TASTE of Manchester learns something new every day – well, every New Year’s Day. Yes, Monday, February 8, is not just the Chinese New Year; it is similarly celebrated in Vietnam as their biggest annual festival, Tet.
Pho, the restaurant chain based on the country’s national dish, the soup of that name, is adding its own spice to the celebrations with an appropriate ‘lucky dip’ cash windfall for one lucky customer on the big day – 30 million dong (that’s £1,000).
In Vietnam, traditional red envelopes of lucky money (li xi) are often gifted at New Year to symbolise health and longevity for the year to come.
Eat in Pho at the Corn Exchange any time on February 8 and you’ll receive a red envelope that could contain Pho vouchers, VIP cards or a cash sums of £50 or £100 and one lucky red envelope will hold £1,000.
The most typical Tet culinary speciality is Bahn Chung, a steamed square cake (not on the Pho menu) symbolising the earth and made from Xoi (sticky rice). You will find this at Pho alongside the dishes pictured, which TOM recommends highly – the ‘house special’ pho and Pho Tai Lan (flash fried garlic steak). Dishes worthy to celebrate the Year of the Monkey.
Places to check out for a Chinese New Year feast.
Pho Manchester, Unit 15, The Corn Exchange, 37 Hanging Ditch, Manchester, M4 3TR. 0161 464 9779.
