Today's post is about another trek out to Cabramatta in Sydney. I wanted to try out 'Pho Viet' in John street which I had heard so much about from friends and other blogs/posts. As soon as  I stepped off the station I could smell the aromas of food cooking all around me..here I come.  I spend the first hour shopping for groceries at Eastland shopping market. Here is like the Bunnings of Asian food...I will save that for another post.
Pho Viet is one of the first restaurants you pass as you enter John street. Apparently it has been around for 30 years so it has to be good. It's also one of Luke Nguyen's (of Red Lantern fame) top choices for Pho.

I enter and sit down (on my own again) to a very large "American Diner style" eatery with huge flatscreens TV's playing Vietnamese music. It's loud and peculiar but fun. The Vietnamese love it.
 The staff were mesmerised but that didnt detract their polite and friendly nature. The usual setting of laminate tables, condiments in baskets and free tea await me. It's a cold Wednesday so the tea hits the spot. The only item in the condiments tray that struck me as somewhat out of the norm was the hot English mustard??? If anyone can tell me what that is more , I would appreciate it.

I order the Bun Bo Hue Dac Biet. Translated to Beef pork noodle hot chilli soup for $11.00.
Before I receive my order , a generous plate of bean sprouts and herbs arrive with a wedge of lemon on the side. I am tempted to pick at it but patiently wait.

My soup arrives in the most enormous bowl on earth. Hard to tell from the photo, But I am sure this could feed a family of four.
It is filled with a spicy, slightly oily broth that has chilli floating all over it. Underneath lies beef strips, pork bones, noodles, white onions , Vietnamese cha lua (ham) and coriander.

The surprise in the soup was this rectangular, blood tasting block  thingy that I tried but just couldn't repeat, so left it alone. Poor bugger. I am not here to be a hero.

Adding the herbs made the soup more heartier and flavoursome and there was no need to go for the condiments basket stuff as  I usually do  like to take my food to another level. It was already there. I started to sweat so the only thing I reached for was the tissue box. The staff looked at me and smiled. I am sure they were secretly giggling at me....
I never thought this bowl was ever going to finish. I kept finding more goodies to put in my spoon. The chilli heat started to creep up on me and that's when I decided to stop (sadly) and call it quits for the day.
I definitely could say that I happily lapped up my bowl like a dog on treat day.....will be back here.

I highly recommend this place for fast friendly service , a good feed and value for money.
15 John street Cabramatta.  02 9728 6657.