Bored of Chicken Soup? Try Pho

Chicken soup has been used as a comfort food for illness and a natural remedy for somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 years. In fact chicken soup has roots in southeast Asia, where medicinal texts indicated its invention around the same time as the domestication of fowl. It’s a classic dish for a reason, but even classics can benefit from re-invention sometimes.

Over the past decade the Front Range has seen a huge increase in soup shops including everything from Vietnamese-style pho to deli-style soup buffets. While pho, like chicken soup, has been around for thousands of years, often existing as a humble street food, the recent rise in pho shops could be attributed to a rise in Vietnamese immigration across the United States since 1975.

Pho-Ever

Erie, Colorado is known for many things, among them its classic Vietnamese restaurant, Pho-Ever. A casual restaurant with a wide variety of pho choices, Pho-Ever’s strength lies in its ability to bring tradition to the table. Dishes like pho tai gan take rare beef and turn it into a juicy, delectable soup with spices like star anise, coriander and cardamom to top it all off.

Among Pho-Ever’s long list of chicken-soup alternatives, diners will also find contemporary dishes like meatball pho. But what really makes pho an exciting alternative to chicken soup is its customization options.

Boulder Pho and Boba Tea

Another iconic Front Range pho restaurant is Boulder Pho and Boba Tea, which is located in North Boulder slightly off the beaten path. Boulder Pho and Boba Tea takes great pride in its dishes, creating traditional pho options as well as contemporary ones. Like Pho-Ever, this restaurant’s careful blend of ingredients yields itself to a high-caliber soup that makes a great alternative to chicken soup.

At-Home Pho

Soup season comes in the dead of winter when everyone is moving at a slower pace, which can make dining out feel like a chore. This often results in more home-cooked meals and kitchen experimentations. Fortunately, pho is one of those cuisine types that can be replicated with the right ingredients, techniques and spirit.

The base of any good pho is its broth. Traditional pho involves a bone broth, which is created by all-day simmering on the stove (those with little time on their hands can also create bone broth with a pressure cooker). Every bone broth is slightly different, but a traditional vietnamese broth usually involves the addition of anise, coriander and cardamom.

At the same time, pho lovers can prepare their choice of meat, which is generally thinly sliced, and placed into a bowl before becoming slightly cooked by piping hot broth. The addition of rice noodles, and vegetables to taste completes the dish, leaving foodies with a delectable, comforting bowl of soup at the end of a hard day.

Culinary tips:

• Pick the best ingredients: Sub-par meat and fowl contribute to a sub-par pho. For best results, look for quality cuts of meat or birds with a higher fat concentration. This contributes to a full, delicious tasting pho.
• Nail the broth: The makings of a good pho start with the broth. Learning how to balance salt and acidity contributes to a well-rounded soup to get you through the winter.