The Most Expensive Bowl Of Pho Is Almost $5000

Pho is a staple Vietnamese dish that has gained popularity worldwide; it originated as a street food commonly eaten for breakfast in Vietnam but can be enjoyed whenever. This rice noodle soup, traditionally made with thin slices of beef or chicken in a rich broth, is typically priced between $10-$20, depending on the ingredients used. While some may think the price is somewhat steep, the usual cost is pennies compared to the most expensive bowl of pho ever sold.

A $4,968 bowl of pho was sold at AnQi, the sister restaurant to Crustacean in Beverly Hills. However, the price tag was equally about the ingredients and its role in a charity auction, as proceeds from the dish went to Children's Hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange County and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. However, the pho was likely a luxurious treat for the buyer due to its stellar, rare ingredients, like A5 wagyu beef. AnQi restaurant is known for using only the highest quality ingredients to create dishes that taste delicious but are also good for the body and soul. 

Crustacean and AnQi are part of the House of An restaurant group, led by Chef Helene An. An is credited as the "mother of fusion cuisine" and known for using traditions from Eastern medicine in her culinary pursuits. Chef An plans to keep the $5,000 pho on Crustacean's menu for good, and the sales of this indulgent meal will continue fundraising efforts for both charities. 

When it came time to make the world's most expensive pho, only the most expensive and highest grade of wagyu beef (A5) was used. The wagyu beef swam in a broth made from poached foie gras, made from fatty duck liver. No pho is complete without noodles, but these noodles were made using a molecular gastronomy technique that turned lobster meat into rice noodles. 

Maine lobster wouldn't do for such an extravagant dish, so the chef imported European blue lobster instead. Blue lobster has a more noticeable seafood flavor and is firmer than its American counterpart. The pho is garnished with hand-grown bean sprouts directly sourced from the restaurant's garden. Last but certainly not least, the entire bowl is covered with shaved white Alba truffles, which sell for $4,327.20 per pound.

Not everyone can shell out $5,000 for pho. Luckily, AnQi's Shaken and Stirred Noodle Bar sells a bowl of beef or chicken pho for $17. The restaurant also offers a vegetarian version for only $16. If you want to shell out money for a premium bowl of pho, you could pay $79 at Gao Viet Kitchen in California. For the money, customers will enjoy a 1.5-pound lobster, sliced brisket, beef, rib, and filet mignon. If you find yourself in Ho Chi Minh City, you can pre-order an almost $100 bowl of pho with wagyu beef, truffles, and bone marrow.