Sharing the same delicious taste

In front of the " Hanoi No. 1 Pho" restaurant on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Taking a spoonful of the broth, I immediately noticed the difference: it had a slightly sweet, sugary taste. The pho was cooked by Northerners, but served with blanched bean sprouts, fresh herbs, black bean sauce, chili sauce, and pickled garlic. Although the flavor was quite unusual, and I'm a rather picky eater, I could hardly say I didn't find it delicious. There was something new and intriguing about it that I couldn't quite define. For the past few days on Cao Thang extended street, I've been eating pho at Bi Sat every morning.

After some time had passed, I had the opportunity to eat pho in Ho Chi Minh City again when I was assigned to work in the South for a few years. This time, staying longer, I rented a house on Cach Mang Thang 8 Street and began searching for a pho restaurant.

I found a roadside eatery that looked quite unassuming. For some reason, I always feel like I'll find the best bowls of pho at places that don't look fancy, or even a little run-down.

At a humble pho restaurant on Rach Bung Binh street, I encountered the familiar aroma of Pho Bi Sat from years ago. And I recognized a flavor I hadn't experienced in the North: the taste of basil, or as the owner, speaking with a Southern accent, called it, "basil." I joked with her, saying, "Basil is basil, isn't it?" Later, someone suggested that perhaps people had mispronounced "basil" as "basil."

After that trip, I wrote an article about Southern pho and sent it to the editorial office. The editor of the culture section read it and messaged me, "I'll use this article, even though I never eat pho with bean sprouts or raw vegetables." She was always proud to have been born and raised in Hang Dao, Hanoi, and Hanoi pho is definitely not eaten with basil or bean sprouts.

A bowl of pho, or as people in the South call it, has a slightly sweeter taste compared to authentic Northern pho. Served with blanched bean sprouts, coriander (water spinach), basil (also known as mint), sawtooth coriander, and Vietnamese coriander, it made me realize one thing: truth doesn't belong to anyone in particular. Just because you find Hanoi-style pho delicious doesn't mean you won't find Saigon-style pho delicious, and I myself am living proof of that.

Later, missing the taste of pho in the South, and the strong yet gentle aroma of basil, I ordered some seeds online and planted them on my balcony. However, I'm not sure if it was because the soil and climate weren't suitable, or if the balcony lacked sunlight, but the basil plants didn't grow very well and lacked flavor. I searched online but couldn't find anyone selling basil in Hanoi. Several chicken hotpot or basil restaurants said they had to import this herb from the South.

Hanoi-style pho, "typical of the South".

After living in the South for five years, I returned to the North. My "baggage" included a yellow cat I adopted from a roadside eatery near the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal, and my habit of eating pho with basil.

But in Hanoi, no pho restaurant serves pho with raw vegetables, let alone a whole "collection" of raw vegetables like pho restaurants in the South. Many people in Hanoi believe that beef pho should only be eaten with scallions, cilantro, and dill. They think adding raw vegetables, or blanched bean sprouts, will "ruin" the original flavor of pho. I don't understand what their "original pho flavor" is, because when it comes to food, only our taste buds have the right to judge right and wrong, and each taste has its own truth. Arguing like that would take a lifetime to reach a conclusion.

I still prefer eating pho with basil and blanched bean sprouts. Then I discovered that, except for pho made by those who claim to be "original Hanoi pho," Nam Dinh pho in Hanoi is also served with various fresh herbs, especially mint and curly basil. I find pho with white basil delicious, but pho with basil (purple stem, serrated leaves) or curly basil (purple stem, round, curly leaves) are both fantastic combinations. I'm so addicted to eating pho with basil that if I find a good restaurant in Hanoi that doesn't serve fresh herbs, I bring my own basil with me.

The owner of Long Bich beef pho restaurant on Tam Trinh Street in Hanoi was surprised to see a customer happily eating mint leaves from a plastic bag with his pho broth. She approached, narrowed her eyes, and asked, "Addicted to this?" I nodded. She mumbled "Oh," then walked away, saying casually, "Yes, I eat it because I like it." She was right about my thoughts. If I like it, I eat it; I don't need to care what anyone else thinks. As long as it doesn't affect world peace.

Recently, while in Ho Chi Minh City, I went out for pho again. This time, it was at a rather famous restaurant on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street called "Pho No. 1 Hanoi." Although it was Northern-style pho, it had a slight Southern twist. One common characteristic of Northern pho in the South is that the broth is cloudier than Hanoi pho or pho in the North in general, and it doesn't look as appetizing as Northern pho. When I asked the owner of "Pho No. 1 Hanoi," he acknowledged this, but when I pressed him for an explanation, he just mumbled something vague. I didn't feel comfortable asking further because the broth was only cloudier, still delicious and flavorful as usual.

Looking back, I find that Northern pho, or pho served in Hanoi, is more consistent in flavor, with less change over the years. Meanwhile, pho in the South, specifically in Ho Chi Minh City, is more diverse and rich in flavor, cooking methods, and variations. In Ho Chi Minh City, you can find all kinds of pho, from chicken pho, beef pho, pho with wine sauce to pho with oxtail… each style has its own charm. Those who are "conservative" maintain tradition, while those who are unconventional and innovative create new and unique variations.

Personally, I don't favor one style over the other; I accept both. If given the choice, I prefer authentic Hanoi pho, with its clear broth and subtle aroma of cinnamon and star anise, but it would be even better with a plate of mint or basil. Maintaining tradition is good, but being open to new things will always lead to learning valuable lessons.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/chung-mot-vi-ngon-10274998.html