Unphogettable broth adventures

Pho. It's a staple in Vietnamese cuisine and something that fanatics can't help but fall in love with. I've always had close Viet friends and been privileged to indulge in their mum's homemade broths and concoctions. I've also travelled to the country (it is one of my favourite holiday destinations) and had the real deal there. So when it comes to dining out for pho, there's stiff competition in the memories of my tastebuds.

I decided to put two of the most highly recommended authentic venues in Perth to the test. First off was Trangs in Marangaroo which I've eaten at quite a few times but actually hadn't tried the pho somehow! 

Trangs is laid out like most Vietnamese cafes, with plastic tables and chairs throughout. There's sauces and chopsticks on the table, and particularly pleasing is how clean the space is. The pho tai's broth is a little murky but the flavour is decent, and the noodles are a great texture. I love the generous amount of herbs they provide and the hot chilli which cuts through the broth to provide extra vibrancy.

The raw beef looks the party and mostly tastes great though there are a couple little gristly bits. I'm happy to eat around that though because the dish is really tasty. A great offering and I'm pretty sure it's only around $10.00 which is definite bang for your buck.

Other dishes we tried at Trangs were the pork chop with rice and the stuffed chicken wings. The pork chop was delicious and giant, though we did feel that the chicken wings couldn't compete with the ones at Tra Vinh in Northbridge. 

The other restaurant we tried in our battle of pho was Hu Tieu Thanh Liem in Mirrabooka. Noted as one of Perth's best places for pho in publications including Feast, we were expecting great things. The pho tai was only 50 cents more expensive than Trangs, but flavour-wise it really hit the bullseye mark. 

The broth was clearer than others I've had in Perth, but it was extremely tasty retaining that beef and oxtail flavour that makes a great pho. From when I was little to now I've been told the perfect pho should make you sweat a little when eating because you can't help but bury your face in the bowl - and this one definitely delivered on that front. 

The chilli provided was H.O.T! Love that punch to your senses as you consume a hot chilli, and this one brought sparkle to each slurp. The beef was tender and melt in your mouth, though the noodles were a little chewy (but forgivable for all the other great elements). 

It might seem a bit out there to say, but I'm calling this as the best pho I've tried in Perth at a restaurant to date. And for those who haven't been, it is definitely worth a try!

You should also try their Vietnamese pancake which is a dish that's not as common here in Perth (but something I survived on when on holiday there). Crispy, flaky outside with fatty pork, shrimp and sprouts inside. It's so tasty to wrap up in lettuce and dip in fish sauce. Mmmm!

If you think there's a better pho place I need to try - let me know. As you can tell, I love the search for a wonderful bowl of Vietnamese broth goodness.