Hanoi Pho Experience Vietnamese Restaurant in Mannheim

4.3 / 5 based on 11 Reviews

Updated: July 3, 2024

Summary

Hanoi Pho is a small Vietnamese restaurant located in the heart of Mannheim, near the scenic water tower, offering a selection of traditional Vietnamese dishes ideal for lunch or dinner. The restaurant boasts a modest menu of 14 signature dishes alongside a variety of fried rice and noodle options. Highlights include Bun Bo Nam Bo, a rice noodle dish served with vegetables and house-made chili fish sauce, and Pho Bo, a popular Vietnamese beef soup known for its rich flavor derived from boiling beef bones. The reviewer found the Bun Bo Nam Bo to be average compared to other restaurants, favoring the Pho Bo for its authentic taste and high quality. While the restaurant presents a cozy yet unassuming atmosphere, the food's presentation and portion sizes could be improved. Overall, the reviewer recommends Hanoi Pho for a quick and healthy meal in Mannheim, rating it 6.5 out of 10, particularly praising the Pho Bo while noting that some dishes cater more towards European tastes.

Details

Type: Restaurant
Published: May 5, 2017
Visited on: December 2, 2
Rating:
Price Category: 49.4819351
Touristic Level:

6/10
Address: Schwetzinger Str. 5, 68165 Mannheim, Germany

Online Reviews Summary

Hanoi Pho in Mannheim is a highly praised Vietnamese restaurant known for its authentic flavors, especially the pho, which many describe as the best they’ve had in Europe. Dishes like green curry, summer rolls, fried rice, and duck also receive consistent praise. The broth is rich, the portions are generous, and vegan/vegetarian options are available. The ambience is cozy, the staff is friendly, and prices are very affordable, often under €10. The major drawback repeatedly mentioned is that the restaurant is cash-only, so visitors must come prepared. Despite being busy, especially at lunch, the quality, taste, and value make it a favorite local spot and worth the short walk from the main station.

The detailed experience report from RyuKoch

During a short stopover in Mannheim, I was looking for healthy Asian snacks and stumbled upon the small Vietnamese restaurant called Hanoi Pho, right in Mannheim's city center, near the beautiful water tower. I find Vietnamese cuisine ideal for lunch or dinner, as the traditional dishes are particularly light, delicious and healthy and don't weigh heavily on the stomach like fast food. Unremarkable from the outside, where inside is just as unremarkable. I was at the small Hanoi Pho at lunchtime and met a few guests who were probably just having a delicious bite to eat during their lunch break. Accordingly, there was also a large menu in front of me, which with dishes like fried rice or noodles should fight the quick hunger. As usual, I decided against these dishes and opted for my favorite dishes: Bun Bo Nam Bo and Pho Bo. Hanoi Pho only offers 14 traditional Vietnamese dishes (see the following photo), but a much larger variety of fried rice and noodle dishes.

Dish 1: Bun Bo Nam Bo

I ordered the rice noodle dish Bun Bo Nam Bo, with rice noodles served in a bowl with various vegetables and herbs (cucumbers, coriander, carrots, lettuce, etc.) in a slightly spicy homemade fish-chili sauce. Unlike many other Vietnamese restaurants, the sauce is not served in a separate bowl, but is added directly to the dish by the chef. Perhaps they think here that some guests don't know how to eat the dish or it saves some washing. I'm a fan of having the sauce served separately on the table, though. I've had better Bun Bo Nam Bo and would rather switch to the Pho Bo soup. Anyway, I slightly overestimated myself with 2 dishes. But it should not be forgotten that I am making a subjective decision here; everyone has their own taste, as a rule.

Dish 2: Pho Bo

I also ordered Vietnam's most popular and one of the healthiest dishes in the world, Pho Bo (soup with beef). In some other Vietnamese restaurants, herbs and mung bean sprouts are served separately so that the guest can decide how much they use. However, here all the ingredients are already served directly in the soup. The Pho Bo was very tasty - the light taste of the soup and the thin beef complemented each other very well. The broth is also made by boiling beef bones. No powder products are used here, which is reflected in the good taste. I would eat the Pho Bo here again. The portion of Pho Bo was ok, comparable to similar restaurants. The price is also €7.90 for this dish. The restaurant also offers other Pho variants, including chicken.

Conclusion:

If you live in Mannheim or are visiting, you can have a quick lunch here. The prices are ok if you choose the right dishes. I don't know Mannheim very well, but I think Hanoi Pho is a good address if you want to eat Pho. In my opinion, there was a little too little in the bowl with the Bun Bo Nam Bo and it's more in the middle field of similar restaurants in terms of taste. If I compare Hanoi Pho with similar restaurants in Vietnamese cuisine, I come to the conclusion that due to the small range, the not so beautiful presentation of the food, the partly small portions and the not convincing taste of my Bun Bo Nam Bo, I have to give Hanoi Pho a mid-range rating. Nevertheless, the Pho Bo convinced me and I would enjoy it again in Hanoi Pho. My overall rating: 6.5/10 small Vietnamese snack - restaurant with really delicious Pho Bo soup. Nevertheless, too many dishes which are adapted to the European palate. Perfect for a quick and healthy snack in between in Mannheim City.