Premium versions of Vietnamese Pho

Chef Duong Duc Huan from the Majestic Hotel prepares pho dishes to introduce to diners at the Vietnam Pho Festival in Seoul (South Korea) - Photo: QUANG DINH

Consumers are willing to pay for high-priced bowls of pho not only because of the quality of the ingredients but also because of the service and the experience provided by the server. Many 4- and 5-star hotels have included pho as a signature dish, a popular choice for tourists.

From a bowl of pho costing millions of dong...

Last year, a restaurant in a skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh City caused a stir in the culinary world when it served a bowl of pho priced at 4 million VND, featuring expensive ingredients such as gold leaf, Wagyu beef, and truffles. However, this 4 million VND pho was only featured in the restaurant's promotional campaign and was not on the official menu.

Initially, those ordering the 4 million VND pho were TikTokers and YouTubers, but later, customers came to try it out for real. Notably, the restaurant even received a high-profile order from a businessman who ordered 10 bowls of pho to be delivered to his home to entertain foreign partners. For this order, the restaurant sent staff to the customer's home to serve the pho hot on the spot.

Ms. Mandy Tran, representative of the restaurant selling "Skyscraper Pho" (also known as Landmark Pho), said: "Upon its launch, this pho dish created a viral effect on social media, and the number of new customers coming to the restaurant to enjoy it exceeded expectations. Initially, the restaurant limited service to only 3 bowls per day, but sales during the promotional period consistently exceeded 10 bowls per day."

The million-dong pho above features meticulously prepared beef with rich, marbled flavor, served with handmade rice noodles and a broth made from Australian beef such as bone marrow, oxtail, brisket, and chicken bones, simmered for 48 hours...

"We remember that what started as a program to refresh the menu and attract more customers, pho actually generated revenue, reaching billions of dong that month," Mandy recounted.

Hotels showcasing delicious Vietnamese cuisine will serve diners in South Korea - By: THE KIET - MAI HUYEN

The 4 million VND bowl of pho has "dethroned" the 100 USD (over 2.4 million VND) bowl of pho from a few years ago. The 100 USD bowl of pho once made a splash at a restaurant in Ton That Dam market, which was also the first restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City to receive a Michelin star in 2023.

At the time, this bowl of pho was considered the most expensive in Vietnam. Today, in hotels and restaurants in major cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi , bowls of Vietnamese pho are increasingly sold for prices ranging from several hundred thousand to millions of dong.

During their tour to Hanoi last year, the BlackPink girls also chose beef pho for their meal, with each bowl costing 280,000 VND. Similarly, the pho priced at $50 USD at the Park Hyatt Saigon hotel has become a "bestseller" for the restaurant.

However, in some places, if you want to enjoy the taste of a million-dollar bowl of pho, customers must order in advance and there is a limited number of servings.

According to Mr. Luu Khanh Hiep, chef at the Grand Saigon Hotel, the soul of Vietnamese pho in its upgraded version lies in the broth, which plays a role in blending all the flavors of the ingredients.

Elevating pho through experience.

Beef rib pho from the Majestic Hotel ( Saigontourist ) will be introduced to diners at the Vietnam Pho Festival in Seoul (South Korea) - Photo: QUANG DINH

Speaking about pho in high-end restaurants and hotels, Mr. Duong Duc Huan, head chef of the Majestic Saigon Hotel, said that besides the ingredients and preparation methods, the important factor that increases the value of a bowl of pho is the culinary experience that diners receive.

High-end restaurants focus not only on flavor but also on ambiance, service style, and the story behind each bowl of pho. Diners come not just to eat, but to enjoy an impressive culinary journey.

Bringing their signature dish to the Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 in Seoul (South Korea), the chef from the Majestic Saigon Hotel shared that the hotel will be introducing its premium beef rib pho, a dish highly favored by hotel guests. For this dish, the chef selects whole beef ribs and simmers them for an extended period to create a unique flavor.

