Pho Huong Binh simmers the pot of bones in a pot full of water, the secret to 'restraining the saltiness of the salt'

Most diners who come to enjoy chicken pho at Pho Huong Binh restaurant do not forget to ask for 'add more skin'.

Special bowl of pho at Huong Binh restaurant - Photo: HOANG LE

The golden, shiny chicken skin, one bite reveals the rich, chewy, crunchy texture, mixed with fresh chicken, creating an unforgettable flavor.

"I owe a debt of gratitude to Tuoi Tre newspaper"

The owner of the restaurant is Ms. Tran Thi Phuc Thinh, 40 years old, the third generation to preserve the Huong Binh chicken pho brand of her family for nearly 70 years.

She has a large build, neat short hair, wears a few prominent earrings, looks very strong. Yet when talking, she is easily moved to tears when telling about the journey to protect the family pho dish through many difficulties.

"I owe a debt of gratitude to Tuoi Tre newspaper. So when I was invited to participate in Pho Day, I immediately accepted. This is both a way to repay the favor and an opportunity for Huong Binh restaurant to be known by more people, while also contributing to spreading Vietnamese pho further," she said.

Bone broth pot of Huong Binh restaurant - Video : HOANG LE

She said that in 2024, the family business encountered great difficulties. At that time, she was pregnant and about to give birth.

Tuoi Tre Newspaper invited the restaurant to participate in Pho Day 2024, and the restaurant responded by offering a 12% discount during the two festival days.

Thanks to that event, the restaurant was crowded with customers. Normally, the restaurant only sells about 17 chickens, but on the two days of the festival, the number skyrocketed to 65 chickens/day. "Honestly, thanks to that, I had money to give birth. After that, many customers who ate the first time found it delicious came back, and gradually became regular customers," she recalled.

The most difficult time was during the COVID-19 period, the restaurant was operating at a standstill, her mother passed away, she took over the management. The family was burdened with debt. The house on Vo Thi Sau Street was located in a prime location, the family members discussed stopping selling pho, renting out the space and dividing the money.

She was determined to keep the Huong Binh chicken pho brand that her grandparents had left behind. At first, her brothers and sisters did not agree, but seeing her sincerity, gradually everyone supported her.

Huong Binh's story is also a common concern of traditional family pho restaurants in the face of social development: keeping a restaurant means accepting hard work from morning to night, with unpredictable profits and losses; renting a house means paying a monthly fee, but the family business that has been passed down for generations will eventually die out.

The restaurant owner ladles broth into the pho bowl. Customers often ask for some more chicken skin - Photo: HOANG LE

Pho Huong Binh secret "resist the saltiness"

On Google Maps, Phan Anh commented: "In general, the pho in Huong Binh, especially the chicken, is quite good in Saigon. Although not outstanding, few restaurants can cook like that."

Hai Van Huynh shared: "The pho noodles here are delicious, the noodles are thin and soft enough, the broth has a pleasant cinnamon and anise flavor, the beef brisket is very delicious, the black bean sauce is sweeter than my taste but mixed with a little Northern chili sauce it goes very well, the service staff is lovely".

Dinh Nam Khanh elaborated: "I'm from the North so I didn't really like eating pho in the South because of the different taste. However, recently there have been many pho restaurants in Saigon that have changed my mind.

The bowl of pho here is quite full, the broth is rich and the beef is soft and fragrant. The price is quite high compared to the price of a normal bowl of pho in Hanoi , but the quality is also very good, there is no feeling of expensiveness after finishing the bowl of pho."

Ms. Phuc Thinh said that in the past, her parents did not teach her how to cook directly, but let her learn by picking vegetables, cleaning, and serving. She watched her parents season and learned.

"In 2021, when I first started cooking, customers criticized me, saying the broth was not like my mother's. I spent nearly half a year researching to create the pot of broth I have today. Now customers say it's delicious," she laughed. "I'm very grateful to customers. They criticized me but still came to eat and gave me sincere feedback so I could fix it."

A bowl of pho at Huong Binh restaurant - Photo: HOANG LE

Pho Huong Binh's broth is sweet and clear, the chicken skin is crispy, the chicken is fragrant and tender. The secret is to choose firm chicken, which is freshly sliced ​​to keep fresh when ordered. There is a professional freezer under the counter. The chicken is boiled until cooked, and when the meat is sold out, it is immediately put in the refrigerator to keep it clean.

"I'm originally from the Central region, so the pho here also has the Central region style: seasoned with salt. To "reduce" the saltiness of the salt, simmer a lot of bones. When eaten, the light saltiness blends with the sweetness of the bones, permeating very deeply."

Before, there were only the two of them in the kitchen, plus one assistant. Now, with more customers, the restaurant has about 10 employees working in shifts, some of whom have been working since her parents' time.

"I will personally cook for Pho Day this time. Now I'm worried about whether I can cut the chicken in time for the customers," she smiled brightly. The satisfied smile of a third generation son who has "suffered hardships" with a pot of pho that has been passed down for more than 70 years.

Pho Huong Binh restaurant participated in Pho Day 2025, which took place on December 13 and 14 at the old Tax Trade Center. The average price of a bowl of chicken pho is 85,000 VND, but during the festival it is only 40,000 VND/bowl.

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HOANG LE

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/pho-huong-binh-ninh-ngap-noi-xuong-la-bi-quyet-dan-cai-man-cua-muoi-20251205150402187.htm