Pho, as it turns out, is considered Vietnam’s national dish. The origins of pho are not well-known but it’s a recent invention, starting in the early 1900’s. It’s actually a hybrid of soup meets dish – a delicious combination of clear broth (usually beef or chicken), thin cut meat slices, and several garnishes (a variety of herbs (typically thai basil) , vegetables, spicy pastes and a wedge of lemon of lime. During the pandemic, it became my “go-to” dish and remains so. And even though it’s a soup, it’s one of those dishes that has no season – it’s great any time of year.
For more on Vietnam’s national dish, pho has already been well-covered by multiple excellent articles on the topic, available online. One of my favorites is by Eater and the other “Everything You Need To Know About Pho” by worldoffoodanddrink.worldtravelguide.net.
