Vietnamese cuisine becomes increasingly popular in Xi'an

Since the first Pho Beau – a Vietnamese restaurant brand – opened in Qujiang New District, Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, in 2018, Vietnamese cuisine has become highly popular in the city.

Over the past four years, Pho Beau has opened six branches in Xi'an.

A bowl of pho. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

At the Pho Beau restaurant in South Avenue in the city, there is a traditional Vietnamese straw hat at the entrance of the restaurant.

The wall of photos beside the hat shows how the bamboo hat has evolved from a way to protect oneself from the wind and rain to an ornament for women.

The restaurant offers different kinds of Vietnamese cuisine, such as fried tofu with citronella, Vietnamese pho, or rice noodle soup, rice paper rolls and Vietnamese traditional spring rolls.

Delicious rice paper rolls and Vietnamese traditional spring rolls are offered at the Vietnamese restaurant. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

Meng Xianwen, the restaurant's chef, is from Baoji in Shaanxi province. He used to cook Chinese food, but once he tried Vietnamese food he loved it so much and devoted himself to making it.

"Not only Vietnamese cuisine, but also other international cuisines have attracted more and more attention from Xi'an people. Foreign cuisine not only satisfies appetites, but has also become a window for us to understand foreign cultures," said Liu Guifang, manager of the restaurant.