Pho Real! Phenomenal Pho: A Flu Remedy

Saigon Entrance 

Flu season is amongst us!  During these times we all have our own secret remedies that get us through these tough times.


My personal favorite is hot soup, but not just any hot soup, Pho or Japanese style ramen noodles.  I prefer the ramen noodles, but it is hard to find quality fresh ramen noodles in Indianapolis.  The word "fresh" and "ramen" is hard to imagine in the United States.  We are used to Maruchan packaged ramen, but there is such a thing as "fresh ramen" in the East!  Regardless if I am sick, depressed, hungover, or all of the above I always fall back on my lifesavers.


Since it is difficult to find quality ramen in Indianapolis, Pho has become my new best friend.  A little background on Pho, this rice noodle soup dish is from Vietnam. Fresh basil, bean sprouts, jalapenos, lime, your choice of meat, fish sauce! I love fish sauce, it is like the ketchup to your fries or the soy sauce to your Chinese food. Variations of the dish can be found in  other parts of Southeast Asia. 

My Personal Favorite: Egg Noodle Soup with Pork
Saigon

Pho Rice Noodle Soup with Beef, Basil, Lime, and Bean Sprouts
Saigon

Recently I went to Saigon Cafe, located on 38th and Georgetown Road.  This is their new, bigger, and modern space.  If anyone in Indianapolis remembers, this was located on 30th and Lafayette Road about three months ago.  The restaurant is now in an old Bob Even's restaurant, which looks like an old Bob Evens on the outside, but on the inside is a different story.  Other than the food, my favorite aspect about this restaurant is that they have a bar where you can eat your food.  Places like Asia and New York have bars at the restaurant, this brings back memories. 

Saigon Noodle Bar (Unofficial Name) 

Kitchen View at Saigon

Dining Area at Saigon

The bar reminds me of when I grew up in Japan and Korea. My mother would take me to eat ramen noodles on special occasions or when she was in a good mood.  This was "our" time to spend together.  This was special to me because my mother never wanted to eat out.  She felt that eating out was a waste of money and unhealthy, she still feels this way, but she was willing to throw these beliefs out the window to spend time with me. 


To find  great Pho, two resturants that I frequent the most is Saigon and King Wok.  When I worked at SARAGA International Grocery as a cashier, I would see both owners of these restaurants buying their produce and dry goods here, they work hard.  It is interesting to see the transition of these simple products that the restaurant owners buy from this grocery store to being served on my plate at the restaurant.  I know for some people the thought of this eliminates the "magic", but for me it is a work of art.

Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant

King Wok Vietnamese Restaurant 

When you get sick this flu season , instead of eating chicken noodle soup, try this phenomenal pho and see how it works for you. It works for me every time! 

Saigon

4760 W 38th St
Indianapolis, IN 46254

317.927.7270

King Wok

4150 Lafayette Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46254

317.295.8090