After more than two years since Jollibee Foods Corporation’s announcement of bringing Vietnamese brand PHO24 to the Philippines, the first branch is finally opening today, Feb. 1 in Ortigas Center.
The first of the planned 100 outlets to be opened here in the country serves the chain’s bestselling pho, known for its beef broth made with 24 special ingredients—a family’s secret recipe first introduced in Ho Chi Minh City in 2003. Two more stores, according to JFC business group head Joseph Tanbuntiong, will be opened this year.
PHO24’s flagship Beef Fillet Pho features piping hot beef broth bursting with flavor. The brand says the soup is simmered with 100 percent beef shin bones for eight hours—like how it is done in restaurants in Vietnam where the broth is prepared seven to eight hours before store opening.
The beef fillet pho is served with freshly prepared rice noodles, lightly cooked tender beef, fresh herbs and vegetables, hoisin sauce, sriracha, and lime wedge
Another distinct ingredient in the brand’s pho is culantro, an herb similar to cilantro in flavor and aroma (albeit stronger) but has long, serrated leaves and can be added while cooking. “It is a fragrant herb that is rich in vitamins and minerals, and packed with iron, calcium, and riboflavin, which helps in the normal function of the immune and digestive system,” PHO24 said in a statement.
Since culantro is not available in the Philippines, JFC has commissioned local farmers to grow the biennial herb for PHO24.
Other pho variants include Chicken Pho, Beef Brisket, Beef Meatballs, and 3 types of Beef. A regular serving starts at P210. Non-soup options, meanwhile, are Saigon Fried Chicken, Shaking Beef, and Savory Pork Chop rice meals. Vermicelli Bowl with Spring Rolls is also available.
Appetizers come in two variants: fresh spring rolls (served with peanut sauce) and fried spring rolls (served with traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce and fresh vegetables on the side).
Desserts on offer include Banh Flan (custard with clear caramel sauce), Taro in Coconut Cream, and Yogurt.
PHO24 also offers ready-to-cook meal kits of its Beef Fillet Pho (P540 for two servings) and fried spring rolls (P360 for a pack of 12). The meal kits can be ordered via Facebook online ordering or GrabFood, foodpanda, or LalaFood.
As food delivery is expected to be the preferred option of many, PHO24 reveals its plans to launch its own delivery platform as well as new products. Bernadette Lunas