Review: Pot Au Phở

At Pot Au Phở, Vietnamese banker turned chef Peter Cuong Franklin sets new standards for Vietnam’s beloved noodle soup, his 10-course tasting menu deconstructing phở and then reassembling the iconic bone broth. Inspired by French and Japanese fare, Cuong also plays with molecular cuisine and jellied consommé, even paying tribute to French chef Paul Bocuse’s legendary black truffle VGE soup. Perhaps the most cherished dish is Mom’s mì Quảng, a traditional prawn and pork turmeric noodle soup prepared by his mother, Nguyễn Thị Như Thừa, at her Đà Lạt rice noodle shop; he was sent to the US as a child refugee, and they reconnected 30 years later. Housed in the same building as Cuong’s Michelin-starred Anan in the thick of the wet market on District 1’s That Dam street, the soup counter is designed for just 14 guests. Order the Phojito, mixed with fresh herbs and spices like cinnamon and star anise.