チョップスティックス 高円寺本店

The first Vietnamese "Pho" in Japan! A hidden gem in the indoor market!

On this day, when I got off at Koenji station, I saw a poster saying "Koenji Origin! Japan's First" inside the station. I've always loved eating Vietnamese pho, so I immediately decided on lunch💪🏻.

I had previously eaten at other restaurants within this "Daiichi Market," which looks unremarkable from the outside, but inside there are many popular restaurants that are hard to get reservations for!

On this day, I ordered the lunch set A, which includes a bowl of pho and half a portion of Vietnamese chicken rice, along with a cup of jasmine tea. The price varies depending on the pho flavor.

I chose "Beef Tendon Pho," and the broth was very rich. Pho is quite similar to a wide version of rice noodles; compared to clear rice noodles, it has a softer and more chewy texture. The beef tendon portion was generous, and they weren't stingy with the cilantro.

As for the chicken rice, I personally didn’t like it much. Although the chicken pieces were large, I felt the meat and rice were quite hard and dry. A colleague mentioned that’s how it is locally in Vietnam; I've never been to Vietnam, so I wouldn't know. If you like it, you could give it a try; if I come back, I will probably order the spring rolls set next time.

Next to this shop, there’s a Vietnamese grilled chicken skewers izakaya with a blue sign, which is a branch of a well-known restaurant from Vietnam that has opened in Japan. The two places are essentially connected; the pho restaurant provides seating for the izakaya during lunch hours and at night, you can also order pho from the pho restaurant in the izakaya.

Overall, this place is super affordable and the taste is excellent. It will definitely be a restaurant I want to revisit when I come to Koenji.