The Pho Suong restaurant, with its three-generation history in Hanoi's Old Quarter, makes the top chef "miss the food his mother used to cook."

Recently, celebrity chef Christine Hà shared photos of famous Hanoi dishes she enjoyed during her visit to Vietnam. Among them, Christine Hà introduced Pho Suong in Trung Yen alley, Hanoi. This is one of the long-standing pho restaurants, familiar to many Hanoi residents and attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists.

Pho Suong is located in Trung Yen alley, considered the most famous culinary alley in Hanoi. Ms. Nguyen Tuyet Lan, the head chef at Pho Suong in Trung Yen alley, is the third generation to continue the family business. Ms. Lan said that she and her staff did not recognize the arrival of "master chef" Christine Ha.

"It wasn't until the afternoon of September 25th, when she shared pictures and a few words about Pho Suong on social media, that people told me about it. I was quite happy that this famous chef's pho restaurant was getting attention," Ms. Lan shared.

"That day, I served her pho just like I did to any other customer," Lan added.

It is known that Pho Suong appeared in Hanoi in the 1930s but did not have the name it has now. The "father" of this family-run pho restaurant was Mr. Nguyen Van Ty. In those days, he used to sell pho from a mobile stall, wandering through the old streets. Mr. Ty often wore a blue shirt, so people called his pho stall by the name "the pho of the Chinese man in the blue shirt".

For a time, Mr. Ty's pho business was interrupted due to the war. Around 1986-1987, his children revived the family's traditional pho business, naming it Pho Suong (Happy Pho), hoping that customers would feel happy when enjoying delicious pho.

The first store opened in Trung Yen Alley, Dinh Liet Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

Ms. Nguyen Tuyet Lan is the granddaughter of Mr. Ty. Previously, she worked elsewhere, but later returned to help her family preserve and develop the family's pho brand. The pho broth is simmered from beef bones for 14-15 hours, with added ginger and fish sauce, but without cinnamon or star anise.

At Pho Suong, the broth pot is placed right inside the pot used for blanching the noodles, heated in a water bath to keep the broth hot without drying out or becoming too salty. The owner skillfully blanches the noodles in the vigorously boiling water, ensuring they are perfectly cooked, soft but not mushy.

Ms. Lan shared that her family places great emphasis on selecting fresh and clean ingredients. From beef bones, beef brisket, and beef shank to scallions, herbs, and rice noodles, everything is purchased from reputable sources. The beef must be fresh; when sliced, the meat should be red, tender, and cooked through but still retain its sweetness, not be tough.

Pho Suong has relatively high prices, ranging from 55,000 to 80,000 VND per bowl. The restaurant offers various types of pho, including well-done beef pho, rare and well-done beef pho, rare beef brisket pho, brisket and flank pho, and special bowls…

As "master chef" Christine Hà assessed, Pho Sướng has a milder broth, fewer spices, and thicker noodles, "very similar to the pho my mother used to cook."

Currently, the descendants of Mr. Ty's family own three Pho Suong branches in Hanoi. The branch in Trung Yen remains a popular choice among many diners. Pho Suong in Trung Yen was also recommended by the British magazine Culture Trip as a must-visit restaurant in Hanoi.

However, according to some diners, the flavor of Pho Suong has changed somewhat compared to before. For some, the broth of this traditional pho restaurant is a bit bland. The price is also considered quite high.

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