WILMINGTON–Pho Basil opened this week, located between South College Road and Kerr Avenue; but it’s only the latest restaurant to offer the iconic Vietnamese soup.
A simple soup, Pho is made from a highly aromatic broth seasoned with cinnamon, star anise, roasted ginger and other spices; after simmering for hours, the soup is usually served with a protein and rice noodles, along with a side plate of bean sprouts, chilies, herbs and citrus. Although there are numerous semi-Americanized versions of the dish, many Vietnamese restaurants still serve the soup with raw beef — including offal cuts like tongue and tripe — that poach in a broth that is served very hot.
While many restaurants offer a vegetable version, strict vegetarians and vegans should note the broth is usually made from beef, ox and chicken bones, so ask if you absolutely want to avoid meat products.
Pho has developed into several regional variations within Vietnam, and the post-war diaspora of Vietnamese refugees has helped bring the dish around the world.
Here are five places around the city to get your fix, or, if you’ve never tried it before, to become a convert.
Sakura
When the strip mall housing Sakura –along with Saigon Market, a favorite of local chefs, was sold to make way for the Kerr Lofts development, several readers wondered what would become of the no-nonsense Japanese restaurant. While Saigon Market announced it would re-open in a new location off Kerr Avenue, for months Sakura co-owner and chef Tony Nguyen said he had no idea what his next move would be.
Nguyen has since confirmed that Sakura will ultimately move to a shopping center on Cinema Drive, just across from its current location on Kerr Avenue.
While Sakura serves several Japanese specialties, it also features a deep menu of Pho varieties, including meatballs, chicken, and several cuts of beef.
You can find the Sakura menu here; the restaurant also has frequent daily specials.
For the time being, Sakura is located at 125 S. Kerr Ave. Sakura is open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily, open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Pho Café
Husband and wife team Kiet and Hahn Nguyen ran the popular Saigon Bistro on Front Street in downtown Wilmington for several years, before a bout with cancer forced Hahn to step back from the restaurant industry. With her health on the mend, she and her husband got back in the game, leaving some of the complicated French-inflected cooking of Saigon behind and focusing on Pho and Bahn Mi sandwiches–a natural pairing–in a shopping center off of Market Street.
Pho Café serves a variety of Pho styles, including beef, chicken, seafood, vegetable and just the straight broth. It also serves Bún bò Huế, a spicy beef soup from central Vietnam; a close relative of Pho, this spicy soup has a dark stock flavored with lemongrass.
Pho Café is small and take-out might be your best option, as the limited seats fill up quick. You can find photos of the restaurant’s basic menu on Pho Cafe’s Facebook page.
Pho Café is located adjacent the Pawn USA in the shopping center at 3926 Market St. The restaurant is open 11 a.m.–9 p.m. daily.
Pho Basil
Co-owner and chef Cindy Nguyen’s new restaurant is the latest addition to Wilmington’s Pho scene. Located just a few doors down from the relocated Saigon Market.
It’s probably unwise to tackle the whole seven-page menu in one visit, and if you’re focused on Pho, you still have plenty of options–plus a host of Banh Mi if you’re in a soup and sandwich mood.
Pho Basil is located in the University Square Mall at 812 S. Kerr Ave. between Kerr Avenue and South College Road. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m.–9 p.m. daily.
Asian Fusion Noodle House
With dishes across Asia–including curries, noodle dishes and soups–Pho at Asian Fusion Noodle House sits squarely at the crossroads of a number of different cooking traditions.
For the brave, there’s an all-beef version with tendon, tripe and meatballs, as well as versions with chicken or vegetables. Apropos the name, the restaurant also served a fusion-style chicken noodle bowl, that borrows from the Pho recipe while adding fresh ginger, lemon and curry.
You can find the restaurant’s lunch and dinner menus here.
Asian Fusion Noodle House is located opposite PetSmart and near Target at 4724 New Centre Drive. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, except on Wednesdays when it is closed. Note: Asian Fusion Noodle House does close slightly earlier on Sunday evenings, around 8:30 p.m.
Indochine
A long-standing favorite, Indochine takes its name and cuisine from the colonial-era name for what is now several distinct countries, each with their own culinary style. Indochine features dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and elsewhere, as well as reputable selection of sushi and sashimi.
Indochine does have a Pho on its menu, as well as its lunch time “build your own soup,” which has some very familiar elements–chicken bone broth, rice noodles, cilantro and basil. And, like Pho Café, it serves Bún bò Huế, the close relative of Pho born in the central Vietnamese city of Huế.
You can check out the menu for yourself here.
Indochine is located at 7 Wayne Drive, off of Market Street. The restaurant often closes after lunch and then reopens, so customers should mind the hours:
- Monday 5–10 p.m.
- Tuesday 11 a.m.–2 p.m; 5–10 p.m.
- Wednesday 11 a.m.–2 p.m; 5–10 p.m.
- Thursday 11 a.m.–2 p.m; 5–10 p.m.
- Friday 11 a.m.–2 p.m; 5–10 p.m.
- Saturday Noon–3 p.m; 5–10 p.m.
- Sunday 5–10 p.m.
Send comments and tips to Benjamin Schachtman at ben@localvoicemedia.com, @pcdben on Twitter, and (910) 538-2001
