Page 71 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2016

It’s a clear beef broth soup that’s loaded with beef, rich noodles, and a wonderful array of fresh herbs and peppers. Super chef Anthony Bourdain calls pho “a steaming bowl of goodness” and it is nothing less.
You might also be familiar with banh mi, or the Vietnamese take on a French sandwich made with a crusty baguette. Look for crusty baguettes filled with Chinese style red roasted pork, pate, jalapeños, Vietnamese style cold cuts, cilantro, and that wonderful combination of pickled daikon and carrot. Please don’t ask for mayo — the condiment of choice here is soy sauce.
Another specialty is the pork chop. It’s marinated
in something sweet before it’s grilled, so it comes out caramelized and drop-dead delicious. It’s normally
served with steamed jasmine rice and a delightful dipping sauce.
One of my all time favorites is grilled pork and shrimp, served over rice noodles, with a side of that same delicious dipping sauce. Still another great choice is the beef stew. No, it’s not the beef and potato stew that you might be used to, but it’s a savory stew, loaded with beef, meaty carrots, lots of onion, and a few cuts of beef you may not be familiar with. Don’t ask, just enjoy! The beef stew is traditionally served with crusty French bread to sop up all that lovely sauce.
If you’re a novice to Vietnamese food, get on your game face and take the plunge. If it’s been a while since you did Vietnamese, get back on the horse and you’ll never regret it. Henry’s is at the top of the list.
ABOVE: CLASSIC VIETNAMESE pork chop. BELOW: VIETNAMESE STYLE po-boy.
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January 2016 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 71