Pho by Halley Archbold, Dahlia Line Cook
In times of economic hardship, people often look for ways to cut back, such as giving up luxuries like dining out, or buying high quality food. These options are replaced with cheaper and more comforting food. I certainly haven’t escaped feeling my wallet get a bit lighter, but eating out at restaurants is something that I simply won’t give up. I have managed to keep going out due to one simple, comforting, and inexpensive dish- Pho.
For those who have not experienced it, pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup made with a beef broth (traditionally) and includes any number of thin sliced types of beef. Most popular is the rare eye round steak, the brisket, and the fatty flank steak, and many restaurants also offer meatballs, beef tendon, and tripe. The bowl is filled with rice noodles, broth, and the meat, and garnished with cilantro as well as green and white onions. With each bowl, a plate of bean sprouts, Thai basil, limes, and jalapenos is provided, and each table has a bottle of sweet and savory Hoisin sauce, as well as vibrant, spicy Sriracha. With all of these options, each bowl of pho can be customized to meet the desires of anyone who eats it.
Often served at plastic or metal tables under vinyl tablecloths reflecting fluorescent lighting, pho is not as glamorous as other dining experiences but it is the meager ambiance and limited menu of a pho restaurant that makes it possible to keep a large bowl under $7.
Aside from being a thrifty meal, pho has become one of my ultimate favorite comfort foods. The steaming, flavorful broth warms me from inside out, cutting through the winter chill. The beef and noodles fill me up, but the delicious broth keeps my spoon dipping back in for more until I can hardly move.
Pho, all in all, is an inexpensive, and humble dish, perfect for these uncertain times. It is simple and delicious, a lighthearted meal that I just can’t get enough of. For great pho downtown, try Spice Orient. New Vietnamese isn’t bad either. My favorite pho is in Ballard at Vietnam Restaurant, just north of Ballard High School. It’s about $6 a bowl, the service is very quick, the broth defies description, and you even get a little cream puff before your soup. So go forth and enjoy some pho!
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