where can I buy ingredients for pho?

[champagne]

Where in Boston can I find a grocery store that
will sell the pho noodles? I'm going to try
to make pho, but I don't know where to even look for the noodles.
Shaw's definitely doesn't have it.

[MC Slim JB]

The ingredients are easy to come by at any well-stocked Asian market, like Ming's or Super 88. The hard part is making a good beef stock or chicken stock. That's a time-consuming task, but if you want good pho, there's no way around it.

[Sgt Snackers]

We made our own pho a couple of months back and it was fantastic - used a recipe from Nguyen's 'Into the Vietnamese Kitchen' (good book, by the way). We think using a pressure cooker will make the stock a lot faster.

[MC Slim JB]

Ooh, good tip; I'd love to get another good Vietnamese cookbook.

What went into your stock? I've had good success with beef leg bones.

[veggielover]

When we returned from a trip to Vietnam, I was obsessed with finding a good recipe for pho. This is the one that was most like the pho we at in Vietnam. I bought most of the ingredients at Russo's

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[InmanSQ Girl]

There is one way around it....not as good as fresh, but much better than substituting with American canned beef broth!
http://importfood.com/cpnr0855.html

[C. Hamster]

The 88 in South Bay is loads better than the Allston stores. I haven't been to their store in Medford, but I've been to the others and the Dorchester store has lots more stuff, more brands and is organized in a somewhat more logical manner (though not very). Still hard to find English speakers, though.

[Craig K]

Lotte in Central Square sells dashida broth, as well as the various shaved meats. The place in the Porter Exchange, Kotobukiya sells the meat as well as does Yoshinawa in Central.

[InmanSQ Girl]

Here is some good info on making Pho.

http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/books...

The best places to shop for the ingredients would be Super 88 in Allston, MA (Off Green Line Packards Corner stop), Reliable Market in Union SQ Somerville, or the asian market in the Porter Exchange building in Porter SQ cambridge (red line T stop)

[coffee1004]

The reliable market in Union sq has pho noodles. But you still need to make you own broth!

[Velda Mae]

I bet one of the Asian stores in Porter Exchange might have it. I've seen the noodles at several Super Stop & Shops. Have you tried the Shaw's near MIT? Given the number of Asian students, I'd be surprised if their international aisle didn't stock the noodles. Depending on where you are in Cambridge, Penzeys on Mass Ave. in Arlington has excellent five-spice powder.

[champagne]

Thanks so much for the suggestions! Is there by chance any place in Cambridge that might have it?

[Luther]

Super 88 also has "pho hoa," the 5-spice powder that comes in little sachets for flavoring your stock.

For a great deal on thinly-sliced beef, try McKinnon's in Davis (if you buy it in Shaw's or Trader Joe's, be prepared to pay 5 times as much for a very unfresh product).

[Prav]

I bought the white Pho noodles for $0.75 / package at Super 88 once.

Google "Super 88" to find the address of the store near you - there are several in the area.