Going to Saigon? You will definitely find tons of soup shops around the city. They’re everywhere – and I mean everywhere. From the footpaths to medium sized eateries to classy dining places, they all have pho, the “national food” of Vietnam. My first – and best, I think – taste of real beef pho was at this corner eatery. We got to Saigon after midnight, starving. The shop was right around the corner of the first hotel we went to. Needless to say, it was bliss.

I did have another beef pho experience, and this time, it was more about history than the food. The soup was good, though not exceptional. However, the soup shop – Pho Binh – used to be the secret headquarters of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Anyone with a sense of history will not fail to appreciate the significance of the place.

As it turned out, the woman who was preparing the soup is the daughter of the “resistance” leader. Her father died 4 years ago, but the soup shop remains to this day. It has actually become a tourist attraction. Thuy, the woman, was very kind and told us about the resistance and her dad. She even took us to the upper room where the VC used to meet.

I have to tell you, chills were running up and down my spine as she talked to us in a mixture of French and English. She told us about their operations and activities. She also told us how the room looked practically the same as it was during the war.

A visit to Saigon warrants a short stop at the Binh Soup Shop – if not for the pho, for the history surrounding it.