Pho Pasteur
Ahh… Pho…. What is Pho? To some… it is simply a cheap eats bowl of chicken or beef broth, rice noodles and topped with some leafy greens and spices and chili sauce. To others? it’s the staple food for Vietnam, today’s meal for the cost-conscious college student, or what I consider - the best hangover cure for anyone the morning after a good night out. Pho Pasteur is one of my favorite spots to take guests in Saigon. It’s not some big chain, not even close to fancy - I’d say if it was a place in the states, it would barely get a Grade B (I’d say C is a safe bet) but it’s just simply DELICIOUS!!!!
The menu is simple.. it’s Pho… there is a menu in English so don’t fret. On the table, hopefully, will be items you can snack on while waiting for your bowl of pho. Off the top of my head, I don’t remember what everything is but you have the chinese bread sticks, those long sticks wrapped in banana leaf are called Cha Lua (it’s a Vietnamese ham/sausage… or what I call Vietnamese Spam) and a few other things. Now you pay for what you eat, and the waitress in the end will calculate the costs. The menu here is pretty standard…. Pho with beef, tripe, tendon, meatballs, chicken etc… you pick what you want and it’s roughly $2 USD a bowl.
I love pho but what makes me love it more in Vietnam is the assortments of toppings to throw into your bowl. All sorts of lettuce and vegetables that you don’t seem to get anywhere else in the world. For some individuals, they tend to go overdo the vegetation! :P
All in all, there is not much to say about Pho Pasteur except it is an excellent place to come eat pho if you are ever in Saigon. Tip for the first timers, most likely it will be blazing hot as it IS southeast asia after all…. walk to the back of the restaurant and you’ll find a staircase. Head upstairs and there are two gigantic rooms WITH air conditioning to cool off the weary traveler while you enjoy a hot bowl of pho.
Rumors have it, THIS is the inspiration for the infamous worldwide chain Pho Hoa. It is funny though since there are signs in the restaurant disclaiming that and any affiliation to the chain. I’m sure somewhere back then this was how Pho Hoa started. If you do plan on making a trip out here, don’t worry - EVERY cab driver knows of Pho Pasteur. This has been around for more than 40 years and hopefully it’ll be around for another 40 years!
Pho Pasteur
260C Pasteur Rd : District 3 : Ho Chi Minh
+84 8 3829 7943
