Steamy Secrets: Ho Loi’s Hidden To A Famous Bowl

Tired of overpaying for a simple bowl of pho? Discover how to craft this iconic Vietnamese dish right in your own kitchen with Chef Ho Loi's exclusive recipe - packed with authentic

For nearly 40 years, Ho Loi Pho has been more than just a familiar eatery to the locals - it’s a place where the essence of Vietnamese cuisine is preserved in every bowl. Now run by Ho Thi Mai Hoa, the daughter of founder Ho Loi, the restaurant continues to uphold its traditional flavors and time-honored pho-making secrets.

In this article, pho expert Ho Loi shares the detailed steps of crafting a legendary bowl of pho - from preparing beef bones and simmering broth, to making crispy fried dough sticks - so you can recreate this iconic dish right in your own kitchen.

Bowl of Pho with toppings. Source: Staste

Starting at the Core: Beef Bone Broth

A great bowl of pho begins with a high-quality broth. According to Hoa, treating the beef bones properly is crucial to achieving a clear, naturally sweet broth without any unpleasant odor.

Soaking one with lime, salt and ginger. Source: Staste

The bones are soaked in a mixture of lime, salt, and ginger for eight hours to remove impurities and odors. Next, they’re briefly blanched in boiling water for about 25 minutes, rinsed with clean water, and then simmered continuously for 12 hours. The result is a light but rich broth, both savory and sweet.

Ingredient Prep

Beyond the broth, the distinctive aroma is what gives Ho Loi pho its soul. Hoa explains that onions, shallots, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, and black cardamom are roasted until fragrant before being added to the pot. Once prepped, the herbs and spices are handled carefully: scallions and coriander are finely chopped using a machine (or by hand at home) and mixed evenly. Shallots are gently crushed to release more flavor when sautéed or added to the broth. Ginger is cleaned, halved, or crushed to intensify the soup's fragrance.

Onions, shallots, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, and black cardamom are roasted. .Source: Staste

At home, even without professional equipment, you can chop everything by hand without sacrificing authenticity. The roasted spices are tied in a mesh bag and dropped into the pot, ensuring flavor is evenly infused without clouding the broth. When seasoning, Hoa prefers using rock sugar and premium fish sauce for a natural sweetness. The broth is often enriched with a layer of beef fat for extra depth, though this can be skimmed off to suit your preference.

Ginger cut in half to enhance the flavor of the broth. Source: Staste

Toppings - Customize to Your Taste

A well-rounded bowl of pho is never complete without a variety of toppings. At Ho Loi Pho, options are extensive and tailored to different tastes and types of pho. Popular choices include rare beef, well-done beef, brisket, tendon, flank, beef shank, stewed beef, bone marrow, and more.

Bowl of Pho with toppings. Source: Staste

Homemade Fried Dough Sticks - The Crispy Bonus

If the broth is the soul of pho, then crispy dough sticks (quẩy) are the highlight that completes the culinary experience. Unlike many places that use store-bought dough sticks, Ho Loi Pho makes them fresh daily, ensuring they are always hot, crunchy, and fragrant. Thanks to the craft passed down from a quẩy artisan, you can also make them at home.

Making homemade Dough Sticks. Source: Staste

The dough consists of wheat flour, salt, and baking powder. It is kneaded thoroughly, divided into small portions, wrapped in plastic, and left to rest overnight in the fridge. The next morning, the dough is cut into equal pieces and fried in hot oil. When they turn golden brown and puff up with a crispy shell, they’re ready. Drain off the oil and serve them alongside your pho. The best time to enjoy quẩy is fresh out of the fryer - dipped in savory broth, they’re soft outside, crispy inside, and irresistibly good.

Dough Sticks left to rest overnight. Soucre: Staste

Plating and Enjoying - A Moment of Full Flavor

Once all ingredients are ready, it’s time to assemble your bowl. Rice noodles are briefly blanched in hot water to soften, then placed in a bowl with thinly sliced beef. Ladle the steaming broth over, and top with scallions and coriander. Customize with chili sauce, garlic vinegar, or lime to taste. A few pieces of crispy dough on the side complete this rich, unforgettable pho experience.

A full-topping bowl of Pho. Source: Staste

Now it’s your turn. With these step-by-step instructions and secrets from the Chef at Ho Loi Pho, you can recreate a legendary bowl of pho right in your own kitchen. Start cooking and let tomorrow’s breakfast overflow with the delicious taste of Vietnamese pho!

Pho - a quintessential dish of Vietnamese cuisine - is believed to have originated in the early 20th century, around the 1900s, in the Nam Dinh or Hanoi region. Although there is no definitive record of its original creator, many studies suggest that pho emerged as a result of culinary exchange between Vietnamese and French traditions, drawing inspiration from the French beef stew “pot-au-feu” and incorporating the Vietnamese practice of serving broth with rice noodles. Over the past century, pho has evolved from a humble street food into a cultural symbol representing Vietnam on the global culinary stage.

What condiments does your family usually eat Pho with?

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• Chilli sauce
• Garlic vinegar
• Lime/Kumquat