A new king-size pho has come to Adelaide’s northern suburbs as an unlikely way for Hoàng Phát Restaurant to stand out in the area.
Owner Hoàng Le said there are “almost 20 Vietnamese restaurants within a 2 kilometre radius” of their restaurant.
“It is hard to attract new customers’ attention,” he said.
“I thought, I have to do something different.”
The result: A massive King-Size Pho, built on a 12-hour marrow bone broth and layered with complex flavours from Hoàng’s southern Vietnamese upbringing.
Staying close to tradition, the pho is layered with classic aromatics including “onion, ginger, and fragrant plants like star anise, cardamon, cinnamon bark, coriander seed and clove,” Hoàng said.
For those that love some extra spice, the Mammoth Spicy Super Bowl is also available. It is anchored by the same base, but infused with aromatics including lemongrass, ginger, onion, pineapple and their house-made chilli oil.
Both bowls are prepared over at least 12 hours, a step that Hoàng said is essential to building flavour.
His journey into food began long before Australia. Raised in South Vietnam as the youngest of ten children, he grew up surrounded by the cooking of his mother, whose food regularly fed neighbourhood gatherings. Those early experiences shaped his understanding of food as something shared, not just served.
After meeting his wife in 2008, cooking became more intentional. Wanting to impress her, and guided by her refined palate, Hoàng enrolled in formal training and graduated from a two-year cookery course in 2014.
A year later, he migrated to Australia, beginning a professional career where he expanded his skills beyond Vietnamese cuisine.
Eventually, he turned back to his roots, opening Hoàng Phát Restaurant in 2023 and bringing together the flavours of his upbringing with the discipline of fine dining technique.
When: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 9pm
Where: Hoàng Phát Restaurant, 60 Ridley Grove, Woodville Gardens
For more information, click here.
