Sensory Pho

Smell the scent of freshly plucked Thai basil, the rich beefy aroma of the gently spiced broth; hear the slurping of noodles and crunching of a crispy spring roll. Eating pho and Vietnamese spring rolls has a ritual surrounding it, elements of seasoning and cooking at the table, and a variety of flavor, texture, and temperature which engages the senses and satisfies the appetite.

Upon arriving at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Nam Son, in the Chinatown of Manhattan, New York the first thing we do is wash our hands. Tea arrives in a small pot. It is common for one person to pour tea for the whole table. I pour some for Amanda and myself. Amanda uses a paper napkin to wipe down the chopsticks, small sauce bowls, and spoons and lays them out in front of us.  We place our order: Vegetarian spring rolls to share, beef pho, and chicken pho.

The spring rolls arrive with a plate of green leaf lettuce leaves, stalks of fresh mint, and a small bowl of sweet vinegar seasoned with fish sauce.  These are eaten by wrapping the lettuce around the spring rolls with a few leaves of mint and dipping in the sauce. The greens are crisp, cool, and slightly wet to the touch, the spring roll hot, crunchy, and slightly and rich. The sauce is weighty on the tongue, gently balancing sweet and sour.

Large bowls of steaming pho are added to the table. Thinly sliced beef is on top, to be cooked instantly as it is stirred into the soup. The pho is served with a plate of bean sprouts, Thai basil, and lemon wedges.  The bean sprouts are added to the bowl and stirred to cook with the beef in the hot broth.  Thai basil and squeezed lemon can be added as you like, releasing their fresh aromas. Into a small side dish is squeezed hoisin sauce and chili paste–to be incorporated into spoonfuls of the soup.

A bowl of good pho has many textures. Tripe is cooked so it maintains a satisfying snap when bitten. Bean sprouts provide a slight crunch, beef tendon is gelatinous, sliced beef is tender, and the noodles are slick.

Using chopsticks; noodles, beef, and vegetables can be placed into the spoon with choice of chili sauce or hoisin sauce (or both) and slurped, or just eaten directly from the chopstick. Pho is often eaten quickly (this is working person’s food) and is best when still piping hot.

Hand washing, the pouring of tea, and cleaning of utensils are shared rituals that help us bond. Cooking and seasoning at the table connect us with the food and allow us to add a personal touch for our own enjoyment and the variety of textures and flavors adds interest to the meal, making an exciting experience that keeps us coming back for more!