Vietnamese Pho @ Nichinan Pho, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka

 

Back on the noodle trail again. And this time it isn't ramen. I am very fortunate that I live in a part of the country that is an international palate in terms of the restaurants in store. So picking something not local is a breeze. Although getting Malaysian food will be hard, but dishes from its neighbours are aplenty. One of which is Vietnamese. 

Le menu

Nichinan Pho is a restaurant located smack in the middle of the Tenjin area. And it specializes in, you guessed it, pho. This place was highlighted by a local friend, and she is usually spot on with her food recommendations. And since it has been a while since my last Vietnamese meal, might as well give it a go. 

Such beauty

The shop sells great pho as you might have guessed. And they provide a variety of the famed noodle soup. They all start out with that clear and herbal broth, but you can choose the toppings of beef, beef with garlic, fish cake or chicken. I ordered the chicken for the first time. Meanwhile, my 2 other companions for today had the beef pho and beef with garlic pho. 

Silky

The broth itself was just magical. It was so clear, that it may seem like coloured water. However, there was so much depth and character to it. A meaty punch comes right through you during your first spoonful of the broth. It was rather clear, so there is no oil that will stick between your teeth or on your tongue. The herbal aftertaste comes once you chuck it down the gullet. It was refreshing and had a "green" taste, lacking a better word. I had the chicken this time, and I really enjoyed it. It was nothing special but it was comforting and still pretty tasty. 

Beefy

My fellow eating compatriots gave high praises on the beef version. As such, I decided to have the beef on my second visit, and I have to say it does taste better. The deeper flavour of red meat gave off a better contrast of profiles when compared to the soup. And if you like your flavour punch to be like a rising dragon, then garlic beef is the way to go. 

What a bounty!

There are also some sides to round up your meal. We ordered a sharing platter that had a variety of tasty treats. So if you are not sure what kind of starters you want and you are with a group of people, then this is the way to go. The most memorable thing on the plate was rather the sauce, which was made of fermented shrimp. It may put off some people, but I actually liked it a lot. Worked really well with the fried tofu that came with it. Each to their own I guess. 

Simple beauty

I also ordered a plate of fried rice on another visit, and I was rather impressed with it. It was rather simple, being just egg and veggies with rice. But it was fried rather well and the smokiness was very distinct. Enjoyed it in the bucketloads. 

A bit hard to find, but worth the trouble. 

The place is a bit hard to find as it is on the second floor of an unassuming office block. But once you find this humble joint, I am sure you will have a great meal ahead. The food is great, the environment is homely, and the prices were decent. A bowl of pho is either 690 yen or 710 yen , depending on your toppings. The sharing platter we got stood for a modest 890 yen. So if you would like to have a great bowl of noodles or just want to have some great yet simple grub, then the address is as follows:

2nd floor, 3 Chome−4−15 2F Fukuoka-shi, 4, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0001