Pho 2.5 million: Uses sturgeon eggs, pearl spoon, Western guests must order in advance

(Dan Tri) - "We bring an experience that cannot be found anywhere else in the world . That is worth more than 100 USD (2.5 million VND)", chef Peter Cuong said while personally preparing a bowl of pho that costs 50 times more than usual.

Experience pho for 2.5 million VND at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City (Produced by: Vy Vy).

We came to chef Peter Cuong Franklin's restaurant on a rainy afternoon, crossing the potholed street of the old Ton That Dam market (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) - a place that no one thought would be suitable for opening a high-end restaurant. This "irrationality" is like no one thinking that a bowl of pho costs up to 2.5 million VND. Pho is a familiar dish of Vietnamese people, usually priced around 50,000 VND. However, that is the concern of the Vietnamese-American chef and the motivation that helped him build Anan Saigon - a restaurant that has been honored with "one Michelin star" for 2 consecutive years and is the only restaurant in Vietnam to be honored to enter the list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in 2023 announced by 50 Best.

The third floor of the restaurant is a special space dedicated to pho called "Pot Au Pho" with a bar-like layout - where diners can sit on high chairs and watch the chef in the role of bartender "mix" a very familiar dish in a unique way.

In a space of only about 30 square meters with pho as the main "character", the characteristic scent of spices such as cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves... spreads throughout the space, stimulating the sense of smell, making diners want to enjoy a hot bowl of pho as soon as they step through the door. Interestingly, this scent comes from an essential oil diffuser, which, according to Peter Cuong Franklin, contains a special perfume extracted from pho spices. This scent creates a pleasant feeling, and at the same time acts as a catalyst for a more sublime culinary experience.

Unlike the traditional kitchens, the cooking utensils here are compact and neatly arranged. The Vietnamese chef said that using a large pot of broth and cooking continuously will affect the taste, so his kitchen only prepares a moderate pot of broth and cooks it again for each bowl. A portion of "Pot Au Pho" has a listed price of 100 USD, just enough for 2 people to eat with many different dishes including: 2 cups of "phojito", 2 balls of "pho molecules", 2 pieces of Vietnamese bread, 2 bowls of original "pho tea", 2 bowls of pho noodles and 1 ice bowl containing broth used to dip slices of meat with many different sauces and many different types of beef. It was only when we started this culinary experience that we realized that the "pho perfume" was initially only a very small part of Peter Cuong Franklin's "show" because it had to quickly give way to experiences from one surprise to another.

First is the "Phojito" - a variation of mojito - with the characteristic spicy taste of gin but mixed with the flavor of pho, decorated with burnt cinnamon sticks, dried star anise, fresh chili - familiar spices in a bowl of pho. Under the guidance of chef Peter Cuong Franklin, we tasted the first dish in this meal, poached eggs designed like a cocktail. The poached egg dish, which is familiar in pho restaurants, is skillfully mixed by the chef with pho jelly, a little tempura and especially sturgeon eggs - one of the most expensive ingredients and is considered a "black diamond" in the culinary world. Because of the characteristics of sturgeon, the spoon used to eat poached eggs must be made of pearl to keep the flavor of the dish intact. The crunchiness of the sturgeon eggs, the softness of the egg yolk and the crunchiness of the tempura make the poached eggs even more special.

Pho broth, which is considered the essence of a bowl of pho, is also enjoyed in special ways. Chef Peter Cuong Franklin believes that when the broth is mixed with pho noodles, the flavor will change. Therefore, he designed a cup of "pho tea" to help diners enjoy the pure taste of pho broth that has been simmered for 2 days and extracted the most quintessential flavors of meat and bones. The lid of this pho tea cup is also covered with a little "pho perfume", creating a relaxing feeling like enjoying a cup of tea.

Next are two "molecular pho " balls covered in a white smoke layer with the aroma of familiar herbs used in cooking pho. The most characteristic flavor of pho is encapsulated in a shimmering jelly ball, placed meticulously on a porcelain spoon, topped with a slice of Wagyu beef and a little sturgeon caviar. When eaten, the pho ball will burst in the mouth, creating an explosion of taste. This is what chef Peter Cuong calls "one bite pho" - all the best flavors of pho will be encapsulated in "one bite".

