Pho Bac restaurant causes a stir because of the compliment "the best in HCMC": Is it true?

The "best pho restaurant in HCMC"?

Recently, in a program, when asked about the "best pho in Ho Chi Minh City", chef Viet Hong - founder of Ciel Dining restaurant (which was recently recognized with 1 Michelin star) - said that it was the chicken pho of Pho Xich restaurant (Tan Hung ward).

Hearing this comment, Chad Kubanoff - an American chef living in Vietnam - decided to go there to "verify". He was accompanied by his friend Michael.

It took him about 20 minutes to get to the restaurant. When they arrived, they were a bit surprised because the restaurant was quite crowded and were also impressed by the green space inside. They eagerly ordered many different dishes, including the egg chicken pho and the special chicken pho.

Small bowl of chicken pho, priced at 55,000 VND at Pho Xich restaurant (Photo: Screenshot).

While waiting for his food, Chad noticed the condiment tray with pickled garlic, chili peppers and lime. With his experience as a chef, he guessed that this was Northern-style pho, then excitedly shared: “Just by looking at the spices, you can immediately tell the style. I am looking forward to trying this chicken pho style,” he said.

When the bowl of pho was brought to him, Chad excitedly took a bite and commented: “Wow, the ingredients are simple but the flavor is very rich. The noodles are soft and well-seasoned, the broth is very clear, I like this taste.”

Chad was particularly impressed with the clear taste of the broth (Photo: Screenshot).

He also nodded in agreement that the pho had a lot of chicken, which was well-cooked so it was quite soft when eaten. Meanwhile, the soft-boiled egg surprised Michael because this was the first time he had seen this ingredient in pho. When he tasted it, he could not hide his delight and nodded in approval.

While enjoying his bowl of pho, Chad shared: “There are things that are simple but still stand out. This bowl of pho is the same, the ingredients are simple but they combine perfectly and create a very special flavor.”

The beef pho at the restaurant costs 110,000 VND, is considered full, and can feed 2 people (Photo: Moc Khai).

Besides pho, they also order other dishes such as pho tron, mi xao, mi mi ga and xoi. Overall comments on the above dishes, Chad thinks that the ingredients are common, the preparation is not complicated and focuses on the original flavor. That is one of the things he likes about Northern cuisine .

After experiencing pho at Pho Xich, Chad and Michael both expressed their love for the pho here. Both agreed to continue to come back to this place to eat pho many more times. Michael said: “It is a quiet place, I think the chicken pho there is the best. If you need to find a bowl of original chicken pho, this will be the right destination.”

Chad admitted that he prefers beef pho to chicken pho, but he also regrets that the ingredients in chicken pho here do not have anything special compared to traditional pho.

Therefore, he gave the chicken pho at the restaurant 7.5 points. He also did not think that this was the “best pho in Ho Chi Minh City” because there are still many other delicious restaurants that have not been discovered .

11-year-old Pho Bac restaurant in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City

According to Dan Tri reporter , Pho Xich retains the traditional Northern pho flavor quite well: No raw vegetables are served with it, the broth is clear and light, clearly lighter than the Southern pho flavor.

The restaurant space is small but cozy and clean. The dishes have relatively full portions, suitable for breakfast or lunch.

Chef Thuy Hanh of Pho Xich restaurant (Photo: Moc Khai).

Chef Nguyen Thuy Hanh said her family has been selling pho for three generations in Hanoi and she is the one who continues the profession. Her family moved to Ho Chi Minh City 11 years ago and decided to reopen the Pho Xich brand.

Thanks to the stable location and the family recipe, the restaurant did not encounter many obstacles in the early stages of business. The restaurant menu is almost the same as in the North, with pho, vermicelli, stir-fried dishes, etc. "There are many dishes like that brought from Hanoi," Ms. Hanh said.

According to Ms. Hanh, what makes customers come back again and again is the “delicious, appetizing” dishes and the restaurant has many options for each group of customers. Although she maintains the identity of Northern pho, she still makes small adjustments to suit diners in Ho Chi Minh City, but she still keeps the principle of “Northern pho does not eat vegetables”.

The restaurant’s regulars are mostly Northerners living in the area, many of whom come here hoping to find the authentic taste of pho from their hometown. The restaurant’s signature dishes include vermicelli noodles, beef pho, and chicken pho – of which chicken pho is the most popular.

Chicken vermicelli dish at the restaurant also attracts many diners (Photo: Moc Khai).

Many diners after dining at the restaurant also left positive reviews mixed with some comments. Some commented that the portions here are quite large, especially the stir-fried beef pho: "The food is okay but not too special, one portion is enough for two people if they eat a little." This is also a small limitation for those who like moderate portions.

Some diners also said that the price of over 100,000 VND per bowl is a bit higher than many other pho restaurants in the area, but it is worth the taste. Many people said that the restaurant is clean, the portions are large, especially the drinks, so even though the price is not cheap, the feeling is not disappointing.

However, because pho has a Northern flavor, it is quite bland. This can cause many diners who are used to strong flavors to sometimes have to add more seasoning to suit their taste.

Ms. Hoang Yen and her children are regular customers of the restaurant (Photo: Moc Khai).

Many reviews agree that chicken pho is the restaurant's most outstanding dish and if you want to experience the true spirit of Pho Xich, diners should prioritize ordering chicken pho.

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter , Ms. Hoang Yen (Nha Be commune) said that she often brings her two children to the restaurant. She likes the clear, light broth with the right Northern flavor, while her children love the restaurant's fried rice and mixed pho. "The children eat their fill and then want to come back. That's why my family comes here all the time on weekends," she said.

Pho Xich

Address: My Canh Area, Tan Hung Ward, HCMC

Opening hours: 6am-9pm (closed from 2pm to 5:30pm)

Reference price: From 55,000 VND to 120,000 VND

Hoang Thu - Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/quan-pho-bac-gay-sot-vi-loi-khen-ngon-nhat-tphcm-thuc-hu-the-nao-20251025132359741.htm