This Vietnamese national dish can be traced back to the early 20th century in the north of Vietnam, where pho’s story arc began humbly as a mere working-class dish. Fast-forward to today and pho’s place among iconic Vietnamese dishes remains unrivaled (with all due respect to the banh mi).
The rise to international stardom for this revered, slow-simmered bone-broth soup with slurp-able rice noodles, razor-thin sliced meats and its spectrum of vibrant garnishes was meteoric. Often cited as a Top 100 dish worldwide, it is the quintessential Vietnamese meal. In Vietnam, pho is devoured around the clock, breakfast included, and the streets are dotted with more pho food stalls than you’d ever be able to sample.
Punctuating pho’s arrival on the international culinary scene was its induction into the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2014.
OK, enough with the pho background. Let’s eat.
The dining space at Pho Duc is minimalist, clean and comfortable. And the customer service was A+.
Nick Reynolds
Before we get to the reason we came (the pho), let’s go over some of the other standout dishes we loved here. To start, we ordered a simple barbecue pork banh mi ($6.95) topped with cilantro and fresh jalapenos. This was a straightforward banh mi, no frills, but very effective. The bread, Vietnamese baguette, was crunchy, and the barbecue pork was delightful.
Next was another of our Vietnamese favorites – bún ($15.70). A heaping bed of fluffy vermicelli rice noodles topped with a bevy of bright garnishes (cucumbers, lettuce, bean sprouts and green onions), chopped Vietnamese egg rolls and finished with a drizzling of fish sauce for an oomph of umami. This dish encapsulates everything that Vietnamese fare is all about. Yes, it has a lot going on, but like so many other Vietnamese dishes (pho included), the ingredients in this bowl harmonize beautifully into a perfect medley of bold, savory flavors.
One of our dining partners ordered a bowl of duck curry ($16.95). Potatoes, carrots, taro and sinfully tender pieces of duck rest in a spiced golden curry. Supremely aromatic with subtle coconut notes, this was sublime. If you don’t go for the pho (which you absolutely should), go for this. The curry at Pho Duc is worth the trip alone.
Now, finally, the pho. The protein options range from traditional choices like chicken, flank steak, tripe, tendon, and meatballs to your more decadent options like filet mignon, fatty brisket, oxtail, duck and hulking two and-a-half-pound beef ribs (sheesh). If you’re really looking to splurge, Pho Duc also has a wagyu beef pho served in a stone bowl for a cool $49.95. Maybe next time. This day, we had our eyes fixated on the oxtail pho ($18.95). The broth, peppered with cilantro leaves and green onion, was robust and deeply rich, and the oxtail was fall-off-the-bone tender. With a requisite splash of sriracha and hoisin sauce, this bowl of pho was executed perfectly.
Oh, and do yourself a favor – get the Thai tea here and thank us later.
What’s the best measure of how good a restaurant is? To us, it’s simple. Would you go back again? Would you go back again multiple times? Can you see yourself becoming a regular there? As far as Pho Duc is concerned, our answers would be yes, yes and yes.
Pho Duc, 5224 S. State Hwy 360, No. 240, Grand Prairie. Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Pho Duc has two locations: Grand Prairie and Midlothian. We visited the Grand Prairie shop.
Nick Reynolds
