Happy Hump Day everyone! I thought I would continue my trip down memory lane by telling you about this amazing restaurant in Huntersville called Pho Ginseng. Being Korean, I particularly love Asian food, but one of my all-time favorite things to eat is Pho. It's extremely hard to find someplace that serves real, authentic Pho around here - a few places do it well, but not GREAT. So I was especially excited to find this little gem tucked away in the Rosedale Shopping Center in Huntersville!
(For those of you who don't know, Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, noodles, herbs and meat. They simmer the bones for hours with various spices. It's served with condiments such as bean sprouts, hot peppers, green onions and a variety of dipping sauces. It's like the American equivalent of chicken noodle soup - but much, much better.)
The outside of the restaurant is nothing spectacular, but I've learned not to be fooled by that - some of the best places I've eaten at have been barely larger than my bedroom, The first thing that gets your attention is the smell. I've been in several Asian markets and the odor that hits you the second you open the door is unforgettable, and walking in the door was just like that. Aromas of spices and broth filled the air as we walked to our table. The restaurant was almost empty, but then again it was also later in the afternoon on a Saturday. We ordered our drinks and turned our attention to the menus, which were big and laminated (good in case of spilled soup), with lots of descriptions and pictures. We both ordered the same thing - PHỞ ĐẶC BIỆT - which consists of their amazing beef broth (which I could drink straight all by itself) with rare steak, beef meatballs and rice noodles. I also added quail eggs to mine, at a low price of $0.50 for two.
Let me tell you, the broth alone deserves recognition. They do it RIGHT, cooking the bones using the low-and-slow method, and it works. As you can see in the picture, the broth is perfectly clear (which you want) but the spices you get with every spoonful are just amazing: Saigon cinnamon, five spice, garlic, ginger... the perfect blend of sweet and savory. They serve the Pho with the proper accouterments: Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges, cilantro and chili peppers. Soy sauce, Sriracha and Hoisin sauce were also readily available on the table.
To say that this soup was delicious doesn't do it justice. It was decidedly the best Pho either of us have ever tasted. The combination and ratio of spices were impeccable. The noodles and meat were cooked exactly right (the beef was rare, and only cooked when the broth was poured over it). The quail egg was cooked but, when I bit into it, still had a delectable runny yolk. As the broth was so delicate, I didn't want to overwhelm it with too many other flavors, so I only added a few bean sprouts and very light Hoisin and Sriracha, which only intensified that umami flavor that I crave. Chris was equally as happy with his bowl and for about 15 minutes, all you could hear was the sound of satisfied slurping. What made it that much better is that it was a chilly, rainy day - what's better than a warm bowl of goodness on days like that?
One thing I do need to mention is that we both got SMALLS - that bowl was huge! We could have easily gotten one bowl and split it! As it was we ended up having leftovers, which were just as good a few days later, save for the fact that the noodles broke down and got a little squishy (for lack of a better word). Believe me when I say that that was the only bad thing about it, and it wasn't even technically bad. Chris and I have both said that we will be eating there all the time once we move to that area. To the guys at Pho Ginseng, you are doing an awesome job - this is truly food porn at its finest! What I have written here doesn't do your food justice. In the infamous words of the Terminator, "I'll be back."
No comments:
Post a Comment