How bad can a bowl of soup be, after all?

To answer that, I only have to think back to Zurich and the bowl of dirty dishwater that passed for Pho, and cost 20 SF.  It can be pretty bad.

But this is France, after all.  I’ve eaten excellent French food in Vietnam, so maybe the reverse will be true.  I see a sign that simply reads: Pho.  And before I have a chance to think about it, I’m in the door.

Pho
24 Rue du Pas-Saint-Georges

The place is unassuming, pleasantly decorated and clean. It smells good, and that’s a plus.  I order the menu, with pork crepes to start, a traditional beef Pho and a hot green tea, for €12. The crepes are good, the Pho is bland, but comes to life with some condiments, such as fish sauce, hoisin and chili.

There is nothing wrong with the Pho.  It’s not greasy, doesn’t have any off tastes, contains no frightening gristle.  It’s clean and passable.  The noodles are not overcooked.  Ah…see how the standards must be set pretty low in order to come out ahead? All in all, it was okay, and I left feeling better than when I came in. Which is more than I can say about eating Asian food in Switzerland.

Fufu
37 Rue Saint-Rémi

I hear from my friends that Fufu is the place to go.  While I don’t really feel like ramen, once I get in, it hardly matters.  The noodles are house made, the broth is excellent and the place is packed pretty much from the time it opens.  The service leaves much to be desired, but if I lived in Bordeaux, this would be the only place other than my own kitchen where I would bother with Asian food.