Custom pho bowls include choice of meats, vegetables

Co-owner Troy Nguyen said he loves nothing more than to see customers leaving empty bowls behind at Vietnamese comfort eatery i Heart Pho.

"The response [to us] has been really good," Troy said. "Especially when I bring back a bowl and it's totally empty—it's the ultimate compliment to us."

Troy and his siblings, Linda and Vinh, opened i Heart Pho inside the Hana World Market food court in August. The philosophy at i Heart Pho, Troy said, is to let customers take control of what ingredients go inside the pho bowl and not charge for extra ingredients. Pho includes beef broth, noodles and bean sprouts, and customers can choose other ingredients to add in, such as tofu, eye of round steak, brisket or tripe. Head chef and co-owner Vinh Nguyen said his favorite dishes are pho and bum bo hue, which includes spicy beef and will soon be offered on the menu.

i Heart Pho, 1700 W. Parmer Lane, Ste. 100, 512-550-7115, www.facebook.com/iheartpho, Hours: Mon. 11 a.m.–4 p.m.,Tue.–Sun. 11 a.m.–8 p.m.