Indyfoody’s Blog

Pho Ga, Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

There are times when you come across a dish that is so simple and sublime that you wonder how you could have lived prior to that first perfect taste.  This is how I feel almost every time I tuck into a big bowl of Pho Ga (pronounced ‘Fuh Gah’) at my favorite Vietnamese noodle restaurant, King Wok on Lafayette Road here in Indianapolis.

For those of you that may be unfamiliar with Vietnamese noodle soup, when it is served to you in the restaurant, you get a large bowl of a clear broth with a pile of rice noodles in the bottom of the bowl. In the broth itself are some slivers of beef or chicken (depending on which variety you order), some slivers of green onion, slivers of yellow or white onion and maybe some fresh cilantro leaves. A plate of garnishes accompanies the soup, which contains bean sprouts, a lime wedge or two, some sprigs of Thai basil and some thinly sliced jalapeno or serrano chiles.  I also like to add a bit of chile-garlic paste and a squirt or two of Sriracha chile sauce.  Now that may sound incredibly hot and spicy, but that is the beauty of Pho. You adjust the heat to your own taste.

So, if you’ve never tried  Pho I strongly encourage you to give it a shot. But I must warn you to make sure you are really hungry, because this soup is deceptively light but very, very filling.  And if you are ever in Indianapolis, please stop by King Wok ( 4150 Lafayette Rd. Indianapolis, Indiana, Phone: 317-295-8090 ). I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.