Pho Minh

This is my second installment regarding my pho-nomenal week on a budget. If you have been following my blog, you may notice that I have posted about this place quite a few times. Service here is quick and efficient and if that has already grabbed your attention, how about affordable? At about $10 for a small bowl of pho (which is more than enough to keep me filled, taking into account that I have a huge appetite!), this is definitely the place for the budget-conscious consumer!

As usual, the waiting staff will ask what type of noodles you prefer (go with fresh!) and if you want your beansprouts cooked or fresh (also go with fresh!) and this is pretty standard regardless of what pho variation you have in mind. I have also realized that some of the staff speak very basic English and have a thick Vietnamese accent so do make sure you speak clearly to them. You may have to repeat yourself but I find that pointing out what you want on the menu helps.

On every table lies a basket of sauces for customers to mix and match according to their preference. I like having an extra kick of chilli in my pho and hence, always make sure I have at least 2 teaspoons of dry chilli, 1/2 tsp of fresh chilli and a good splash of fish sauce to unite all the individual components together.

Three bean sweet - I am a huge fan of red beans and this is my must have at every Vietnamese restaurant. The bottom layer consists of a chunky red bean paste, the middle layer is made of slices of green jelly and the top layer is shaved ice. You do need to mix everything in the drink together before slurping it up. Trust me, you will not be disappointed with the end result. A very cooling drink to have during summer!

There are a decent selection of fruit smoothies available and although I have not tried all the flavours, I find that the ones I had sampled did not taste too bad at all.

I like ordering a bowl of pho with beef balls and fresh beef meat in it but if you are an adventurous foodie, you can try out the other types of pho toppings available such as ox tail, intestines, tongue etc etc. From memory, the same soup base is utilized for every bowl that hits the table.

No bowl of pho is complete without additional garnishes such as Thai basil leaves, sprigs of mint, a handful of beansprouts and a good tbsp of sweet onions. I find that these extra garnishes gives the soup extra flavour and aroma. Best part is that you can personalize the pho by adding your own preferred quantities of each garnish. There is no limit to this at all!

A steaming bowl of beef stock, infused with a traditional Vietnamese blend of aromatics served with fresh flat rice noodles that absorbs every molecule of flavour, topped with fresh vegetables. What more can you get for a $10 meal?