Interestingly, this pho dish is now being included on the hotel's regular menu after a period of being served only upon request.

With prices starting at several hundred thousand dong per bowl, pho was only served on special occasions or by order because hotels were also concerned about the cost.

However, the customer reception was quite unexpected, so the restaurant decided to include it on the menu.

The crab claws used in the spicy crab pho dish at the Majestic Hotel (Saigontourist) will be introduced to diners at the Vietnam Pho Festival in Seoul (South Korea) - Photo: QUANG DINH

"In 5-star hotels, instead of being served a steaming hot bowl of pho with broth already poured over it, diners sit at their tables and watch the chef serve, with the broth kept warm in a thermos. When the hot broth is poured over the pho, the aroma of the ingredients spreads," Chef Huan shared.

The pho at Pho Hoi Quan Golf Thu Duc caters to discerning customers, using only the finest ingredients. And no matter how things change, pho retains its core value: delivering rich flavor and customer satisfaction.

Mr. Vo Van Nhanh, director of the Majestic Saigon Hotel, said that the upscale Vietnamese dishes served at the hotel are very well received by international tourists. With economic development and the demand for high-end cuisine, many traditional and rustic Vietnamese dishes, including pho, have undergone significant transformations.

"From humble pho eateries, many restaurants have elevated pho to a new level with sophisticated preparation methods and the use of high-quality ingredients. That's also the path we want to take to introduce Vietnamese cuisine abroad," Mr. Nhanh shared.

Nearly 70 stalls participated in the Vietnam Pho Festival 2024.

The Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 will take place on October 5th and 6th, 2024 at Pie Factory, 441 Gwangnaru-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul (South Korea).

The program is co-organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in South Korea, Tuoi Tre newspaper, and Saigontourist Group, under the direction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, and in coordination with the Trade Promotion Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City, the General Association of Vietnamese in South Korea, the Association of Vietnamese Businesses in South Korea, and the Korea-Southeast Asia Economic Cooperation Association (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea).

The Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 features a performance stage and nearly 70 stalls, including over 40 stalls selling pho and other delicious Vietnamese and Korean dishes. Alongside these are spaces for cultural experiences, exhibitions, and presentations on Vietnamese culinary culture and tourism. With the slogan "Enjoy Pho, Discover Vietnam," the organizers hope that the Vietnam Pho Festival will create opportunities for people-to-people diplomacy, promote friendly relations between the two countries, showcase culinary culture, and foster trade connections based on the economic and tourism potential of Vietnam and Korea.

Introducing delicious Vietnamese dishes that suit international tastes.

Vietnamese pho is being upgraded with premium ingredients, offering a fresh culinary experience - Photo: QUANG DINH

Mr. Pham Huy Binh - Chairman of Saigontourist Group and co-chairman of the organizing committee for the Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 in South Korea - said that for the Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 in South Korea, the group has increased the number of participating member units from 3 (in 2023) to 5 - including Majestic Saigon, Grand Saigon, Caravelle Saigon, Saigon - Morin (Hue) and the Golf Thu Duc Pho restaurant brand.

Besides the signature dish of pho, the participating units also selectively introduced other delicious Vietnamese dishes suitable for the tastes of international diners, combined with a presentation of Hue's royal cuisine.

"One of the highlights of the Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 in South Korea is that the head chef of the Saigon-based Morin Hotel (part of Saigontourist Group) will give a presentation and demonstration to the Korean public of the exquisite preparation of Royal Salted Rice, a dish once considered a delicacy of Hue's royal court since the time of Emperor Minh Mang," Mr. Binh informed.

Also on this occasion, Saigontourist Travel Service Company (part of Saigontourist Group) launched a South Korea tour package combined with attending the Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 in Seoul, offering customers free coupons to enjoy pho or other delicious Vietnamese dishes at the event.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nhung-phien-ban-pho-viet-cao-cap-20241002095800098.htm