A Hanoi pho enthusiast favorite, the Thuy's Pho with Beef Tendon shop has been handed down through two generations and two distinct locations.
Le Xuan Huynh and his wife have helmed the restaurant for 14 years, taking over from her parents. The family started selling pho in 1990 at 2 Thuy Khue Street. When the parents retired, Huynh moved the business to its current location at 17 Thuy Khue, opposite Chu Van An High School.
Mornings at the restaurant are busy, with beef expertly sliced, rare meat blanched, and bowls of pho delivered to eager diners. The menu offers a range of options, priced between VND50,000 and VND80,000 ($2.13 to $3.41), catering to diverse preferences.
Making a delicious bowl of pho requires meticulous attention to ingredient selection and preparation. The front stall serves as a display of fresh ingredients, with two pots of fragrant, boiling broth and an assortment of beef, herbs, and spices. Huynh sources all the ingredients from a trusted supplier with whom he has had a long-standing relationship.
Each day, at 4 a.m, Huynh's family and workers wake up to prepare the ingredients. The beef is sorted, cleaned, and filtered. The eye of round steak is freshly cut on-site, and all ingredients are used up during the day, never stored overnight.
The broth, the heart and soul of pho, undergoes a careful process to preserve the family heirloom taste.
Huynh blends natural flavors such as anise, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, simmering them with bones for approximately 21 hours. The result is a sweet and fragrant broth infused with aromatic herbs. The restaurant serves hand-cut noodles in generous portions.
As a traditional-style noodle eatery in Hanoi, the restaurant's menu offers eye round steak, flank, brisket, and, notably, their signature dish, beef tendon. Huynh named the restaurant after his wife Thuy.
The preparation of beef tendon follows a secret recipe passed down through generations. Timing is crucial to achieve either crispy or tender tendon, depending on the guest's preference.
The beef tendon here is delightfully crispy, not chewy, making it a joy to savor. Diners can enhance their experience by adding lime juice, garlic vinegar or chili sauce to the broth. They can also order fried dough sticks for a more satisfying meal.
Regular customer Thanh from Cau Giay District said: "I frequently stop by this place for breakfast on my way to work. I normally order the beef tendon pho due to its tender tendons, and the aroma of cinnamon-infused broth adds a refreshing and awakening touch to my mornings."
With around 10 tables, the restaurant is almost always full, especially during peak hours from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Limited parking space along the small sidewalk may require customers to park on the opposite side, although this can be inconvenient during school hours.
The restaurant welcomes customers from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the morning, and from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the evening.
