Pho has a special place in our hearts. It’s the soup that warms our bones on the coldest Canadian days and provides a kind of comfort only a noodle soup can provide.
Phở or pho, pronounced fuh, is a Vietnamese soup dish consisting of a rich, beef bone broth, long chewy banh pho rice noodles, bean sprouts, fresh herbs like cilantro, and often meat. There are many varieties and it is by many, considered Vietnam’s national dish.
According to Cuong Hyunh, creator of lovingpho.com, it is believed that pho originated in the Nam Dinh and Hanoi regions of Northern Vietnam, shortly after the French colonization of the country in the late 1880s. It was popularized around the world by refugees fleeing after the Vietnam War. The pho eaten in Ontario is most often pho nam and is more heavily spiced and heavily garnished with herbs like Thai basil. Eating pho though, is a choose your own adventure. At many restaurants, it is served with heaping plates of fresh garnishes and plenty of sauces for the table.
At the newly opened second location of Hanoi House, a popular Vietnamese restaurant in Peterborough, they take their pho very seriously. Beef bones are boiled for several days with aromatics and plenty of onions. Their house special is served with beef brisket, rare tenderloin, beef balls, tripe and tendon. They also have chicken and vegan versions available for something a little different.
They’re serving up all the classics. Think piping hot bowls of pho, plus bright and herbaceous vermicelli bowls, shrimp fresh rolls and broken rice. Broken rice is exactly what it sounds like: fragments of rice that were broken during harvest, milling or transport. Due to the different size and shape of the grains, broken rice has a different, softer texture from “unbroken” rice and absorbs flavours more easily. It is often served with barbequed pork and a sunny up egg. At Hanoi House, they serve it with lemongrass chicken, pork, tofu or grilled shrimp.
Susan Tung opened this location of Hanoi House on Landsdowne Street just before the closures hit Ontario. A long time restauranteur, she also runs a location in downtown Peterborough and knew their was a hunger for good quality, fresh food that would be worth the risk. The business is booming and the team behind both spots are excited by the possibilities. For instance, they’re now also offering many of the harder to find Vietnamese grocery items such as rice noodles, paper and fish sauce to avid cooks.
Hanoi House is definitely a must-eat location for anyone visiting Peterborough – especially in the colder months. We can’t wait to come back!
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This content was created with support from Kawarthas Northumberland. For more ways to eat, stay and play in Kawarthas Northumberland, visit: kawarthasnorthumberland.ca. Follow @PerfectWknds on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
