Super Soup Stop

It's hard to go past Pho (rice noodle soup) as an instant pick-me-up, rain, hail or shine. I don't reckon I'll ever zip past Pho Ga at 42 Quan Thanh Street again, without getting a bowl of their broth into me. A certain Vietnamesegod led me to this super soup stop two weeks ago. It's turned into yet another regular haunt. The motorbike goes into auto-pilot and before I'm down from the first high, I've been there five times in a fortnight!

This non-descript Hanoi pho cave is a classic family run show. A glass display cabinet sits centrepiece in the shopfront, 100 watts of lonely lightbulb glowing on its wares despite the bright midday rays. An aunt or lady neighbour oversees bike park strife on the pavement outside, wary of the drive-by Keystone police impounders, who ruin everyone's lunchtime (and some ma and pa businesses) by enforcing ridiculous restrictions on footpath parking when there's buggar-all else place to put them. Sometimes patrons are instructed to drive right on in - to the eatery!

Other kith and kin dunk noodles, portion chicken, ladle broth, scatter herbs and deliver the sublime final product to my drooling cake-hole. The stock here is what sets it apart from other chicken soup shacks; it's a flavour punch, real chicken, not too much ajinomoto or salt. Another winning touch for me is the floating smattering of thin slices of white onion on top.

Out the back, I sit in the master bedroom, which is fully decked out for service, one wall lined with a stainless steel bench loaded up with the essential condiments: fish sauce, fresh chili and chili sauce, dishes of juicy lime wedges, and garlic infused vinegar. The other wall is lined with grandad, horizontal on a fold down deckchair, coughing and counting the days. His other half sits on the bed picking at herbs. For the few minutes I'm there, it's a scoffathon and a culture class in one!

Worth
Solo bowl of Pho Ga - 7000VND (USD45c, AUD58c)

Pho Ga
42 Quan Thanh Street

Comments

[Thao Khuc]

This is my favourite. They have the best 'Pho Ga' in town. Although, there is another one in Pho Duc Chinh street, near West Lake, quite new but the soup is pretty good...Thanks for your pictures which make me feel homesick..I miss Hanoi!!!