Thang Ngo: Banh Mi Expert

One of the more interesting and unexpected culinary phenomena I have observed over the past couple of years has been the growth of popularity in the West of the humble Vietnamese sandwich, now referred to almost universally as banh mi or, in the States, the banh mi sandwich.

It has been quietly popular for a decade or more in the humble South-Western suburbs of Sydney where it was given the terrifically prosaic name of "pork roll." I think that hipster foodies are gradually shifting to the banh mi appellation, though where I live it will probably always remain a "pork roll."

My other half, Thang Ngo, webmaster at noodlies.com, has always been a banh mi expert, and introduced me to the joys of Vietnam's favourite processed-meat sandwich soon after we met, 20+ years ago.

He also conducted the great, and controversial, search for Sydney's best banh mi earlier this year, thereby cementing his reputation as the go-to man for all matters banh mi. And, being a purist, he still rankles at the usage of "banh mi." In Vietnamese, you see, "Banh mi" simply means bread, and the object everyone is currently enjoying is in fact called a "banh mi thit" - a meat sandwich.
Anyway, I knew that banh mi had well and truly entered the lexicon when This American Life did a story on it.
And it is still one of the cheapest, most delicious snacks you could hope for.

Pho

I enjoy a bowl of  Pho and I have some very strong feelings about it, so here goes.

The best Pho is to be had in Ho Chi Minh City - no ifs or buts. I know it is a Northern dish, but in general the quality of ingredients in the South is still far superior to the North, and the Southerners are inclined to add a little pizzazz to their Pho, while the more conventional Hanoians are content to enjoy a humbe beef broth.

Chain Pho restaurants are despicable, every last one of them. The Pho to be had at such places is quite inedible, though every day scores of Westerners are herded into such places in the name of hygiene and menus and seats that won't collapse under a hefty Western bottom. None of these factors is worth the sacrifice.

For my money I like the Pho at Pho Anh on Ky Dong St, in District 3. Be warned though that the restaurant is only open in the mornings and the evenings. Delicious pho with a hint of five spice, the crowds that jam this place are testament to its deliciousness. There is also a very good and justly famous Pho shop right around the corner from my house on Le Van Sy in Tan Binh district, just before the corner of Pham Van Hai. This is a late night haunt of some repute, and you may catch movie stars, singers and gangsters there in the small hours. This is actually the best Pho in the city, but it doesn't really have a name that I can remember.

I like Pho nam (with pre-cooked beef sliced on top), though most plump for Pho tai (with thin slices of raw beef plunged into the hot broth). My nephew also likes extras like a raw egg broken into a small bowl of hot Pho broth, and a little bowl of beef balls in soup (bo vien).

Eating Pho in the SBS Feast Food Awards

Anyone who has visited Saigon knows that eating Pho is a regular pastime in Vietnam. More than a snack, less than a meal, it is a moment in time where you can sit and enjoy an exquisite treat at a strange juncture in the day or night when hunger might overtake you - late at night when you are drunk is a perfect moment for Pho consumption, don't ask me how I know.

If you live in Australia the final word on Pho is published this week in the fabulous SBS Feast Magazine. Attached to the mag is a fantastic little booklet detailing the results of the 2012 Feast Food Awards, giving the lowdown on the best places to get the key dishes in each capital city.

Judging Pho for Sydney is a prominent food blogger and someone pretty close to my heart, Thang Ngo from Noodlies. No need to declare an interest here - crack open your copy of my book Destination Saigon and you will discover that it is dedicated to him.

So who did he declare the best Pho in Sydney? I'm not saying - get the mag and find out for yourself, as well as where you can get the best Peking Duck, Pad Thai and Tandoori Chicken all over Australia. This little booklet is a treasure that is going straight into my carry-on luggage.

And the rest of SBS Feast magazine is always terrific reading - and I'm not just saying that because Mr. Noodlies is featured this month. It is always one of the magazines I look forward to most every month, filled with quirky and subastantial stories about food and eating all over the world.