The best pho we have ever tasted during our stay in HCMC, Vietnam during our recent visit was that of the street vendor along Le Thanh Ton street, Ben Thanh ward, District 01, District 1. We were fortunate enough to be staying in Thien Xuan Hotel, which is only a block away from where this pho vendor has her merchandise installed.
From communicating with the lady in the picture (Thanh Thao Ho) who knows a little English (most locals don’t speak English at all), we gathered that their family has been in this pho business for more than 10 years. We tried a few restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City and did not find a better pho. Yes, including the original Pho24. Not even phos from the two hotels we stayed in during our Vietnam-Cambodia trip came close.
The above photo was taken a couple of hours before we left the hotel for the airport. If there was one thing we regret to have to say goodbye Vietnam to – then it is this street pho. It was actually the hubby who first tried this pho as he was surprised how many people will flock around this pho vendor. Especially after office hours. He saw that even people who looked like they work in the corporate world even ate there. He tried it out of curiosity. And the rest, if you may have it, is history. 🙂
Bun Bo Vien
A bowl of pho costs VND 27,000 which is just a little over a $1 or around PhP54. If “to go,” the cost is VND 30,000. (Additional fee for the styro container)
From what I remember, this street pho vendor arrives in front of this jewelry store along Ben Le Thanh Ton Street around 10AM and closes shop at 6PM. Located right smack the famous Ben Thanh Market where you can buy North Face backpacks at crazy cheap price, logoed golf balls boxes for pasalubong, the much talked about Vietnamese coffee, different shapes and sizes of jade, among others. Street food vendors just set up these stools as individual tables for their patrons and smaller stools serve as chairs. There are other similar street food vendors that do their business like such. Now that the hubby is back in Vietnam, I cannot help but remember this bowl of street pho goodness.
One thing i observed about their street foods — some are more like batchoy veggies, I think vietnam’s strees food and of thailand are the same.
I haven’t been to Thailand. I got kind of scared about the flooding that happened there but will surely exit Thailand on our next Cambodia visit. I’m looking forward to authentic Thai food! 🙂
wow! that is just about P54?.. super affordable! Hope we have this kind of street pho vendor here in Manila too 🙂 That will be great! I only get my pho noodle cravings in Pho Hoa here 🙂
I know, right?! It’s super affordable! I am willing to pay triple just to have that pho goodness. And I tell you Pho24 nor Pho Hoa can match the taste of this street pho. 🙂
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