I am Pho Review

Pho is a beautiful thing. The coming together of broth, noodles and thinly cut beef, in my humble opinion, represents a trinity of perfection and comfort. That is, of course, if it is done well.

I have been visiting ‘I am Pho’ for some time now. The restaurant opened in China Town last year in June, and very little has changed since then. Its small clinically lit dining area, lovingly adorned with photographs of beach sunsets and long-tail boats, remains packed at lunch and dinner throughout the week. The Vietnamese staff are brisk, but extremely helpful; guiding you through the menu with a pride that is palpable, even within the Hanoi kitsch surrounds.

What invites the diner, down into this little basement restaurant, is the heady aroma of bubbling beef broth and Thai basil. Smells that easily overpower the less inviting neon glare, of its neighbour, Long Legs Strip Club. The décor evokes memories of East Asian food courts, with plastic flowers taking centre stage, and white shiny tiles epoxied to every visible surface. Visually, the restaurant isn’t anything to shout about, but then it doesn’t need to be. The food is so damn good; I would happily eat it while standing in the car park across the street, with the droll thump of K-pop, blaring miserably from the local Chinese supermarket, as my only company.

The Pho is of course the main event. The broth itself, has an intense flavour, achieved through the inordinately time consuming process, of boiling beef bones and trimmings to a stock. It is heavy with hints of star anise, cinnamon, cloves and ginger and an earthy smack of fish sauce. The soup is served with a side of Thai basil, beansprouts, lime and chillies, that the diner can add as they see fit. But, for me, what really makes this place special, is their condiments: Hoisin sauce and beef paste, made in house, and the inevitable Sriracha sauce and chilli oil for heat.

Slurping is absolutely necessary! The soup arrives red hot, and resorting to a fork, will simply not do. One could wait for it cool down, but by now you are probably salivating out of every imaginable orifice and the only way forward is to suck, chew and huff and puff through every last mouthful.

While you must come to ‘I am Pho’ for soup, the sides and lunch options are equally good. Their Bánh mì (a baguette stuffed with roast pork, greens and condiments) is moreish, and makes for an excellent lunchtime alternative to similarly priced fair at the Arndale food court. If pho alone isn’t enough, then the house made summer spring rolls are a great choice, and can be ordered with a variety of fillings. Also on offer is a variety, of stir fried noodle and rice dishes, fresh juices, a huge selection of sides and some suspect dessert options.

Please don’t be surprised, as I was, if an excited and inquisitive toddler interrupts your meal. The owners regularly invite their family to eat at the restaurant; the sight of kids running under tables, while staff shout and bat at them playfully with menus, only adds to the brilliantly chaotic atmosphere of this little gem. More often than not, you will feel like you have accidentally wandered into a Vietnamese household; with the clack of woks ringing from the kitchen, and the loud rising and falling tones of the waiting staff intermittently rousing you from your Phoey trance.

All in all, you are unlikely to spend more than a tenner on an excellent bowl of soup and a beer. This is why ‘I am Pho’ remains one of Manchester’s best-kept secrets, but I doubt that this will last for long.