Conquering the Fear of Pho

Maybe you’ve had pho – Vietnamese noodle soup – once or twice. Maybe, like most people, you’re pretty confident you know how to tackle a bowl of soup, whatever the cultural origin of the recipe. Or maybe you’re thrown by the unfamiliar ingredients (tripe? tendons?) and seasonings on a typical pho menu.

Whichever is your Pho fear, Khiem Nguyen and his family, who own and operate , would like you to give the Vietnamese staple a try. Traditionally eaten for breakfast, pho (pronounced, fa-a) is lunch or dinner fare on this side of the Pacific. Especially good during cold and flu season – the healing herbs and ginger are good for a sore throat, says Nguyen’s daughter Ivy – this Vietnamese comfort food can be enjoyed any time of year.

First introduced to pho by my Vietnamese sister-in-law several years ago, I nonetheless learned a thing or two about how to enjoy it during a recent visit to Pho Vina. In fact, it is so important to Nguyen and his family that customers learn the standard way to eat pho that they take time to instruct each first-time visitor in the art of eating it.

When ordering pho, first pick your broth, which, the Nguyens stress, is the most important part of the dish. Nguyen makes his from scratch, a 10-hour-plus process. Beef-based, it is flavored with onion, ginger and herbs and seasoned with a spice mix developed by Nguyen himself. He also takes great pride in his vegetable broth, which is golden colored and crystal clear.

Once you’ve decided whether to go meat or veggie with your broth, select the main ingredients for your soup – choices range from eye-round of steak and well-done brisket (the traditional recipe, according to Nguyen) to chicken breast (a Woodinville favorite) to a vegetarian combination of fried tofu, mushrooms and assorted vegetables.

For the “advanced eater,” Ivy recommends Pho Dac Biet, which includes eye-round steak, well-done brisket, well-done flank, soft tendon and tripe.

When your meal comes, you'll get a bowl filled with steaming broth, the meat or vegetables of your choice and rice noodles. You'll also receive a plate of bean sprouts, lime wedges, jalapeno slices and Thai basil. This is where the do-it-yourself part comes in.

The first step, says Ivy, is to add a few bean sprouts to the bowl. Then place a couple of jalapeno slices in the broth, off to the side. Next, pinch small bits from the basil leaves and add them to the soup. Finally, squeeze a few drops of lime juice into the bowl – not too much, cautions Ivy – add a drizzle of hoisin (the dark sauce in the squeeze bottle on the table) and Sriracha (the spicy red sauce) to taste.

The next step is to mix the contents of the bowl, making sure to stir up the noodles so they don’t clump at the bottom. Finally, prepare a dipping sauce, using the hoisin and Sriracha, Pho Vina’s special sauce (made of ground chili, garlic and lemongrass), a little lime and black pepper.

Finally, it’s time to eat. But – and this is key, says Ivy – don’t just dig in with a spoon and start slurping everything together. Instead, scoop some broth and noodles into your spoon, then remove a small piece of meat from the bowl and dip it into your sauce. Place the meat into the spoon on top of the noodles and, finally, enjoy. This way, “everything goes together into your mouth,” explains Ivy, and none of the flavors are diluted.

It may seem like a lot of work, but, you know... the Nguyens are right. It’s better this way.

In addition to Pho Vina, you can also enjoy noodle soup and other Vietnamese specialties at in the Woodinville Plaza shopping center.