Vietnamese Pho continues to spread its international reach

Not only a familiar breakfast dish lodged in Hanoians’ consciousness in particular, Pho has today become a symbol of the rich culinary culture of Vietnamese people in general, spreading its international reach beyond the territory of Vietnam.

On the opening day, Pho Ha Noi 1979 attracted a lot of Vietnamese Pho lovers. Photo VNA

As a recent example, on December 2, a restaurant named “Pho Ha Noi 1979” was opened right in the heart of Sydney (New South Wales, Australia), particularly at 128 Burwood Street, Burwood.

Diners didn’t hesitate to queue up to enjoy hot bowls of Pho, whose fragrance they likened to a “symphony of flavors.”

The distinctive taste of this dish comes from the intricate blend of ingredients. The soul of Pho lies in the broth, slowly cooked in the traditional style to infuse spices into the broth, resulting in richness, gentle sweetness and an appetizing aroma.

Made of rice flour, the flat noodles have a soft, slightly chewy texture. Besides, a complete bowl of Pho can’t lack green onions and several herbs sprinkled on top. Diners can also choose to add bean sprouts, lime juice, fresh chili slices, chili sauce, or chili-garlic vinegar.

According to Tommy Le, manager of Pho Ha Noi 1979, during his time living and working in the Land of Kangaroos, he heard many Australians having traveled to Vietnam confessed that they were impressed by Vietnamese Pho, and wanted to enjoy the specialty dish right in their homeland.

That was what gave him and some Vietnamese friends the idea to run a Pho restaurant offering an authentic flavor, both to help the Vietnamese community in Australia ease their homesickness, and to introduce Vietnamese Pho to Australian diners.

As Tommy revealed, with traditional Pho cooking techniques combined with green food trends, using only natural ingredients and especially excluding MSG, he is confident that Pho Ha Noi 1979 will bring a new experience and satisfy even the most demanding customers.

Alongside Vietnamese visitors, the restaurant also welcomed many foreign diners on the opening day.

Being on vacation in Sydney at that time, Nguyen Trong Thin, owner of a famous Pho brand in Hanoi with more than 40 years of Pho-cooking experience, couldn’t hide his joy, excitement and pride when witnessing the birth of the restaurant right in the bustling Australian city.

From his point of view, the young generation of Vietnam today is very dynamic, creative, daring to think and act, and especially has great national pride. Joining the young kitchen staff of Pho Ha Noi 1979, he helped prepare the best Pho bowls to serve diners on the opening day.

Thin also believes that the restaurant, as the brainchild of Vietnamese people passionate about Northern-style Pho and promoting this dish to international friends, will be a place to gather and preserve traditional values, a rendezvous for Vietnamese expats to come to whenever they crave an authentic bowl of Pho, and where international tourists can experience a typical Vietnamese dish.

Meanwhile, Ngoc Bui, owner of Pho Ganh in Illawoong, a suburb in southern Sydney, said that after closing the restaurant at 8pm, she and her daughter still came to Pho Ha Noi 1979, before going home through a 35-minute drive.

“I’ve been cooking and selling Pho for many years, but only for Westerners, so the taste is very different. Therefore, after many years of searching, thanks to Pho Ha Noi 1979, for the first time I can enjoy a bowl of Pho with the authentic Northern flavor. The broth is clear, having a faint scent of smoke and fish sauce, the sweetness of bones and natural vegetables, and no MSG. In particular, the standard seasoning of chili sauce and garlic vinegar in Vietnamese style have created the best Pho bowl in Sydney I’ve ever eaten,” Ngoc said.

Similarly, Henry Nguyen, an overseas Vietnamese and owner of a Vietnamese business in Sydney, expressed his satisfaction after savoring a bowl of Hanoi Pho: "Pho Ha Noi 1979 makes me feel like I returned to my childhood, recalling the mornings sitting down to have a hot Pho bowl with my family. The broth is rich, fragrant with spices and garlic, and mildly spicy with chili, just like authentic pan-fried beef Pho of the North. The Pho bowl was not only delicious but also revived beautiful memories, as if bringing the homeland taste into every spoonful. If you miss the flavor of Vietnam, Pho Hanoi 1979 is an unmissable location."

Alongside Vietnamese visitors, the restaurant also welcomed many foreign diners on the opening day.

“Vietnamese Pho is very yummy, I’ve sampled Vietnamese Pho before and I’m very glad to have a bowl of hot, fragrant, gently sweet and attractive Pho right in Australia today. Vietnamese Pho is number one,” a Chinese diner excitedly commented.