Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, and various meats and herbs. In the country of Vietnam, pho is traditionally a breakfast dish that is served with a hot cup of black coffee. People will line up early in the morning to purchase of bowl of pho from a street vendor to start their day. In the United States, it has evolved into being served in restaurants by waiters at any time of the day.
The hot soup brings an etiquette all on its own, leaving some Americans questioning the proper “technique” to eating this delicious dish. One main thing people should learn about pho is that the broth is everything. Before you throw every herb, bean sprout, and sauce set on the table, take a sip of the broth and savor the time and dedication it took to master the complexity of the flavor. Next, two tools are given to you: chopsticks and the soupspoon. Many people use the chopsticks to harness the rice noodles in one hand and the spoon to pick up the broth in the other. The fun concept of pho gives people the ability to throw in whatever they please to achieve their desired taste. Various items are given to customers to place in their soup including: bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, Hoisin, and sriracha and fish sauce. Native pho eaters suggest to keep sauces away from the broth itself, the best ones don’t need it. Try to keep the sauces primarily for the noodles, meat, and herbs.
Whatever you decide to flavor your pho with or what tools you choose to use, pho has made its way into American restaurants across the country in popular demand.