A hot, fragrant bowl of pho is ready to be served to diners - Photo: LAN HUONG
In the heart of the bustling city, the aroma of simmered beef bones from Pho Bo Phu Gia makes diners feel like they are transported back to the old streets of Hanoi .
Located at 146E Ly Chinh Thang, Xuan Hoa Ward (HCMC), Phu Gia Beef Pho is a familiar stop for those looking for Northern pho flavor. Each bowl of pho here is not just a dish but also a story about the profession, about Hanoi memories and the pride of a pho cook who always sticks to traditional flavors.
Keep the old pho flavor
The gloomy and chilly weather in Saigon at the end of the year makes people crave a hot, steaming bowl of pho. Perhaps that is why Phu Gia beef noodle shop is packed with customers today.
Mr. Nguyen Tuan Trung - the owner - welcomed me with a friendly smile, leading me inside where pots of broth were simmering on the stove. The strong smell of pho filled the air, making anyone who just entered want to sit down and enjoy each spoonful of fragrant pho.
According to Mr. Trung, Phu Gia Beef Pho was opened in 1997. Previously in Hanoi, he also opened a pho restaurant, but then because he wanted to find a new direction, he and his family decided to "move south" to Ho Chi Minh City, and at the same time bring the famous Northern pho dish here.
Mr. Nguyen Tuan Trung, owner of Phu Gia Beef Pho restaurant - Photo: LAN HUONG
From the first day he opened his pho restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Trung has established a clear principle: to preserve the soul of traditional Northern pho. Unlike Southern pho, which is often served with vegetables, bean sprouts, and has a strong flavor, Northern pho focuses on the broth - the soul of the dish.
The secret to a naturally sweet pot of pho lies in the bone-simmering process. Each pot of pho broth at the restaurant is simmered for 18-20 hours over a low heat to extract the essence of the bones without using MSG or sugar.
It is the patience in each processing step that helps Phu Gia beef noodle soup create its unique flavor.
Mr. Trung said that many Southern customers were initially unfamiliar with Northern pho, especially the lack of vegetables or bean sprouts, but after just a few times of enjoying it, they were "knocked out" by the natural sweetness from the bones.
"Toppings" served with pho only include beef, green onions, onions, chili, broth and pickled garlic, without bean sprouts or herbs like pho in other regions - Photo: LAN HUONG
Regarding his determination not to add bean sprouts to his pho bowl, he explained: "To get the characteristic aroma of the pho broth, I have to simmer the bones very carefully and elaborately.
If you add herbs to the bowl, the smell of the herbs will overwhelm the smell of the pho, losing the unique flavor that the cook has spent so much effort to create. Outside of Hanoi, almost no pho restaurant adds herbs, I want to keep that identity.
In addition to the broth, the ingredients also play a key role. The restaurant's famous rare beef pho is made from selected beef tenderloin or thigh, stir-fried with beef marrow fat instead of cooking oil, making the meat fragrant and flavorful without being greasy.
A bowl of rare beef pho at Pho Bo Phu Gia is full of meat and rice noodles - Photo: LAN HUONG
'That's right, this is Northern pho!'
Bringing Northern pho to the South meant that Mr. Trung had to face many challenges. However, thanks to his determination to keep the original recipe, the restaurant gradually gained the trust and love of diners.
Those difficult experiences did not discourage him but became the motivation for the restaurant to improve every day.
The results of this effort are demonstrated by the fact that Pho Bo Phu Gia was consecutively honored by Michelin in 2024 and 2025. For Mr. Trung, the title is not pressure but motivation, helping the restaurant develop better every day.
Nimble, skillful hands arrange pho noodles, drop each slice of beef into the bowl - Video : LAN HUONG
On Google Maps review page, Pho Bo Phu Gia received 4.3/5 stars and "a shower of compliments" from diners. Dang Tran commented: "Top culinary standards. Prepared Northern pho, clear broth, no MSG, more meat than pho noodles."
Viet Nguyen wrote: "Delicious pho with clear broth, moderately strong flavor, soft pho noodles and fresh, thickly sliced beef that is very delicious. The price is a bit higher but the quality is worth coming back for."
For a person who always yearns to preserve the soul of Northern pho like Mr. Trung, there is nothing more joyful than when customers eat at Pho Bo Phu Gia and then exclaim: "That's right, this is Hanoi pho, Northern pho". That is also one of the memories that, during the nearly 30 years of opening the restaurant, he told me that he "can never forget".
Regarding his future plans, Mr. Trung shared: "I hope that every district here will have a branch and further, open a branch back in the North. That is the biggest dream of my life."
Phu Gia beef noodle soup is also one of the noodle brands at the 2025 Pho Day Festival taking place on December 13 and 14 in Ho Chi Minh City.
Talking about this, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Trung could not hide his pride: "When I heard Tuoi Tre newspaper mention Pho Day, I was very proud and honored.
When my profession and dishes are honored, besides being happy, I know that I have to try to make it develop, become famous and resonate further, not only with Vietnamese people but also with friends around the world."
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tuyet-doi-pho-bac-giua-sai-gon-pho-bo-phu-gia-khong-rau-khong-gia-20251205124200004.htm
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