Delectable meal. Of the highest earthly quality, fresh from the wombs of Da Nang. The expertise on…read morethe Pho is beyond incredible. The aroma, the texture, the broth brimming with flavor, the added toppings, all formed the concrete masterpiece of a Pho.
But let's get into depth, because the paragraph above did not display the true depth of it's greatness.
Let's say your friend recommended you a Vietnamese restaurant. You tried a few prior but most of them were mediocre. So you were hesitant but decided to give it a try. When you went up to the entrance, you took a half-a-second peek. The entire restaurant was clean like the slate of a canvas. Once you stepped inside, your nostrils embraced the fresh smell. Even before you could have the opportunity to take a good in-depth look around, that smell made you know everything. You knew it was going to be clean and sparkly, hygienic and orderly. You knew it was going to be a refreshing spot, and you were right! And afterwards, recovering from the intense first impression, you were greeted with welcoming staff, guided to a shiny wooden table, seated on a comfortable chair, and had the ability to choose from a menu filled with variety of meals worth slobbering your tongues over for. You looked at the menu, drool escaping your mouth, frothing perhaps? Whatever, what was important was that you saw utopia. The meals displayed as mere pictures and words already gave you a preview of near future delight, that increment, that sample was almost enough to satisfy the chimeras of your imagination, apart from the actual consumption of-course. Once you ordered, the pearly smile of the waiter inspired hope, like a promise your wishes were to be fulfilled, and there, you dallied with the scenarios. You dallied with how you would greet your meal, that good good Pho... how you would approach it, shake it's hand with the tips of your chopsticks, and slurp it up. You fiddled with your thoughts for quite some time! But suddenly, there! Here she was walking towards you, the same waiter. After 10 minutes of anticipation, the relentless tapping of the leg excited for it's treat, you finally received it. Boxed into a clean bowl, you got to whiff the contents. You prepared your sticks, and dived right into it! Headfirst! The long noodles were whirled into your mouth, you could feel the slimy texture. The smell of the broth, the taste of the broth, the pork, the toppings, the little onions, it was heaven on earth and you witnessed it first hand! After a while, you finished the bowl. You devoured the last pieces, and poured the rest of the broth into your mouth. You took a napkin and wiped your pho-broth-smothered lips and gave a "whoo!" expressing your content. You paid the bill and gave a 15$ tip and walked slowly out the restaurant, taking your time just to slowly hug the smell of your beloved diner, as if it was goodbye. Your hands reached the door handle, a tear welled up in your eye as you gave a quick look back. There was the waiter, there was your ex-table, there was the rest of the smiling staff and the enjoying guests. You mouthed "farewell" and took a step back into the real world, free from the dreams of cuisine. "Will I ever get to see you again?" You heard yourself utter.
That was my experience. As you can see. Thank you for everything To Pho.