For nearly 8 years, I’ve been writing about all kinds of noodle dishes in Vietnam on my blog, from the vibrant flavors of bún riêu, the delicate textures of bún mọc, the fatty noodle duck & bamboo shot, to the bold broth of bún bò Huế. Somehow, I’ve written pages and pages about bún, but barely a word about phở — Vietnam’s most iconic dish.☺️☺️☺️☺️
Not because I don’t love it. In fact, it’s the opposite. Phở feels sacred. It’s something so deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture that every time I wanted to write about it, I held back — as if I hadn’t earned the right yet. 🥲It felt like a dish I had to experience fully before putting it into words.😅😃😅😅😅 Pho in English is pho which has no separate name in international cuisine while "bun" although more diverse in many countries but it is called "noodle soup"
And finally, that moment came. In the middle of a sweltering morning in Sóc Sơn, I found myself standing in front of a small pho shop with a striking orange sign and bold black letters: Menu Phở Hà Nội Xưa.
I walked in — not expecting much. But what I experienced inside reminded me why phở has held such an untouchable place in my heart all these years.
Most pho shops in Vietnam are designed for one thing: speed. They’re hot, humid, ugly and barely comfortable. A bowl of hot broth under a tin roof in 40°C weather? That’s how most locals eat it — and honestly, that’s part of the charm. But that day, I was tired. I had been walking under the sun, sweat trickling down my back, and I just needed somewhere cool to sit.
Stepping into Menu Phở Hà Nội Xưa felt like stepping into a winter shop❄️❄️❄️☃️⛄️. The air conditioning hummed gently in the background. The place was clean, spacious, and cool. My table was spotless. And in that moment, I thought to myself: This is it. This is the bowl of pho I’ve been waiting to write about. 🌈🌈🌈
At around 40,000–50,000 VND ( $1.7–$2), their pho is slightly pricier than the usual $1 bowl you’ll find on the streets. But here’s the thing: you’re not just paying for the food — you’re paying for the experience. The air-con, the clean space, the polite service, and most importantly — the care they put into each bowl so not expensive!! 👏🏻
PHỞ ( pho) VS. BÚN ( rice noodle) FROM SOMEONE WHO’S WRITTEN ABOUT BÚN FOR 8 YEARS🫶🏻
Let’s get one thing straight: phở and bún are not interchangeable. As someone who’s written extensively about every regional variation of bún, here’s how I usually explain the difference:
- Phở noodles: Flat and wide, usually made from rice flour.
- Bún noodles: Round and thin, sometimes fermented slightly, with a springier bite.
Phở broth is almost always clear and clean, made by simmering beef bones, charred onions, and ginger for hours. There’s no turmeric, no shrimp paste, no tomato — nothing to “hide” behind. The broth must be naturally sweet and savory, transparent but rich. Every flaw shows up in that bowl.
In contrast, bún dishes play with color and spice. You’ve got bún riêu with its reddish-orange hue, bún bò Huế with a fiery, oily surface, bún chả with its smoky grilled pork and dipping sauce. Each is expressive and complex.
But phở? Phở is pure. Quiet. Subtle 👏🏻👏🏻
I ordered phở tái chín — a combination of rare and cooked beef. The raw slices of beef were laid gently on the noodles, then the steaming hot broth was poured over the top, cooking the meat just enough to leave it slightly pink in the center.
That pinkness? That’s not undercooked. That’s perfect. That’s phở. It’s what separates a good bowl from a forgettable one. The beef has to be soft but not mushy, rare but not bloody. Just right.
They also offer other cuts like:
- Phở tái gầu (rare beef and fatty brisket)
- Phở bắp bò (beef shank)
- Phở tái nạm (rare beef and flank)
- Phở xào (stir-fried noodles)
- And even cơm rang bò (beef fried rice)
All priced reasonably, with free iced tea — a small but very northern touch that I always appreciate.
The broth was light but full-bodied. It didn’t scream MSG or overwhelming spices. It tasted like hours of slow cooking. Just a bit of chopped green onions, a few slices of white onion, and that’s it. I added a bit of chili vinegar and fresh lime. No need for sriracha, no hoisin — the broth spoke for itseft.
The name of shop “Phở Hà Nội Xưa” translates to english: “Old Hanoi Pho Menu,” and while some places throw around the word “xưa” (meaning “old” or “classic”) without meaning it, this place lives up to it.
It’s not trying to recreate the old Hanoi vibe with antique decor or forced nostalgia. No vintage furniture or black-and-white photos here. Instead, it captures the spirit of old Hanoi phở — in the broth, the cut of the beef, the quiet professionalism of the staff, the simplicity of the experience.
Everything felt... familiar. Not flashy. Not trendy, only real.
To be honest in the U.S a bowl of pho with just a few slices of beef can cost $8–10, sometimes more. And in most cases, it doesn’t even come close to the flavor of a good bowl here.
Here, in a small town north of Hanoi, I had a bowl with double the amount of meat, better broth, and fresh noodles — for a fifth of the price.
That’s the paradox of phở in Vietnam: it’s both humble and rich, simple yet profound.
EATING PHỞ IN VIETNAM IS DIFFERENT
Here, we don’t take endless pictures of the bowl. We don’t spend five minutes arranging the basil and bean sprouts for Instagram (in fact, traditional Hanoi phở doesn’t even come with those). We don’t fuss.
We sit down, we eat, we sip our tea, and we go.
But every bite carries weight — not just in flavor, but in memory. I’ve had phở at 6am after pulling an all-nighter. I’ve had it at 10pm after long road trips. I’ve had it with my family, my friends, and sometimes alone, when I just needed a moment of peace.
This bowl in Sóc Sơn reminded me of all those moments — and that’s why I finally sat down to write this.
☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️
It took me 8 years to write about phở — not because I didn’t care, but because I cared too much.
Phở isn’t a trend. It’s not something you try once and move on. It stays with you. It evolves with you. And every bowl tells a different story.
So here’s my honest recommendation: if you come to Sóc Sơn, or find yourself craving something food Vietnamese, come here and Order pho. 🥸🍲
