Friend of Phở -- Question for Lola B
 

I have been craving Pho a lot lately and I was in the most city-ish place around here where there are a few Vietnamese restaurants, one of which I'd been to before and was good as far as I could tell. (But what do I know?)

I am always a bit perplexed when I go to ethnic restaurants and I'm given a plate of condiments; which one goes where and when and how much? I imagine it may be like getting a bottle of ketchup, mustard, mayo, and relish. If you grew up with these things then you'd know from experience and watching your peers and parents, what you liked and what goes with what.

The pho arrives with a small dish of sriracha and hoisin sauce. I figured the sriracha was to adjust the heat of the whole thing but wasn't entirely sure about the hoisin sauce because a) I always thought that was a Chinese thing, and b) it seemed like adding ketchup to soup to me.

I ended up plucking the chicken bits from the soup and dipping them into the hoisin sauce, then eating them.

So, I'm wondering what, if anything, is typical when eating pho? Also is it OK to lift the bowl to drink the soup or do you really need to use those crazy spoons?

Hey Foot. Eat any way you want, you're white. Who cares if you eat pho the right way or not? :D :lol: Hahahahahaha.....I'm teasing you. Yes, you do, or should I say can put the hoisin sauce into the pho. Some people don't. I used to because I was told to when I was young, but then I started to notice some people just squirt hoisin sauce in the small plate and dip the meat into it to eat. A friend said she doesn't put the hoisin sauce into the pho because that would ruin the pho broth. So, I'm guessing it's a preference thing. If the pho broth tastes good or fine, then I don't put the hoisin sauce in. If the broth is not so great, the hoisin sauce would make it taste better. Just remember not to go back to that restaurant. :p: I always put jalapeño slices AND the sriracha sauce into my pho though. I like it spicy. :D Usually at the restaurant, they would give you a plate of mints, parsley, bean sprouts, and jalapeño slices. If it's a to-go, they would add onion slices and mince parsley into the box. You put in whatever you want. Tear a few pieces of mints and put them into the bowl. Eat them with pho and see how you like the flavor. Same with other things. As for the spoon, use it. While I think it might be okay to pick up the bowl to slurp the broth because I've seen others done it, I usually just do that at home if I feel the need. Try to use the spoon to slurp as much of the broth as possible. You don't have to finish the broth. The crazy spoon is big and deep enough to scoop a lot of broth to drink.

I hope that helps. :D

How do you pronounce it?

Fe Fi Pho Fum?

I've heard "fah", very short, not faaah, more like fa.

As for the condiments and how to use them, Lola's advice is what I live by too, eat it like you like it. Also, all those items, it seems like you've omitted basil. It's very popular, even ubiquitous with all the presentations of pho I've enjoyed. Mmmmmm, basil.

:eek:

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:D:D:D

I'm Asian. Of course it's a racist joke. :lol:

Basil...not mint. I always use the wrong term. You eat basil, not mint with pho. :p:

Pronounce pho? Hmm...the English way I've heard is "f" with the sound of "u" in the words 'but', 'cut'. So say those words and try not to aspirate the 't' too hard. Use that sound of 'u' to go after 'f' to say "pho."

P.S. for Foot. I ate pho earlier and found that I fill the spoon with broth, then I put some noodles on it and a piece of meat/chicken. That way, I can eat both broth and food at the same time. The next time you eat pho, sit there and observe how other patrons eat, specifically Asians. If they catch you, just smile. They'll definitely think you're weird. :D

No, you're American. What's more you're Texan, so you can make all the racist jokes you damn well please. http://cellar.org/2015/patriot.gif

Hahahahahaha.....damn straight!

That certainly sounds better than the way I've been eating foods with broth using hollow chopsticks like straws: bite-sip, bite-sip, bite-sip ...

I put all the stuff into the bowl except the hoisin. I think I had mint, but not a usual kind of mint. It wasn't basil. I use the chopsticks to get a whole pile of noodles and eat those with some bean sprouts that hung on for the ride.

The jalapeno was great.

It's cilantro (coriander,) at least around here.

Oh goodness grace. I'm so terrible. It's basil, not mint, and it's cilantro, not parsley. :p: I'm sure I may have other things wrong. Can't think of what at the moment. :rolleyes: