Phở Quỳnh
Phở Quỳnh is a very iconic pho spot that's popular, especially since it's near the party stretch of Bui Vien Walking Street. And something that's interesting about Vietnamese food culture is how all local foods can be eaten at any time of the day - you can even enjoy pho for breakfast like we did! As a person that has eaten at this popular joint at different times of day, I would recommend ordering certain items at specific times of day! The two must-trys are Pho Bò Kho [79K] (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew) and Phở Tái Bò Viên [79K] (Beef Phở with Rare Beef and Beef Meatballs). My personal recommendation would be to order Phở Tái Bò Viên in the day and Pho Bò Kho at night!
Their Pho Bò Kho had a thick sweet savoury gravy that was wonderfully meaty and flavourful! Not forgetting the thick chunks of braised beef, I also loved the carrots that were fall-apart tender. Even thought the stew is fantastic, I recommend throwing in some pickled garlic and shrimp sambal they have on the side. I guarantee you that the additions will make this stew so incredibly moreish that you will gulp down every single drop like my hubs did!
In fairness, we didn't get a chance to try their Phở Tái Bò Viên at night but we did find that it was the most popular choice in the morning! It was one of the more meatier and full-bodies pho broths we've tried in ho chi minh, which made it so incredibly satisfying! Don't forget to squeeze in some lime juice for a nice refreshing kick. If you are a garlic lover like me and enjoy some heat, throw in some pickled garlic into the broth!
