It’s not something people talk about a lot but whenever I bring up phố there is enormous interest about where to eat it. People are always interested in the best places to eat in Victoria Street Richmond. When they hear I have a list of the best local phố restaurants from a phố expert in Sydney their notebooks and PDAs come out as they copy out the list. I discovered the “I Love Phố” exhibition that was held in Liverpool in NSW through Noodlepie, a blog with a distinctly Vietnamese slant. Cuong Phu Le, curator of “I Love Phố” was hoping to take his exhibition that covered poetry, art, installations, recipes and the food itself national and international (If Matt Preston is reading you should bring it down for the food festival). A 64 page booklet was produced which really is an amazing homage to the noodle soup. The only thing missing is a podcast (I may just put one together) on how to pronounce phố. About a year ago I was about to fly out to Hanoi and I was filled-in on the minute detail of hoe to pronounce what I was told is “feu”. My language was hi-jacked by f**dies who thought they knew how to pronounce it but didn’t. I successfully ordered my first phố in Vietnam, in a small hotel in the old town, only acheived by simply ticking a box on a slip. I sat with my back to the window and didn’t see the kitchen hand negotiate the early morning traffic of thousands of mopeds and bicycles with a tray of the soup. I was eating street food and a love affaird with it started. I dumped my guidebook realising that the best food was on the street.All I had to do was follow the crowds of locals and the best food in Hanoi would be mine. Of course, it wasn’t that simple. Try ordering “pho” or “feu” and you aren’t going to come away with much as I discovered phố isn’t pronounced that way. Anyway, it is a little easier to order the soup in Melbourne and for the record these are the places I was recomended. Is there any restaurant missing from the list? Pho Dzung Tan Dinh 208 Victoria St Richmond 3121 VIC Phone: (03) 9427 0292 Pho Dzung City Noodle Shop 234 Russell Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Phone (03) 9663… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Pho
George Orwell's Moon Under Water versus the real thing

Moon Under Water, George Orwell, Evening Standard, February 1946 George Orwell: My favourite public-house, the Moon Under Water, is only two minutes from a bus stop, but it is on a side-street, and drunk[...]
Should I attend Taste of Melbourne 2012?

Win prizes by reviewing restaurants for Google and Zagat The good news is that after years of decline Taste of Melbourne has rejuvenated itself, upgrading the restaurants exhibiting their food and moving t[...]
8 of the biggest restaurant review takedowns ever

This week a review of a TV chef's restaurant in the New York Times went viral after a slamming from critic Pete Wells (below). These kind of reviews are as much about entertainment, especially coming from U[...]
Takeaways from Eat Drink Blog 3

The SA Tourism Minister Gail Gago talks to food bloggers. Who'd have thought it? The South Australian Minister for Tourism Hon Gail Gago speaking to 90 or so food bloggers at Eat Drink Blog 3 conference. M[...]
A Mexican Table fights for Fitzroy St

There I am, sitting opposite someone who has had more botox than expected and a smooth, smooth forehead. It's the polar opposite to the chef to my left who has the hairline of Mel Gibson, the intensity of R[...]
Fringe Food events
- Amphora wine dinner in Gourmet TravellerMax Allen mentions our Amphora wine dinner being held at Virginia Plain next Tuesday in Gourmet Traveller: “A growing number of our most talented and adventurous winemakers are fermenting and maturing grapes in almost exactly the same way our distant ancestors made wine thousands of years ago – by throwing large bunches of grapes or […]
- Amphora dinner menuGlenn James from Ducks in a Row with T’Gallant’s Kevin McCarthy and the vessel used to make Pandora’s Amphora. What: Amphora Wine Dinner at Virginia Plain When: Tuesday 13 November 2012 7pm Where: Virginia Plain, 31 Flinders Lane (next to Cumulus Inc) How much: $110.00 (plus 30c booking fee) How to book: Booking only through […]
- Cult amphora wine dinner at Virginia PlainGlenn James from Ducks in a Row with T’Gallant’s Kevin McCarthy and the vessel used to make Pandora’s Amphora. What: Amphora Wine Dinner at Virginia Plain When: Tuesday 13 November 2012 7pm Where: Virginia Plain, 31 Flinders Lane (next to Cumulus Inc) How much: $110.00 (plus 30c booking fee) How to book: Booking only through […]
- Beer & Bird MenuDid I mention that I loved working with Ron O’Bryan? (yeh I think you did once or twice – Ed.) Here’s the menu for next Tuesday’s feast … turducken! pigeon! fried chicken! quail kiev! Deep Fried Gaytime !!! (no I’m not sure what that is either but it sounds darn nice and I’ll stop using […]
















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