Isaac, a US YouTuber specialising in food, travel and lifestyle content, recently travelled across Vietnam and devoted much of his time in Hanoi to experiencing the city’s street food scene.

Pho quickly became the highlight of his culinary journey.

Over the course of a single day, he sampled six pho dishes at four different eateries and found himself impressed by the creativity and diversity behind Hanoi’s most famous noodle dish.

“Even though they’re all different, every bowl is carefully prepared, balanced and full of flavour,” he said.

Traditional pho bo starts the journey

The food tour began with a bowl of traditional northern-style pho bo.

Isaac chose Pho Bo Lam on Hang Vai Street, a long-standing local favourite known for its pho loi, a beef pho featuring tender core muscle cuts.

The restaurant was included in Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list in 2025 and is more popular with local regulars than international tourists.

After ordering a traditional rare beef pho, Isaac immediately praised the broth.

“The broth is clear and light but still very deep in flavour from hours of simmering beef bones and roasted spices,” he said. “The noodles are soft, the beef is thinly sliced and the spring onions cover the entire bowl.”

He also ordered quay, Vietnam’s fried dough sticks, tearing pieces into the steaming bowl before eating.

Although he had tried Vietnamese pho many times in the United States, Isaac said the atmosphere in Hanoi made the experience completely different.

The restaurant opened at sunrise and closed before noon, with customers constantly coming and going.

Pho ga and pho tron offer a completely different experience

At lunchtime, Isaac visited a pho ga restaurant on Hang Dieu Street to try two more versions of the dish: traditional chicken pho and pho ga tron, or mixed chicken pho.

He described chicken pho broth as lighter and more delicate than beef pho, with a subtle sweetness.

“They told me the dish uses free-range chicken,” he said. “The broth smells of ginger and onion, seasoned with fish sauce. I really liked how soft and juicy the chicken was, with a gentle ginger aroma.”

The mixed pho version completely changed the experience.

Instead of broth, the bowl featured rice noodles tossed with shredded chicken, herbs, roasted peanuts, fried garlic and a thick savoury sauce.

As someone who already enjoys dry noodle dishes, Isaac said pho tron perfectly matched his taste.

He repeatedly praised how well the ingredients blended with the rich sauce.

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Pho sot vang and fried pho complete the adventure

In the evening, Isaac headed to Tho Quan Alley to try pho sot vang at a long-running local restaurant crowded with Hanoi diners.

The dish, rarely found in the United States, excited him immediately.

Unlike traditional pho, pho sot vang features a reddish broth influenced by red wine.

“The beef is slowly braised with red wine and spices, creating a much richer and more layered flavour,” Isaac said. “The broth is bold and warming but still keeps the essence of pho.”

Late at night, the American traveller continued his food adventure with two unusual late-night favourites: crispy fried pho and stir-fried pho.

The crispy fried pho featured crunchy fried noodle sheets topped with beef and vegetables in a thick savoury sauce, while the stir-fried version impressed him with its smoky aroma and sizzling heat.

“The crispy pho reminds me of crispy noodles with sauce in Thailand,” he said. “And the stir-fried pho looks heavy at first, but it’s actually very balanced and delicious.”

Isaac described the entire experience as “a successful travel day” after discovering so many different styles of pho in Hanoi.

He said the city does not simply serve pho - it defines the identity and standards of the dish itself.

Many international viewers commenting below his video also said they were surprised by the variety of pho dishes in Hanoi, while others admitted pho was one of the reasons they wanted to return to Vietnam.