Heidi’s Hidden Gems: Pho Nguyen
BY HEIDI PRUITT
The Kokomo Post Staff
‘Hidden Gem’ - Noun. Something possessing a value or beauty that is not immediately apparent, which therefore has received far less recognition than it deserves.
Welcome to a blog series where I help you discover businesses, experiences, food and restaurants you need to know about but may have missed. Join me as I give you all the details you need to experience these hidden gems in Kokomo!
Tucked behind the Markland Mall on 17th Street, lies one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Kokomo. Pho Nguyen is a locally-owned Vietnamese restaurant and I guarantee you won’t leave hungry.
The menu at Pho Nguyen can be intimidating at first glance, but don’t get overwhelmed - I’m going to break it down for you.
The first thing you need to know…
This is a Thai Tea with Tapioca Pearls - A cold black tea sweetened with evaporated milk, spices, and chewy tapioca flour balls known as boba. There are other flavors of tea and tapioca pearls, so the combinations are endless! This is the perfect treat to start of an excursion to Pho.
My favorite menu items are as follows…
Mongolian Style Stir-Fried Beef - The sauce is so flavorful and the beef is super tender. I love all of the fresh veggies that come with it!
Grilled Pork and Egg Roll Over Vermicelli (ver-mih-CHELL-ee) -This SUPER filling meal includes Vermicelli, a thin noodle that in this dish is served chilled, pork, fresh veggies, egg rolls and peanuts. All served with a fish sauce drizzle and there you have it, the perfect lunch on the go.
Well Done Brisket Beef Noodle Soup (Pho) - Last but not least - this dish is the namesake of the restaurant. Pho is a Vietnamese soup that's made with all the good stuff: broth, noodles, beef (or other protein) and lots of mix-and-match toppings. I can’t even describe in words how amazing and comforting this soup is. I get the well-done brisket so I don’t have to worry about cooking the meat myself. BUT if you want to cook your meat upon consumption in this piping hot broth, you are able to do so! Rare steak Pho is one of my coworker Michael’s favorites!
Is there a hidden gem in Kokomo that you think I’ve missed? Tell me in the comments!
