Phở Sườn Bò Bến Thành Beef Shank Pho

Post by Chiefeater VK

First meal after arriving in Ho Chi Minh City was at Phở Sườn Bò Bến Thành. Naturally, I had pho.

I ordered the Beef Shank Pho, with sides of beef meatballs and bánh quẩy, the Vietnamese version of the familiar fried dough stick or “Yau Cha Kwai”.

The broth had good flavour.

Clear and savoury without needing much intervention from the condiments on the table.

The beef shank itself was less impressive for me. The pieces were really small and thin, so there wasn’t much opportunity to enjoy the texture of the beef.

Surprisingly, it was the beef meatballs that I liked most.

They had a lovely firm bite and a really good beefy taste. That springiness is important with a meatball like this — firm enough to give resistance when you bite through it without becoming rubbery.

The bánh quẩy was useful for soaking up some of the broth, although I still prefer eating these while there is enough crispness left in them.

But perhaps the best part of this meal wasn’t actually in the bowl. We were sitting upstairs beside the windows, overlooking the busy intersection outside. Motorcycles, cars, pedestrians and buses constantly moving below us.

Quite an introduction to Ho Chi Minh City while eating my first bowl of pho.

Pricing

Bánh Quẩy – VND9,000
Beef Shank Pho – VND125,000
Beef Meatballs – VND75,000
Coca-Cola – VND30,000
Lime Soda – VND35,000
Cold Towels × 2 – VND6,000

Subtotal – VND280,000
VAT (8%) – VND20,000
VAT (10%) – VND3,000

Total: VND303,000
Average per pax: VND151,500

MVX Summary

MVX Score: 7.8/10

M – Meal Value
VND151,500 per person including drinks is reasonable for a comfortable sit-down pho restaurant in central Ho Chi Minh City. The broth was good and the meatballs were excellent, although I would have preferred more substantial pieces of beef shank.
Score: 7.5/10

V – Venue
The restaurant itself is comfortable, but sitting upstairs beside the windows made the experience. Looking down onto the constant movement along Lý Tự Trọng added considerably to my first meal in the city.
Score: 8.5/10

X – X-Factor
The beef meatballs were the food highlight with their firm texture and beefy flavour, but that street view was probably what I will remember most about this meal.
Score: 7.5/10

Business Hours

Open Daily
07:00 am to 10:00 pm