Vietnamese pho breaks into global list of 20 best soups

CNN has included pho bo (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) in its list of 20 best soups in the world along with China’s Lanzhou equivalent and Thailand’s Tom yum goong.

"Broth is simmered for hours with cinnamon, star anise and other warm spices to create a wonderfully aromatic base for this rice noodle soup," American news channel CNN said of pho.

A bow of pho bo (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) is served at a restaurant in Hanoi.

CNN said by 1930, the soup was served with slices of raw beef cooked gently in the broth and today pho bo remains the most beloved version in Vietnam, with options that include the original raw beef, a mix of raw and cooked beef, brisket and tendon.

Pho is made and served across the country though it originated in Hanoi and was taken to the south, where people added their own touches. The noodle soup has been getting rave reviews from global travel magazines for decades.

A bowl of pho bo in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi cost from VND30,000 to 50,000 ($1.32-2.20).

In HCMC, tourists can try a bowl of pho at famous restaurants like Hoa, Phu Vuong or Le while Bat Dan, Thin, Ly Quoc Su are the most popular addresses in Hanoi for original flavors.

The CNN list also includes French Bouillabaisse, Spanish Gazpacho, American Gumbo, Myanmar's Mohinga, Japanese Tonkotsu ramen and Soto ayam from Indonesia.

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Source: VnExpress