When the weather turns chilly here in Virginia, there is something I look forward to as much as a plate of fat, in-season oysters: a steaming bowl of the Vietnamese noodle soup pho.
I could eat a bowl of pho (pronounced "fuh") every wintry day. It's always a delicious and affordable meal.
The dish took a long path to our tables here in America. When the French colonized Vietnam in the late 1800s, they did what all colonists do, which was to bring their recipe books along with them. One of these dishes was the peasant staple Pot-au-Feu, which is simply vegetables and tough cuts of meat cooked for hours until tender.
And like all people subjugated by a foreign power, the Vietnamese adapted their own local ingredients to the dishes imposed upon them. The result in this case was the hybrid bowl of soup we call pho.
A massive wave of Vietnamese refugees came to America at the end of the Vietnam War, and I'm thankful they brought their pho recipes with them.
In Virginia Beach, one of the better versions is served at Saigon #1 restaurant. Near the intersection of Newtown Road and Virginia Beach Boulevard, it's a small, worn-around-the-edges kind of place with an extensive menu.
But don't be intimidated by the pages filled with unfamiliar-sounding dishes. Stick with the pho when it's cold outside and you can't go wrong. The No. 75 (beef stock and rice noodles served with thinly sliced round steak) is my perennial favorite. At $7.75 for a large bowl, it is also one of the best deals in town.
What makes the pho so compelling at Saigon #1 is the broth, laden with the richness of long-simmered marrow bones and plenty of aromatics such as onions and ginger - probably charred and caramelized over an open flame before being sunk into the stockpot. A hint of cinnamon and clove also lurk.
While some pho fans can't wait to slurp up a wad of the thin noodles with their chopsticks, I hold off to savor a couple of spoonfuls of broth first.
The wait staff always brings a side dish of herbs and vegetables so you can tailor the soup to your liking. The plate has bean sprouts to add crunch, leaves of Thai basil to be torn into your soup to add a licorice back note on your palate, and cut limes to squeeze in for a fresh, acidic lift. My preference is to always take a slice or two of fresh jalapeno pepper and bury them in the bottom of my bowl to steep. By the time I make it down there, the heat of the peppers has infused the remaining broth to give me a spicy finale.
The kitchen also offers versions of pho made from chicken or seafood, or a vegetarian option. I have sampled them in the past but have always found the broths to be thinner in flavor and much less satisfying. I always return to the beefy variety.
If you show up at Saigon #1 completely famished, there are some appetizers worth sampling before you dive into your pho. They serve some of the best crispy fried spring rolls ($3.25) in the 757, accompanied by the tasty but not overpowering nuoc mam dipping sauce. An order of shrimp toast ($3.25) comes to the table surprisingly light and fluffy for a fried dish.
If you want to get adventurous with your beverage, try the Vietnamese coffee ($3.25). It's brought to your table in its own metal filter, slowly dripping into a puddle of condensed milk at the bottom of a glass. When it's done brewing, you mix it all together and sip it as is, or you can pour it into an ice-filled cup. The result is like a sweet espresso milkshake.
Whether feasting or simply enjoying a bowl of pho, you will walk away from Saigon #1 warmed to the core - and with enough money left in your wallet to finish any last-minute Christmas shopping.
Steve Attenweiler, sasmatt2001@gmail.com
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the spot
Saigon #1 Vietnamese Restaurant, 448 Newtown Road, Virginia Beach
the vibe
Low-rent strip mall motif, which equates to low prices
to try
All things pho during the winter. Save the menu adventures for the warmer months.
if you go
Hours 11 a.m to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays
Cost Various appetizers $3.25 to $3.95, Banh Mi $3.90, pho $6.25 to $7.75
Parking Plenty of spaces available in the adjacent parking lot
Contact 518-0307