At around 10 p.m. Pho 54 Hang Chieu, located on the street of the same name in the Old Quarter in Hoan Kiem Ward, opens its doors to customers who have already arrived and are waiting outside. Over the past four years the shop has built a following thanks to its flavors and reasonable prices.
Owner Tran Binh Vuong said the business traces back to his mother, who first opened a pho stall in 1990. It was forced to close in the early 2000s following difficulties caused by a food safety scandal involving formaldehyde found in rice noodles.
She switched to selling wonton noodles instead, and it was not until 2021 that Vuong revived the family's pho craft.
"There aren't many good late-night pho places in Hanoi, but I'm confident ours is among the top," he says, hastening to add it can well compete with daytime shops too.
The menu features tai lan (wok-seared beef), brisket, flank, slow-cooked beef stew and well-done cuts. Bowls start at VND50,000 (US$1.90) with mixed orders costing up to VND100,000 ($3.80).
Many diners return for the tai lan - beef quickly seared in a hot pan so that it stays tender but is cooked.
Customers come and go continuously between the 20 tables there, and some even ask Vuong to personally handle their order.
He says the shop's appeal lies in its method and commitment to quality ingredients. Every day he simmers 30 kilograms of beef bones for broth without reusing leftovers.
The seasoning is carefully adjusted so that the last spoonful is neither too salty nor too strong.
The shop goes through about 40 kilograms of beef a night. The meat is obtained from a local slaughterhouse, and frozen or untraceable beef is never used.
Only about 10 bowls of the inner-core cut are available every night, meaning customers arriving after 11 p.m. often miss out.
The beef stew is another highlight, with pieces cut to size and cooked until flavorful without overpowering the broth.
Because the eatery fills up quickly, patrons sometimes spill out onto the sidewalk along Nguyen Thien Thuat Street.
