Di An Pho | ★★ | Vietnamese | 12934 Bellaire, #108 | 281-896-0002
A Vietnamese familyFour people sitting next to me began arguing as soon as the bowls of pho arrived at their table, still hot enough that small puffs of steam rose into the air and thin slices of ribeye changed from a pinkish color to a light brown.
Don’t do that, mom,” said a teenage boy wearing Bose headphones around his neck. “Only white people do that.
His mother, pressing her eyelashes togetherSrirachainto the aromatic soup, replied in Vietnamese, “Cu an di.” In English: “Just eat.”
The teenager’s younger sister was watching a cartoon on her iPad while their mother kept adding sweet hoisin sauce to her soup, much like someone drenching fries in ketchup. Their grandmother paid no attention, quietly tearing Thai basil leaves and squeezing a lime wedge into her own bowl.
At Di An Pho, meaning “go eat pho,” there are no strict guidelines on how to enjoy this noodle soup that many regard as Vietnam’s national dish. A paper menu, which also serves as a placemat, even features a guide on how to eat pho. (To be clear: I would agree with the advice to taste the broth first. Otherwise, I’ve seen people, including other Vietnamese individuals, personalize their bowls in countless ways.)
Since opening on the western edge of Asiatown in May, this family-owned restaurant prioritizes providing the finest bowls of pho over how customers choose to customize their orders. The head chef, 70-year-old Hung Van Tran, personally checks almost every dish before it leaves the kitchen. This focused approach to pho—there are no other items on the menu besides a wide range of Vietnamese coffee and drinks—makes Di An Pho one of the top new places for a dish that’s as much a Houston favorite askolaches, crawfish and brisket.
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Beef pho, also known as pho bo, is the top choice among customers. Tran thoroughly washes the beef bones multiple times before mixing them with ingredients like grilled onions, ginger, and roasted star anise. The broth is cooked for approximately 18 hours.
The menu features seven different versions of beef noodle soup, including the dac biet (“special”) option loaded with lean and fatty brisket, beef meatballs, tendon, and tripe. Each bowl comes with a distinct aroma of star anise that blends with a rich beef taste, achieved only through a slow, gentle simmer. The clear, amber broth has none of the cloudiness that results from taking shortcuts in the kitchen.
This modest and not overly sweet profile isn’t showy, but it’s something I could have for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
The special dish is my usual order at any pho restaurant, but I also tried all six beef pho varieties. The meat wasn’t as soft in the ribeye option, but a bowl with beef brisket pieces stood out — flavorful and slightly firm with enough connective tissue to slowly dissolve into the broth.
However, each serving is more than just a bowl of soup. It symbolizes Tran’s long-standing aspiration to open a restaurant, which began when his father took him to a pho place in Saigon, according to his daughter Jenny Tran.
Her father ultimately joined the fight against communists while serving in the South Vietnamese military, operating helicopters equipped with machine guns. In 1975, similar to numerous others from his homeland, Hung Van Tran relocated to the United States. He encountered his wife in Mobile, Alabama, and their wedding was featured in the local newspaper as the first refugee couple to marry in that region.
Despite having only a high school education, he took on various odd jobs such as crab picking before relocating his family to New Orleans. Hung Van Tran chose to open a Chinese restaurant in the early 1990s, believing it would be more attractive to customers. China Gate on the West Bank was among the several restaurants he owned. He and his wife had six children, who all helped out in the family business at different times.
After approximately 20 years, Hung Van Tran chose to step away from owning restaurants. However, he still wished to remain in the kitchen and took a position at Harrah’s, where he prepared pho for one of the casino’s dining establishments. In 2018, he relocated to Houston, where one of his daughters operated a boba tea shop.
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His daughter Jenny is employed in the healthcare sector and lends a hand at Di An Pho whenever possible. Her father typically rises before dawn to prepare the restaurant for the lunchtime crowd, although the employees ensure he takes regular pauses.
Everything must be perfect for him,” Jenny Tran said. “He struggles with letting go.
When I ordered chicken pho during a visit, it was clear that Jenny had the same meticulous approach as her father. Many restaurants would just deliver a plate of raw bean sprouts along with Thai basil, cilantro, jalapeños, and lime slices to go with the soup. She inquired if we preferred our bean sprouts steamed; some guests like the texture of this garnish when it’s cooked, while others believe it helps keep the broth from cooling down too fast.
As we waited for our food, I observed young staff members cleaning the front door multiple times to ensure it was free of smudges to welcome the customers arriving in line. I heard Jenny asking employees whether the restroom had been thoroughly cleaned and restocked with all necessary items. The servers swiftly wiped the 23 tables in this bright and open area, where one wall is filled with the restaurant’s own coffee beans along with bottles of fish sauce, hoisin, Sriracha, and water.
The essential Vietnamese coffee, enhanced with sweet condensed milk, is available (and being offered as a free gift this month with large and extra-large portions of pho), but Di An Pho also presents modern variations such as purple ube foam or egg foam. Salted lemonade and plum juice complete the drink selections.
When the pho ga arrived, the broth was golden and transparent, with a small amount of fat floating on top that reflected the light from the rattan-style fixtures above. Although it may not have the boldness of the beef version, it is made with equal attention to detail.
The simmered bones yield a delicate broth that emits a hint of warmth from the ginger. Each sip of the fragrant soup brought to mind what Jenny said about her father: “Even at 70, he can still create a legacy.”
Across the street, Di An Hospitality Group is constructing a two-story building costing $4.5 million to accommodate twenty-four Vietnamese food vendors. The project seeks to evolve into a center for cultural activities, such as live performances, cooking demonstrations, and celebrations for Lunar New Year.
I hope they don’t miss the small details, as Di An Pho doesn’t ignore them. On the menu, there’s a message to keep the plastic wrapper for the chopsticks crafted from coconut trees located just outside of Saigon. I’ve brought home a few pairs, and they act as reminders to return soon.
More Information
Di An Pho, 12934 Bellaire (#108), instagram.com/dianphorestaurant
Two stars
Hours11:00 AM to 10:00 PM from Sunday through Thursday, 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday, closed on Tuesdays
Prices$12 to $18 for beef pho, $12 to $19 for chicken pho, $3 to $7 for side dishes, $3 to $6 for beverages
ReservationsOnly anticipate waiting during busy meal times.
What to order: Pho bo, the most well-liked variety, offers options like dac biet, nam cuc (beef brisket), or duoi bo (oxtail). For pho ga, all four choices are good, but the G1 is the simplest, containing only dark and white meat, whereas other versions include bone-in cuts along with offal like liver and gizzards. An iced Vietnamese coffee is a must-try.
Noise level: Moderate
Parking: Parking available at a designated lot
STAR RATINGS
Four stars: Exceptional; can compete on a national level.
Three stars: Outstanding; among the top restaurants in the area.
Two stars: Excellent; one of the top restaurants in this category.
One star: A favorable eatery that we suggest.
No star: The restaurant is not recommended at this moment.
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