Pho

The first day we arrived in Vietnam, we asked concierge where we can eat some good pho after our 7 hr bus ride from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City.

The concierge recommended a place 10 minutes away so we walked over in the humidity to savor the first taste of Vietnam.

It was about two floors and tables were shared family style.  A majority of the patrons were foreigners:  Americans, Australians and British.  It didn't seem too promising if we didn't see any locals there however, the American next to us recommended several dishes specifically meat and chicken off the menu.  He also advised that if we spend anything more than $20 a day in Vietnam, we were spending too much.

We looked over the menu and calculated the dong conversion in our heads so most of the dishes evened out to $3 per plate.  Since I was suffering from congestion, it was recommended I take some pho but I erred on the less spicy side knowing full well this would be the real deal.

I ordered beef pho and after 10 minutes, the bowl came in with the garnishes of chili, lime, bean sprouts, and other garnishes to enhance the flavor. I overestimated with the chili and soon my mouth was on fire.  I was surprised that only one bowl satisfied my hunger as soup is usually a starter for most meals in the States.  Furthermore, I didn't even crave dessert!  Usually my meals are not complete without them so pho did a great job keeping me satisfied until dinner.