From $2 Street Pho to $100 Luxury: Food Vlogger Explores Vietnam's Iconic Dish

American food vlogger Sonny Side, creator of the YouTube channel Best Ever Food Review Show, has explored the vast spectrum of Vietnam's national dish, pho, by comparing a humble $2 street-side bowl with an ultra-luxurious $100 gourmet rendition. In Hanoi, the birthplace of pho, Side visited a 70-year-old family-run stall on Bat Dan Street. He experienced a traditional Northern-style bowl featuring a crystal-clear broth, rich beef essence, and fragrant hints of charred ginger and scallions. He praised the meticulous craftsmanship, from the tender noodles to the succulent beef cuts, describing the Northern flavor profile as delivering “the pure essence of beef radiating through every single spoonful of broth.” He then traveled to Ho Chi Minh City to explore Southern pho, known for its broader variety of cuts, bolder seasonings, and bountiful herbs. At a cozy local joint in a narrow alley off Ho Hao Hon Street, he enjoyed a bowl brimming with flank, tendon, rare beef slices, and a rich layer of scallion fat (nuoc beo). Southern pho is distinguished by its heaped basket of fresh herbs, lime, chili sauces, and a gently sweet, aromatic broth. The climax of his journey was the $100 luxury pho at Ănăn Saigon, by award-winning chef Peter Franklin. This creation marries modernist culinary techniques with deep reverence for Vietnamese heritage. The decadent bowl is prepared with seven different cuts of beef, including prime Angus tenderloin, beef tongue, tendon, shank, flank, short rib, and artisanal beef meatballs. The broth simmers for 12 hours before careful clarification, and the dish is finished with premium black truffle shavings. Reflecting on the tasting, Side noted: “The broth is incredibly rich and silky, and pairing it with these top-tier ingredients makes it a truly worthwhile experience.” From a $2 sidewalk classic to an opulent $100 fine-dining masterpiece, each stop offered a fresh perspective on Vietnam’s signature comfort food. Whether North or South, street-cart or Michelin-starred, pho remains the true heartbeat of Vietnamese gastronomy: balanced, nuanced, and endlessly inventive.