Finally, a stone pot with many types of beef was brought out while the broth was still steaming. Along with that were a few slices of bread that Peter Cuong Franklin instructed to eat with the burnt beef marrow that he still calls "beef butter". The broth in this stone pot can be considered the most flavorful of all the pho broths here because of the resonance of the beef, so it is quite suitable to dip with bread that has been spread with "beef butter". Each type of beef with different textures also brings a different experience: soft beef tongue, beef tendons that are as flexible as a piece of jelly, Wagyu beef that melts in the mouth...

Why Pho? For Peter Cuong Franklin, Pho has a strong mark through the ages and throughout Vietnamese history. He said: "Pho is an important and iconic dish in Vietnamese cuisine. Throughout the history of Pho, there will be many influences, so we have a whole Vietnam wrapped up in one dish. The taste and smell of Pho will tell you everything about Vietnamese history. So we also want every time we eat Pho, diners will feel something inside this dish."

The $100 bowl of pho bearing Peter Cuong Franklin's mark makes many people curious about what makes diners willing to spend nearly 2.5 million VND to eat pho? Explaining the price 50 times higher than normal, the Vietnamese chef said that many street foods in Vietnam are too cheap, which unintentionally creates the thought for foreigners that "Vietnamese food is very cheap so it is difficult to make high-class meals". "I try to change people's thinking about Vietnamese food, about the value of food, and more broadly, the value of Vietnamese culture by turning things that cost 2 USD (50,000 VND) into 100 USD (2.5 million VND)", Peter Cuong Franklin shared. In his ideal, this chef always wants to bring diners more than just a meal, which is the experience of Vietnamese cuisine because once it is an experience, it is... hard to forget. "We bring experiences that are not available anywhere else in the world, only here. If it is an experience, how much is it worth? 100 USD, 200 USD or more? It is clearly worth more than 100 USD!", said the chef. According to Peter Cuong Franklin, the fact that his restaurant is one of the first Vietnamese restaurants to be awarded a Michelin star or ranked among the best restaurants in Asia has confirmed that his direction is completely correct. He is proud that Vietnamese dishes can be compared to other countries and are highly appreciated at 5-star banquets. The chef believes that there are wealthy diners who travel around the world to find unique culinary experiences. They do not hesitate to pay thousands of USD, not just 100 USD. That is also the reason why he has persisted with his direction for the past 7 years, not a "marketing trick" as people think.

"When I said I wanted to elevate street food to fine dining, many people were skeptical, but you see, after 7 years, diners still come here and we have achieved Michelin stars. I think people have gradually changed their perception of what Vietnamese cuisine can do," Peter Cuong Franklin shared.

Vietnamese chef explains why a bowl of pho costs 2.5 million VND (Created by: Vy Vy).

Having the opportunity to visit Ho Chi Minh City for a 2-day tour , Lorenzo Gallardo (Spanish) chose this restaurant to learn about pho - the most famous dish in Vietnam. In his mind, pho is similar to Japanese ramen with noodles and broth. However, after enjoying pho at Pot Au Pho, Gallardo immediately changed his mind. He described this dish as completely different from what he imagined and an "unforgettable experience". "I especially like the taste of this broth, I think I will definitely eat pho again tomorrow - the last day I am in Ho Chi Minh City", he shared with Dan Tri reporter. There are still controversial opinions about "100 USD pho". Some people think that this "upgrading of cuisine" loses the traditional flavor of pho. However, others believe that today, people's needs are no longer limited to "full stomach, warm clothes" but instead "delicious food, beautiful clothes", and even special experiences when enjoying a certain dish. Obviously, the figure of 2.5 million VND does not stop at high-quality ingredients, but also to "buy" an unforgettable experience. What do you think about this pho dish? Are you willing to spend nearly 2.5 million VND to enjoy the "pho experience"?

Content: Thien Huong, Vy Vy

Photo: Trinh Nguyen

Design: Design: Thuy Tien

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/pho-25-trieu-dung-trung-ca-tam-thia-ngoc-trai-khach-tay-phai-dat-truoc-20240824214414379.htm