Phở Thìn Lò Đúc

Phở Thìn Lò Đúc is a well-known phở bò shop at 13 Lò Đúc in Hanoi's Hai Bà Trưng district, in northern Vietnam. It is famous for phở tái lăn, a variation on the classic bowl in which slices of raw beef are stir-fried in a hot wok with garlic before being placed in the bowl and covered with broth. The result is a smoky, garlicky flavour that distinguishes it from the cleaner, lighter phở served in many other Hanoi shops. The beef is tender and lightly seared, the noodles are soft, and the broth carries a rich, savoury depth. The restaurant also serves phở bò chín (well-done beef), and many diners add quẩy, the fried dough sticks, to dunk in the soup. The dining room at the Lò Đúc branch is plain, crowded and functional. Tables are simple, plastic stools and metal tables are typical of the neighbourhood, and bowls are prepared in quick succession by the staff. There is no dress code, the atmosphere is basic, fast and busy, and the noise level is high at peak hours. The focus is on the food and the turnover rather than on décor. Prices are low, with a typical meal costing about 60,000 to 90,000 VND per person, and a bowl with extra beef or quẩy adds a little more. There is no alcohol or wine programme to speak of; hot tea and soft drinks are the usual accompaniments. Hours are listed as daily 6AM to 9PM, but hours vary and the phở often sells out by evening, so earlier visits are safer. Reservations are not taken, and diners simply find a seat and order. Breakfast and lunch are the most reliable times to eat. Visitors who want to compare Hanoi's phở styles often try this shop's stir-fried version alongside a traditional boiled-beef bowl at a shop such as Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn in the Old Quarter. The restaurant is a short taxi or motorbike ride from Hoàn Kiếm Lake.