The Pho Challenge!

Who doesn't love a good bowl of pho? Really, there's nothing better on a cold day. And there is no shortage of cold days in the Richmond, or pho restaurants. Coincidence? I'll leave that up to you to decide.

What I do know is that I love eating Pho. If you have never tried it you are missing out. Seriously, I can't stress it enough. And while I could probably write a whole blog devoted entirely to the subject of Pho ( I think I would call it Pho Fun or Pho the Love of Pho) this is a blog about the Richmond District so I will settle for one post devoted to my favorite Vietnamese noodle soup. For now, anyway.

So on a recent afternoon I decided to visit Pho Garden on Clement Street. Why the Pho Garden?Well, not only did they have good reviews on Yelp but they offer something that no other Richmond pho establishment offers. The Pho Garden Challenge. Sounds dramatic doesn't it? That's because it is.

One enormous bowl of pho containing 2 lbs. of noodles and 2 lbs. of meat. If you can finish it within an hour it's free and your picture goes on their own wall of fame. I knew I had to witness this firsthand. But I also knew I would need help. As ashamed as I am to admit it, I was not brave enough to attempt the Pho Garden Challenge.

My friend Eyal on the other hand is much braver than I am and loves pho just as much as I do, maybe even more. And he agreed to take on the pho!

We arrived to a packed Pho Garden and luckily we were able to snag one of the few empty tables. Ordering didn't take long either. We want pho of course (despite the name Pho Garden has a pretty extensive menu). Eyal proudly informed our waitress that he wanted to do the challenge. She gave a knowing smile and brought him the waiver. Yes, this challenge is so epic they make you sign a waiver first.

A short wait later and steaming bowls of pho arrived at our table. And for a moment I was speechless. I had seen the giant bowls- but 4 lbs. of pho up close is something else.

Eyal, however, was unfazed.

"I was stoked," he said. "I couldn't wait to start."

For a little comparison, here's a shot of my normal-sized bowl. By the way, I got the curry chicken pho and it was delicious!

Unfortunately, it was soon apparent that it takes a lot more than confidence and a love of noodles to eat 4 lbs. of pho. Only 12 minutes in and Eyal was literally sweating. I tried to be encouraging but I could tell the end was near.

By the time the timer had gone down to 30 minutes we knew the pho had won despite Eyal's best efforts.

When he began to look like this, we summoned our waitress and admitted that he had been defeated. She smiled and brought us this.

I think she knew all along who would win this challenge.

I asked her out of all the people who attempt it (there were 6 others I witnessed just in our time there) how many people actually finish all the pho.

"About ten percent," she said.

Eyal was still optimistic though. "Had they given me a day instead of an hour I could have completed the challenge no problem," he said.

If only.

They did let him keep his leftovers though.

They filled up three large take-out containers which he is still finishing rumor has it. Pho for a week, for only $22. Sounds like a good deal to me!