By the Numbers

Ever wonder why some pho shops are named after numbers--Pho 79, for instance? Or why there seems to be a Pho Pasteur, Pho Hoa or Pho Quyen in almost every U.S. city with a large Vietnamese community?

That’s because they’re emulating some of the most popular establishments in Vietnam. There, noodle shops, especially the older and more notable ones, were named after their street addresses or locales, a tradition favored by early Hanoi pho entrepreneurs. A few were named after their proprietors.

Pho 79, a Saigon favorite for years, was named after its address, 79 Vo Tanh. Pho Pasteur was named after its street, Pasteur, which today is still lined with door-to-door noodle shops. The last time I visited I was lucky to savor a neighborhood specialty, pho ga or chicken noodle soup. It was delicious, just as I remembered it.