What the Pho !?

Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup that has become popular around the world and is considered one of the most famous representatives of Vietnamese cuisine.

Pho is traditionally made from pho noodles, beef, and a rich bone broth commonly made from beef-bone. The broth is additionally flavoured with a variety of spices including cinnamon, anise, grilled ginger, cardamom, cloves, coriander seeds, and dry onions.

With pho’s increasing recognition, the food has crossed over into the drink scene with bartender Pham Tien Tiep inventing the Pho Cocktail in 2012 for his entry to the Diageo World Class cocktail competition. The Pho Cocktail didn’t disappoint—winning him “Best Bartender in Vietnam.” While initially this combination might sound strange, don’t worry! The cocktail doesn’t have any broth or meat in the drink and instead combines the usual pho spices of star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon mixed with gin, orange liqueur, and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Not only is the Pho Cocktail a unique combination of flavours, witnessing the crafting of the cocktail is not to be missed. For this impressive presentation, the bartender sets up a tall metal apparatus with three layers of saucers, packing each with anise, cinnamon, and cardamom. The bartender then lights the gin and Cointreau and pours it through the metal apparatus. Passing through each saucer, the flaming mixture becomes infused with the sweet flavours of the spices.

The alcohol is then strained over ice into a glass, garnished with a cinnamon stick and herbs, and served with red chilli, lime, and a pair of chopsticks to spice your drink to taste, just as you would a bowl of pho! The resulting cocktail is described as more savoury than sweet, with a rich, herbaceous, and uniquely Vietnamese flavour. Moreover, the dazzling display fittingly encapsulates Vietnam’s vibrant city life.

Enjoy a Pho Cocktail with Vivu Journey’s popular ‘What the Pho?’ tour. This itinerary gives travellers the chance to experience authentic pho as well as more untraditional renditions of this iconic dish. Experiencing all that pho has to offer is the best way to get a true taste of Vietnam!

Pho the love of pho, please contact us at [email protected] to learn more about this Vivu Journeys‘  experience.