Adam, an American. and Kathryn, a Canadian, have a great passion for travel. They have been to many countries, such as Germany, Denmark, Finland, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

On their YouTube channel with 220,000 followers, the couple posts videos about their travel experiences, attracting hundreds of thousands of viewers.

In Vietnam, Adam and Kathryn set foot in many famous attractions such as HCM City, Da Nang, Quang Binh and Hanoi and tasted local specialties.

They commented that Hanoi is one of the most wonderful culinary centers. In the city, they tried many good dishes, especially pho bo (noodles served with beef).

The couple enjoyed pho bo at a restaurant on Bat Dan street in Cua Dong ward in the central business district of Hoan Kiem as suggested by a Vietnamese tour guide.

The restaurant opens at 6-10 am and 6-10.30 pm, specializing in serving pho bo. There are three types of pho bo – pho tai (pho with eye-round steak), pho chin (well done brisket pho) and pho tai nam (rare beef and brisket pho), priced VND50,000-60,000 per bowl.          

This is one of the most crowded pho restaurants in Hanoi. Sometimes diners have to queue for their turn because there are too many diners. They place orders with the chef, make payment at delivery, and bring bowls of pho to their seats themselves.

Adam and Kathryn visited the restaurant in the evening. Though they came early, the restaurant was full. There was a long queue in front of the restaurant, and even tables on the sidewalk were occupied.

After placing orders and finding seats, Kathryn said she was excited to experience the taste of Northern-style pho for the first time in the capital city.

“We tried southern-style pho in HCM City and heard that the taste of northern-style pho is a bit different,” she said.

She noted that Northern pho noodles have larger size. Also, in the south, pho is served with many kinds of herbs, while in the north, only coriander and green onions are used. The other big difference is that the broth of northern pho has the aroma of simmered beef bones, and is clearer and lighter. 

Adam said Northern pho broth is strong in flavor and has a characteristic smell of beef. He said northern pho was more suited to his taste.

Thao Trinh