Vietnamese Dinner in Chinatown

Did you know that in Vietnam people used to speak French?

I had no idea that the Vietnam was an old French colony! I discovered that the French started having relationships with Vietnam (and Indochina) pretty early, at the beginning of the 17th century! I've always thought that it was the English who went over there that early and that the French had their colonies only in India... I'm such an ignorant!

It's thanks to a taxi driver that I discovered all the history of the French colonization in Vietnam. Pretty cool to go home from the airport and on the way enjoy a history class, isn't it? 

Since then (something like two years ago) I've started being attracted by Vietnam culture and gastronomy. 

(Well, maybe I'm more attracted by the Viet food than by the Viet culture...)

Here in Paris there is a little Chinatown, down in the 13th Arrondissement (Olympiades).

Thanks to my boyfriend I've discovered one of the BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANTS OF PARIS : PHO BIDA VIETNAM.

If you pass by this restaurant you won't pay much attention to it, it looks like all the other chino-viet-thai restaurants of the block. But it's not! Their PHO is huge, the broth clear and aromatic and the choice of different varieties (raw beef, cooked beef, meatballs, vegetarian,...) can make anyone happy.

Besides the PHO they have some DELICIOUS RICE&MEAT DISHES like the one that you can see in the picture:

Steamed Riche and Grilled Crispy Pork

That dish is made of Steamed Rice and Grilled Pork. The pieces of pork are cut in very thin slices, they are quite fatty so once grilled they are crispy (more or less like bacon stripes).

I've tasted also the Steamed Rice with Grilled Chicken and Beef which is very good too!

The prices for a bowl of Pho is around 8€ (the big bowl). The other dishes cost about the same (from 8 to 10€). 

I LOVE PHO BIDA VIETNAM!!!

PHO BIDA VIETNAM

36, rue Nationale, 75013 Paris