Qype recently threw a friendly little food blogger get together at Pho, Great Titchfield Street‘s friendly neighbourhood Vietnamese soup shack (and a stylish and popular shack at that!). I’d never been to this location but have long been a fan of Pho’s St John Street restaurant. In fact, I go there all the time and have found it to be one of the most consistently enjoyable restaurants in Clerkenwell. So, I was happy to see (and to taste!) that this more centrally situated venue lives up to the same high standards. For more westerly diners, please note that Pho also has a spot at Westfield (we hear they’re opening in Brighton soon and maybe even Soho too!).

The event offered a hands on chance to make our own summer rolls, to sample much of the menu and even pop in for a behind the scenes peek at what goes on in Pho’s buzzing kitchen. Impressive! Making summer rolls seemed straightforward enough but perfecting that process to the level where they come out looking lovely every time might take some practice! My attempts were certainly yummy but kinda clumpy.

As for the more professionally prepared dishes, well, I was already a fan of Pho’s salads, deep fried spring rolls and – of course – their namesake phở (Vietnamese noodle soup, usually cooked in beef broth – but Pho’s menu has plenty of delicious veggie options). What wowed me most was taking a gander at their massive, Jacuzzi-sized vat o’ simmering beef broth. It smelled so savoury! I wanted to stick a straw in that industrial strength cooker and drink away. However, I happily settled for a more than filling bowl of pho tai with its ample pieces of thinly sliced steak.

A veritable who’s who of food bloggers on the London scene was in attendence. Here’s the roster:

http://canbebribedwithfood.com
http://www.domesticsluttery.com
http://eatlovenoodles.blogspot.com
http://epicurienne.wordpress.com
http://essexeating.blogspot.com
http://greedydiva.blogspot.com
http://kaveyeats.blogspot.com
http://lizzieeatslondon.blogspot.com
http://london-insider.co.uk
http://omnomlondon.com
http://scottcancook.com
http://thelondonfoodie.co.uk
http://travelswithmyfork.blogspot.com

It was a merry bunch of bloggers, and everybody seemed to absolutely adore the food. Between slurps and bites, the conversation was full of smiles and laughter. Pho owners, Jules and Stephen, were exceptionally generous hosts and eager for feedback. Here’s mine: keep up the good work!