"Skyscraper" Pho costs 1 million VND/bowl in the tallest building in Vietnam
Báo Dân trí•30/12/2024
(Dan Tri) - "Eating a bowl of pho in such a beautiful view of Ho Chi Minh City is worth any amount of money," a Japanese businessman praised after enjoying a "sky-high pho" priced at nearly 1 million VND in Ho Chi Minh City.
"Skyscraper" Pho in Ho Chi Minh City: Eat among the clouds, cost nearly 1 million VND (Produced by: Reporter group).
Okumura Hiroyuki from Gifu City (Japan) decided to choose Oriental Pearl restaurant on the 66th floor of Landmark 81 building to celebrate his birthday with his close friend in Vietnam. He had previously visited Vietnam many times for work and tasted many specialties. This was not the first time the Japanese guest had enjoyed Vietnamese pho, but having a bowl of pho costing nearly 1 million VND at the tallest building in Vietnam brought him a completely new experience. Hiroyuki was surprised right from the first spoonful of broth. The customer shared with excitement: "The broth here is quite unique, not pure Northern pho like the bowls of pho I've eaten. The biggest difference comes from the beef as they use expensive Australian beef." At the restaurant on the 66th floor, each portion of pho is served in a special way when the hot broth is directly poured into the bowl by the staff right at the table, as a "ritual" to start this special culinary experience. The pho bowl is large. A portion of pho is big enough to share for two people, or it will be an interesting challenge for those who eat "healthy". The pho broth is clear, has a gentle light brown color, and has a faint scent of cinnamon and star anise, combined with the sweet taste of onion and ginger, creating an unforgettable flavor. When adding fresh green herbs to the hot pho bowl, the rich, warm aroma of the spices spreads, stimulating the taste buds of diners. The highlight of this 990,000 VND pho dish is the small bowl containing all kinds of beef such as flank, tendon, oxtail, along with a plate of soy sauce, herbs and crispy fried dough sticks. The premium Wagyu beef from Australia is thinly sliced, when poured with hot broth, the characteristic fat marbling dissolves just right, making each piece of meat soft and smooth as if melting on the tip of the tongue, but still maintaining its firmness. The large beef flank with more lean than fat texture also has a rich broth flavor. The Australian oxtail is simmered until soft but still retains its crispness. When eating, diners can feel the richness of the meat, dipped in spicy chili sauce, creating a very special symphony of flavors among the clouds. Mr. Konrad Renggli (nicknamed Radi) - Swiss chef - said: "In essence, the broth is still traditional pho broth, but the difference lies in the way we process it, when many diverse ingredients are added, not just beef. Of course, imported beef will bring its own unique flavor and tenderness, but the special thing is that the broth recipe is somewhat more complicated." According to the chef, the secret to the broth's sweet flavor comes from Australian beef shank bones, which are carefully simmered for 48 hours, creating a natural richness. Radi revealed that to achieve the perfect recipe, the restaurant's culinary team spent months researching, from selecting premium ingredients to measuring each spice precisely. High-quality beef contributes significantly to the rich flavor of the broth, but the factor that creates the unmistakable characteristics of this pho dish is the "secret" ingredients, along with the unique preparation method. Mr. Radi revealed: "We have some special ingredients and a completely different cooking method, but unfortunately we cannot reveal it. There is a long story behind the journey of the chefs experimenting with many recipes, overcoming many difficulties to finally find the most satisfactory flavor. It took quite a while to perfect this pho dish." The head chef said that since its opening until now, the restaurant has always been loyal to the broth recipe that they have painstakingly researched. The flavor of the broth maintains a delicate balance between Northern and Southern pho, enough to satisfy all the most demanding diners, from long-time pho connoisseurs to international guests enjoying the traditional flavors of Vietnam for the first time. The sweet taste of the broth combined with the soft slices of beef of "sky-high pho" conquered Hiroyuki. Although the price here is much higher than the usual restaurants, this customer still seemed satisfied, especially with the splendid view of Ho Chi Minh City from the height of the 66th floor. "Eating in such a beautiful Ho Chi Minh City scene is so wonderful," he exclaimed. The Japanese customer said that the bowl of pho not only impressed him with its rich flavor and premium ingredients, but also with its elevated space and experience. After the meal, Hiroyuki and his friend lingered, looking out over the city and capturing memorable moments. Mr. Nhan Vu, Deputy Director of the culinary department of this restaurant, said that in the beginning, customers came to the restaurant mainly out of curiosity, wanting to enjoy the cuisine and enjoy the view at the tallest building in Vietnam, and also to explore whether "a bowl of pho for nearly 1 million VND" was worth the price. "But now, many regular customers return to the restaurant because of the quality of the meal and the restaurant's service," Mr. Nhan Vu proudly shared. Mr. Nhan Vu believes that the experience of a meal among the clouds has a high price not only because of the restaurant's prime location, but also because of the careful investment in the flavor of each dish. In addition to pho, the restaurant also "elevates" familiar Vietnamese dishes such as Ho Chi Minh City rib rice, Hanoi bun cha or Hoi An chicken rice by selecting high-quality ingredients. For example, the familiar rib rice dish is prepared by the chef from ST25 rice, Iberico pork ribs and goose eggs, creating a special feature for the traditional dish. Although the menu is diverse with flavors from all three regions, the "sky-scraping" pho priced at VND990,000 (excluding VAT) is still the dish that has created a fever here since its launch.
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