Restaurant introduces pho-ndamentals

At Hoa Hoi, the noodles are cooked any way you like and always hot as pho…

Pho Hoa Hoi Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City serves up 40 kinds of regional pho recipes from all over Vietnam.

Owner Thien Trang had the idea of opening up the pho-catessen in the bustling southern metro after over-hearing a group of kids having an enthusiastic conversation about pho and its regional differences in the north, south and Mekong Delta.

Twenty-something Trang spent six months researching the diverse varieties of pho and perfecting their flavors.

Now her shop serves 40 kinds of the dish including dry pho, pho rolled with shrimp paste, stir-fried pho and Nha Trang-style pig’s leg pho.

Hoa Hoi means anise, which is one of the most important ingredients in pho broth, says Trang, who many locals know as “pho girl”.

The establishment also serves anise juice, a popular delicacy from the northern highlands.

Trang hopes to begin opening franchises in the next two years.

Pho Hoa Hoi

Address: 21A Bui Thi Xuan St., Dist. 1, HCMC.

Price: VND29,000-VND39,000 (US$1.8-2.4) per bowl of pho.