I can't remember the first time I was introduced to Vietnamese food but if there's a restaurant that made an indelible mark on my palate for Vietnamese food, it's Phat Pho. After attending a yoga class, my friends and I decided to have lunch together. It was at this point that I realized that yoga is expensive, not because of the yoga class itself, but because of the post-activities. The yoga community here in Cebu has an element of exclusivity and many members belong to the upper class. I think it's also the same for CrossFit.
I was so happy when a yoga studio opened near my workplace that offered the cheapest price among all studios (less than USD3 per class). Sadly, the place closed, and I've been putting off enrolling in a yoga studio because I can't afford it and I don't belong to the upper class, yet.
Anyway, my friends decided to go to a famous Vietnamese restaurant after our class. We went to the Crossroads branch of Phat Pho. Honestly, one reason we went there was because all the other restaurants we wanted to go to were full. We went in and the place was mostly empty.
It was my first time eating there but I was familiar with some Vietnamese food. So, I just went for the familiar. We had Bahn Mi, Beef Pho, and Vietnamese coffee. We chatted a bit while waiting for our food. Our yoga teacher actually came with us. He was friends with one of my friends. Back in college, I had this notion that it's unnatural for students to be overly friendly with their teachers. That's why I didn't make any effort to connect with my teachers personally back then. I thought it was weird that our yoga teacher was with us. But when we started to interact and talk about things unrelated to yoga, I realized that he was just like me. Outside the studio, he wasn't on a pedestal or a teacher's yoga mat. He was on the same ground as me.
Now that I am a teacher, I can understand that some students may only see me as a teacher because our interactions are only inside the classroom. But the question is still the same, "Do I think that students should not be overly friendly with their teachers?" I've changed my mind about this. I have students that I'm quite close to outside the classroom, but when we're in class, I am the teacher and they're the students.
Our food arrived and one of my friends ordered the Bahn Mi. She said that it was too big for her and that I should have half of it. I gladly obliged, and I took a big bite out of the Bahn Mi. It's basically a baguette sandwich, but I think the cilantro makes it a foreign dish. Filipino food doesn't normally have cilantro or coriander.
I ordered a Pho and I knew it was soup. I was happy to see beansprouts. They're one of my favorite food. I mixed everything and added the side condiments. I don't know if this makes sense but the soup was both rich and light. The broth was smooth, but its sweet and sour taste gave it layers. It was comforting. Yet again, I taste the "foreign" flavors in the cilantro and mint leaves.
Finally, I had Vietnamese coffee which was served in a drip filter. The brewed coffee was dripped into a mug with condensed milk. I wasn't too excited about the condensed milk since I'm lactose-intolerant. But I was willing to try the coffee and accept the consequences after. It was sweet and milk, of course. I can't really remember how it tasted overall. I guess I'll have to try it again.
How appropriate that I'm writing about Phat Pho and the time I went there after a yoga class. I just attended a yoga class before writing this post and tomorrow, I'll be having brunch at Phat Pho with my friends.
I could be adventurous and try some unfamiliar food on their menu. Maybe you can recommend some Vietnamese food that I should try? Hopefully, they'll have it and can write another post about them.
That's it! I'm excited to return to the restaurant tomorrow and see my friends. I think I won't be blogging about it anymore because I want to savor my time with them. I also don't have a working camera phone right now.
I'll be picking up my NZ Travel Series in my next posts. Make sure to look out for it. See you!
