldest grandson of the Bui family, Mr. Bui Chi Thanh (34 years old). For three generations, the restaurant has served rare, well-done, flank, and flank with clear broth, carrying the traditional flavor. Today, to distinguish it from dozens of shops with "Pho Thin" signs popping up all over the city, regular diners call this place "Pho Thin Bo Ho". In 2015, when his parents' health gradually declined, Thanh put aside his graphic design and coffee business to help his parents manage the family pho restaurant. Two years later, he officially started cooking, becoming the third generation to take over Pho Thin Bo Ho. "My family has never taught pho recipes to outsiders. My grandfather taught them to my father and uncles. Later, my father taught them to me. We only sell pho, not the brand," he shared. According to Mr. Thanh, Pho Thin has the characteristics of old Hanoi Pho and until now, he and his wife still try to preserve that flavor. The Pho broth does not use cinnamon, star anise, fish sauce, but instead adds ginger and common spices. "Depending on the amount of bones and meat each day, I will adjust and simmer the broth for the appropriate time. Growing up with my family's Pho restaurant, now, I can guess the strength or weakness of the broth just by looking at the color or smelling the smell," said Mr. Thanh.
Mr. Thanh revealed that to have a delicious bowl of pho, his family uses old but fresh beef. "Nowadays, many places use young beef - soft meat, cooked quickly. But I still order meat from old cows. This type of meat is sweet, delicious, making the broth richer," he said. At around 4 a.m., the bones and fresh beef will be transported to Mr. Thanh's house by the slaughterhouse. He, his wife and staff will prepare it and put it in the pot to cook the broth.
The cooked meat or flank is boiled until cooked, sliced as customers order, to ensure the meat is fresh and delicious. The rare beef is gradually softened, thinly sliced with a large knife and placed in a bowl. The owner adds green onions and quickly pours a ladle of boiling broth into the bowl. The heat from the broth cooks the meat until cooked, and when served to customers, the meat retains its sweet, fresh taste. "There was a time when my parents were weak and had no staff, so they used a machine to slice the meat. However, I found that the meat was not fresh, and if left for an hour or two, it would lose its original delicious taste. When I took over, I sliced the meat completely by hand, and sold it immediately. I tried to keep it the same as my grandfather did it," Thanh shared. Ms. Stella Daube - a New Zealand tourist who came to Vietnam for 3 weeks. Through the introduction of a Vietnamese tour guide, she went to Pho Thin Bo Ho to enjoy. "It was beyond my imagination, its flavor was delicious and perfect. The owner and staff were attentive. Pho is a very famous dish. I think I have found a great place to eat pho during my days in Hanoi", Ms. Stella shared. In 2005, Pho Thin Bo Ho was granted a certificate of protection for the trademark "Pho Thin" by the Intellectual Property Office to Mr. Bui Chi Dat (son of Mr. Bui Chi Thin). In 2013, after the trademark protection expired, Mr. Thanh's family continued to submit an application for renewal. Two years later, the brand "Pho Thin" continued to be granted a certificate of protection, effective until December 26, 2024. In 2019, Pho Thin Bo Ho was ordered by the Hanoi People's Committee to produce about 4,000 bowls of pho to serve the US-North Korea Summit (from February 26 to March 1). Immediately after that, this traditional pho dish received many positive reviews from international journalists and reporters. The restaurant owner said that he and his wife do not care much about the amount of pho sold each day but focus on the taste of the dish. Although the restaurant is small, old, and not spacious, all the ingredients used to make pho are carefully selected. Pho noodles do not use preservatives and are only used within the day, ensuring food hygiene and safety. All ingredients from suppliers have food safety certificates. "My wife and I believe that, whether now or in the future, we must keep the recipe and flavor that our grandfather left behind, and especially put our love and passion into each bowl of pho. We also try to serve customers better, happily and warmly to "please customers when they come and satisfy customers when they go". When the time is right, I will open more spacious establishments to introduce more traditional pho flavors to customers," Thanh shared. "For my family, pho is culture, the passion of our ancestors, so I want to focus on preserving the traditional flavor instead of selling the brand and polishing my name. If I can't control the quality, I won't rush to expand," he added. Many diners come to Pho Thin Bo Ho not only to enjoy pho but also to find memories of the old flavors of Trang An. Some people also love this pho restaurant because after eating, they can leisurely walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, watching the peaceful Hanoi morning.
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Restaurants with signs reading 'Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc' all over Hanoi are always deserted at breakfast. When asked, most diners say the food is not delicious and the prices are expensive. Some say they will never come back.
Pho Thin is popping up all over Hanoi, diners are confused 'can't tell the difference between real and fake'
Many diners in Hanoi said that shops named "Pho Thin" appear everywhere, but the taste is not the same in every shop, and many shops are even different from the taste of Pho Thin at 13 Lo Duc.
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