Firstly, broth is one of the main factors that make a successful bowl of pho. However, soups are cooked in different ways. Hanoians usually only boil beef bones to make broth. In addition to using beef bones, Saigon people sometimes also use chicken bones and dried squid to make the broth more flavorful. That’s why when we look at a bowl of pho, we can recognize its origin. Hanoi pho broth is clearer than Saigon pho. Due to the addition of many ingredients, the broth of Saigon Pho does not look as clear as Hanoi Pho. In addition, Northerners tend to add more seasonings to the broth than Southerners. Northerners who eat Pho in Saigon find the broth too sweet. In contrast, Southerners who eat Hanoi Pho find it too salty.
Pho Nam (Pho Nam)
The second difference is the noodles used in pho. When eating a bowl of Pho Hanoi, diners don’t have many choices about pho. They only have one big and thin noodle. In Ho Chi Minh City, when eating pho, they will ask you what kind of noodle you want to eat: the main thread (like Hanoi noodle soup) or the thin fiber both in width and in surface.
Photo: bekhoe.net
Northern Pho (Northern Pho)
It would be a big omission if we don’t mention the different vegetables used in Pho Hanoi and Pho Saigon. Northerners eat pho at no cost, while Southerners do. Furthermore, one of the Southerners’ favorite vegetables that you can’t find in any Hanoi pho restaurant is basil. In Saigon, a plate of assorted vegetables is often served with pho. Customers choose the vegetables they like and then dip them into the soup, mix them well and enjoy. There are not many kinds of vegetables served with pho in Northern Vietnam.
Photo: nivapad.com
Another difference is that the meat is served in Pho. In Saigon, when eating pho, the seller will ask you what kind of meat you want: rare, medium, well-cooked, what kind of meat do you want: fillet, meat with bones or just bones. However, in the North of Vietnam, it is not common to have beef bones in a bowl of pho.
The final difference when eating pho between the North and the South is the dipping sauce. Saigon people have a habit of putting Hoisin sauce in a separate bowl or smaller plate to dip the meat before eating. However, Hanoians do not add fish sauce, if it is more spicy, they can add chili sauce. It may be difficult for first-time visitors to notice these differences. The more you experience, the easier it is to identify Pho Hanoi or Pho Saigon later.
Watch our video about Pho:
Source: https://traveland.com.vn
