Chicken Pho for the Soul

The sky looks like it’s moments from a downpour as I walk to my car at lunch time. It’s a hit to the motivation, but a great excuse for one of Wichita’s favorite comfort foods — pho. I recruit some friends and head out to Pho Special. 

This authentic Vietnamese restaurant, just off of I-135 and Pawnee, has been a staple in south Wichita for 15 years. Today is my first time eating here, and per the name, I assumed the primary dish was pho, the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup marked by savory broth, rice noodles and sliced meat. It’s true, pho is a favorite here, but first we start lunch with shrimp and pork summer rolls and pork egg rolls. 

The summer rolls are vibrant and light, marked by fresh herbs and chewy rice noodles, adorned with a savory peanut sauce that clings to the rice paper wrapping perfectly. The summer rolls are gone almost as quickly as they arrive at the table. As well as the egg rolls, because you really can’t go wrong with the crispy, dippable deep-fried appetizers. 

The most beautiful part of the meal might just be a dish called bún — vermicelli noodles served with fresh vegetables, herbs and sliced meat. The colorful ingredients are brilliant against the overcast sky on the other side of the window. The pork is marinated to adopt a subdued umami flavor, and the thin slices are cooked to provide the perfect balance of tenderness and chewiness. The bean sprouts, carrots and other vegetables are crunchy and pungent, and the herbs are a fresh accompaniment to the sticky rice noodles. 

Next up is the five-spice chicken with rice and vegetables — destined to become one of the highlights of the meal. The chicken is juicy with a well-seasoned and flaky crispy exterior. 

Now for the main event — the pho. The bowl of steamy broth and noodles sits in the middle of the table, and my friends and I each take a taste. The broth is different from anything I’ve had in the past. It’s rich and flavorful, so tasty on its own that I didn’t add any sauce to mine, and for a girl who puts soy sauce on everything, that’s saying a lot. 

Don Nguyen, the owner of Pho Special, told us the broth recipe has been passed down through generations of his family. He was taught by his grandmother when he was growing up in Vietnam in a house where three generations of his family lived. He told us that, as a kid, he was always helping in the kitchen; maybe that’s where his love of cooking for others stems from. The broth cooks over a 12-hour process, marinating various cuts of beef. Over time, the broth recipe has been modified with tweaks here and there, and the official recipe is a secret — even Don’s son, Daniel, doesn’t know it. 

The broth is distinct, smooth and deep, and in years of loving this popular noodle soup, I’ve never tasted broth so rich. And, although I consider pho a comfort food, this version is something I’ll play on repeat all summer. It’s so good that, in less than a week, I’ll come back to order it again. 

We finish our meal with another signature menu item at Pho Special — smoothies with boba. I’m an island girl, so I was eager to try the taro, and it did not disappoint. Creamy, sweet and marked with the chewy tapioca pearls, which followed the meal perfectly.