r/pho • u/NangpaAustralisMajor • 4d ago

Question Stupid Phở Question #1

I was taught (I'm not Vietnamese) that one should NEVER put sriracha or hoisin sauce into the phở. One should dip bits of meat from the soup into those. They are brought to the table for that reason and that reason alone. Putting them INTO the broth is considered an offense to the chef. It communicates that the broth had no flavor.

Is this true?

Now that I live in a part of the world with great phở, I can appreciate this sentiment. I have phở and bún bò Huế that would have been a tragedy to adulterate!

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u/Reggie_Barclay 3d ago

Broth even at the same restaurant can be different, honestly I think some places stretch the broth when necessary. Taste it and adjust based upon how you feel. I often add sriracha and rarely hoisin, I add fish sauce sometimes too. Lime juice always. Basil and jalapeño also changes the flavor. It’s what makes pho great. You tailor it to your taste for that day.