April and I met up for lunch at Hanoi House in the East Village. We were there for the pho.
Hanoi House specializes in Hanoi-style pho, and you can choose between a classic Pho Bac or their House Special (Dac Biet), which comes with filet mignon, Vietnamese breadsticks, and bone marrow. I ended up ordering the House Special, because bone marrow sounded like a really good idea. April ordered the bun cha.
My pho was served Northern Vietnam style, with pickled garlic and a spicy chili sauce on the side rather than the large platter of herbs, bean sprouts, and lime that often accompanies pho in the south. The soup was topped with plenty of scallions and thinly sliced onions, and the broth had a deep, rich flavor from being simmered for 24 hours.
Vietnamese breadsticks, quay, are long, airy sticks of fried dough, similar to Chinese youtiao. They’re often served with pho in Northern Vietnam.
I love bone marrow, so instead of dipping the breadsticks into the soup, I used them to scrape the soft, warm marrow out of the bone and straight into my mouth. So good.
We also shared the Papaya and Pig Ear Salad, which April had tried before and highly recommended. I’d never had pig ear before, but Bølle, my parents’ dog, is a big fan and happily chews through them whenever he gets the chance, so why not?
The pig ear was sliced into very thin strips and had a really interesting texture that was both crunchy and quite chewy. It was a really good dish, and one I’d happily order again.
Another great meal in New York City.
Hanoi House, 119 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009, United States
