Each country has its own symbolic national dish that is catch the whole world’s attention and nothing is more uniquely Vietnamese than Pho. Probably no one could complain after try this, even the pickest tourists. And of course there is no better place to eat Pho than in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Here are the 5 locations in the Old Quarter where you can find the best bowl of Pho, according to the local people:

No. 49 Bat Dan street

Located right at the center of the Old Quarter, this little food shop has been here since the 1960s. Selling only beef noodle, A bowl of Pho here still retains the original taste like the first time it was introduced. The broth is clear and delicate with reduced goodness of bone marrow but is not fatty. The beef is soft and tender with a pale pink hue.

When coming to the shop, one must follow the tradition: queue and self-served at the counter instead of waiting for the waiters to come to you, which is popular in many street foodshop in Vietnam. If you are in a hurry, it is not recommended to eat here since it might take a while standing in long line during high time. It can cost from 50,000 to 70,000 for a bowl

Hang Trong street (at the corner with Hang Gai street)

Probably there is nothing more Vietnamese than eating on the street side where most of the best food come from. A bowl of Pho at the junction of Hang Gai and Hang Trong actually proves no exception. You can only find the smallest type of stools instead of tables here. Those professional foodies can hold the bowl on one hand a pair of chopsticks on the others, slurping the clear broth without any difficulty. If you can’t be skillful like them, just placing the bowl on the stool. Selling only between 5 -7pm, this street vendors attracts not only frequent locals but also intrigued passerby for an afternoon snack. It only charges you 30,000 for a bowl of Pho.

Pho Suong on No. 24 Trung Yen alley

Walking off from the lake, strolling into Dinh Liet street where plenty of scarfs, souvenirs and paintings are sold, you can find a tiny alley called Trung Yen where Pho Suong is located. Like many other popular places, this little shop has been here for many years. The broth here is famous to be light but still retains the sweetness of meat and bone marrow. Beef here is sliced in big chunk but is definitely still very tender and succulent in your mouth. The shop may be a little small but the owners are friendly and always delighted to serve you.

No. 10 Ly Quoc Su street

To the food lovers, Pho at 10 Ly Quoc Su street (near the Cathedral) means the ultimate stamp of quality. If one only has one chance to eat Pho in Hanoi, it is always highly recommended to eat it here. The broth, the noodle and the beef and other spices are perfectly tuned to create an atmosphere that will give you a fantastic feeling of wonder and stimulate your mind.

There are many different types of beef you can choose in your bowl of Pho. Fried curler or Quay here are always delicious to dip into the hot delicate broth, which make it more succulent and addictive.

No. 65 Lan Ong street

While the traditional Pho is with beef, there are also the modern adapted version with chicken.  When the last sunray of light was just about to disappear completely, the stars are about to starts its dance in the sky, it’s high time for the shop to open. All the tables and chairs are set up on the pavement. Many young and trendy Vietnamese frequent this place when thinking about chicken Pho. You can have the traditional soup type but this place is renowned for its dried Pho where the broth is separated from the noodle. They have a mysterious mixing sauce that is secretly hidden under a good serving of Pho and chicken. This is the perfect idea substituting for a hot bowl of Pho when you are in a desperate fix for one in a hot summer night.

Source: graylinevietnam