Rating: 5/5
Tucked beside Hang Da market’s bustling edge sits Phở bò Tựu, my go-to phở bò fix for over two decades. This isn’t just another phở joint—it’s an institution that’s outlasted food trends, survived the Instagram era, and still makes me question how something so simple can be so damn satisfying.
Twenty years I’ve been coming here. TWENTY. YEARS. That’s not loyalty, that’s a culinary marriage that’s outlasted most Hollywood relationships.
What sets this place apart is their mastery of two two things: the meat and those remarkable eggs. Every phở bò joint that achieves legendary status makes great meat, and this place is no exception. The beef arrives in thick, generous slices are just perfect – substantial enough to satisfy yet tender enough to surrender at the touch of your chopsticks. Order the tái nạm-gầu combination, and you’ll discover what might be Hanoi’s perfect marriage of fresh, lightly cooked beef and those richer, more indulgent cuts that carry the soul of the dish.
Then there are the eggs—Neither quickly blanched nor overcooked, they achieve a perfect gooey consistency with whites cooked just enough. For those who (gasp) break their eggs into phở, I forgive you here-it creates a rich texture that takes the already excellent broth into something even more unique and satisfying. Of course, I’m talking about my daughter.
The broth itself deserves its own moment of appreciation. Clear yet distinctive, it speaks of hours of patient simmering, the kind that extracts every molecule of flavor from bones and spices without becoming overpowering. This isn’t broth that needs to announce itself with excessive salt or MSG—it’s quietly confident in its depth.
This is Hanoi’s phở at its best. It’s love at first spoon.
While their phở sốt vang (stewed-beef phở) has earned its own loyal following, I remain faithful to their traditional phở. Some relationships don’t need reinvention.
In an era where restaurants constantly reinvent themselves to stay relevant, Phở bò Tựu stands as testament to the power of perfecting a single dish. I’ll be back next week, obviously. And probably the next twenty years.