If you don’t love Phu, then you either 1) haven’t heard of it, 2) are allergic, or 3) need to get your freakin’ priorities in order. Phu (pronounced “Fuh,” rhyming with “Uhh…this is goddamn delicious!”) is a vietnamese beef broth soup served piping hot, which contains thinly sliced meat and rice noodles. The meat selection (not necessarily always beef) usually includes your choice of brisket, flank steak, eye-round steak, and tripe, as well as knuckle, cartilage, and other interesting cow bits. The Phu in the photos here included flank steak and brisket, and came with a giant basket of fresh basil, lime, jalapeno peppers, and sprouts (the big ones you often find in pad thai). Oh yeah – and fish sauce and Sriracha – choose your destiny.
One note – this is the REGULAR size bowl. I miserably failed previous attempts to take out the big bowl.
However, in my own defense – I watched two big fat business men also fail to demolish the biggun – and they didn’t even add the heat! Made me feel better. Make sure to observe all those Jalapenos and note that I put half a bottle of sriracha. The remaining Phu was good for another tear-filled lunch and a half. Did I mention all of this was $5.50?
Comments
6 responses to “Putting the ‘Phu’ in FUN!”
You know…I’ve never had Pho…..It’s super popular here in the Bay Area and people are always raving about it. I really should give it a try. If I’m not mistaken (and think Anthony Bourdain mentioned it to me) this type of cuisine is all about the condiments, yeah? I’m a self-proclaimed “Sauce Whore” and I love Sriarcha hot sauce. I love the pepper & oil sauce too…not sure what that is even or what it’s called.
I’ve been eating asian food for a long time, Todd, and I’ve never heard of this. It looks great. What area of the world is it originally from, do you know? Viet Nam, China, Thailand?
Vietnamese noodle soup!!! OMG. One of my best friends and I go alllll the time. The best places are always the hole in the wall that only take cash.
@Barb – Phở is Vietnamese:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ph%E1%BB%9F
Thank you, Varta and Bear! I’m going to a Vietnamese restaurant next week for lunch with some friends and now I’ll know one thing to order. I’ll be back with my impressions.
I stayed with my best friend, who’s vietnamese,at her condo for a State track meet in high school. When I got there I saw her cute little grandma standing over a huge vat of pho broth and it smelled DeLiCiOuS! unfortunantly 4 bowls and a whole jalapeno later I was still hungry and had to compete in the morning.