"Suspended pho" in Hanoi: A gesture of kindness

In recent days, word has spread about a unique Pho restaurant on Bao Khanh Street in Hanoi. This establishment offers a special service: diners can purchase an extra bowl of Pho to be "suspended" for someone in need.

"Every day, the restaurant suspends 30 bowls. Customers begin suspending from the 31st bowl."

In the bustling center of Hanoi, a Pho establishment on Bao Khanh Street (Hoan Kiem District) has recently gained attention and widespread support from locals. Owned by Ms. Cat Le and her family, the restaurant has been practicing the "suspended Pho" (Phở treo in Vietnamese) concept for over a month. The idea is straightforward yet impactful: after finishing their meal, customers can choose to pay for one or more additional bowls, which will be held in reserve for those in need. To ensure a steady number of available bowls, the restaurant suspends 30 bowls daily, funded by a percentage of its revenue. From the 31st bowl onward, patrons can participate in this charitable gesture. The "suspended pho" concept embodies a form of indirect charity, where the restaurant acts as a bridge between donors and recipients, helping to feed the most vulnerable members of the community. 

A meal of solidarity for the underprivileged

Around 8 a.m., Mrs. Pham Thi Thanh, a 73-year-old street vendor living on Tran Quy Cap Street, checked in at the "Pho treo" restaurant on Bao Khanh Street to enjoy a "suspended pho" bowl. This was the third time she had received a free, hearty bowl of pho at the restaurant.

"I only allowed myself to eat when the owner invited me in and explained that this bowl of pho was a gift from customers to people in need", she shared.

Mrs. Thanh, originally from Thanh Hoa, lost her husband early and has been selling goods on the streets of Hanoi for the past 10 years to support her children. Earning just 50,000-100,000 VND a day, she usually only allows herself a 5,000 VND portion of sticky rice or a 10,000-15,000 VND lunch. Since learning about "suspended pho", she feels blessed to be invited by generous strangers to enjoy a dish she considers a luxury.

Half an hour later, another woman, dressed in a sanitation worker's uniform, arrived at the Pho restaurant on her bike. Upon seeing her, Ms. Cat Le, the owner, quickly greeted her with a smile: "Why are you only here now? You should eat breakfast early to have the energy to work." She then called out to the kitchen, "Prepare a suspended pho bowl for Ms. Ngoat," making the newcomer slightly flustered.

The woman, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoat, 68 years old, works as a street cleaner on Hang Trong Street. She shared that she first learned about "suspended pho" when Ms. Cat Le invited her in one day as she was cycling past the shop. Sharing about her situation, Ms. Ngoat said, "My husband is ill, and our family is struggling, so I continue to work. People often ask why I'm still doing such hard work at nearly 70 years old, wondering when I'll finally rest. But with our circumstances, I have no choice but to keep working."

Despite having been reassured by the shop owner many times, Ms. Ngoat still feels shy about coming to enjoy her Phở treo.

"I only come occasionally, not every day. It feels awkward. Today, the owner said there were still many bowls left, so I asked if I could take a few more home for my grandchildren and husband," she added.

On her first visit to try "suspended pho",  Mrs. Pham Thi Ha, 67 years old, shared: "I used to come here for free rice meals. Today, while sitting near the restaurant, I was told that they offer free Pho, so I brought my grandchild to ask for a portion to take home."

Recalling her situation, this grandmother couldn't hold back her tears: "I am currently raising two young grandchildren. Their parents divorced and left them in my care. I have no other relatives and make a living by collecting and selling scrap. Each day, I drop the kids off at daycare and then go scavenging. Sometimes, I take them around the lake, and we eat whatever we’re given. If no one gives us anything, I buy a small meal for the three of us to share. "

Impressed by the "suspended pho" model, Mr. Nguyen Quang Linh, a regular customer at Ms. Cat Le's restaurant, said, "I often eat here. When I first saw the sign about suspended pho, I was curious and asked what it meant. Since learning about it, I've been suspending a few bowls every time I eat here. Today, I suspended two bowls."

During the same breakfast, Ms. Le Quynh Ngoc, 45, from Son La, touched by the story of the Phở treo she heard by chance, decided with her 10-year-old son to hang two bowls of Pho: "This is our first time participating in suspended pho. It’s also a way for me to teach my son to share with those in need, starting with the smallest things," she explained.

"Phở treo" - A Collective act of kindness

Ms. Cat Le, the owner of the restaurant, recounts how she came up with the idea of “Phở treo” during the COVID-19 pandemic after seeing a TV report on the “Suspended coffee” concept in Italy. 

Ms. Cat Le, owner of "suspended Pho" restaurant

"After learning about the concept of "suspended" coffee, I thought about implementing a similar model. However, the morning habits in Vietnam are different from those in Italy. Instead of drinking coffee in the morning, Vietnamese people often choose a hearty breakfast to start their day. And so the idea of Phở treo was born. But at that time, life was still unstable, so I wasn't able to set it up right away", Ms. Cat Le explained.

Before "Phở treo", Ms. Cat Le often offered free meals, including rice, pho, and porridge, at hospitals and remote areas. A month ago, she started launching "suspended pho" at her restaurant so that those in need wouldn’t feel uncomfortable or worry about costing the restaurant money.

After nearly a month, Ms. Cat Le proudly reported that her restaurant had distributed nearly 20 bowls of "suspended Pho" to people in need. The number of "suspended phở" bowls donated by customers varies from day to day, ranging from one or two servings to as many as ten on some days. Notably, the amount customers donate is flexible; it can be the price of a bowl of Pho or less, but the restaurant guarantees a complete, high-quality meal.

"When we first put up the "Phở treo" sign, many people asked me what it meant, even foreigners were curious and intrigued when they saw it. That’s why I asked my son to design an additional note in both Vietnamese and English, so everyone could understand the meaning of this initiative", she confides. In addition to the "suspended pho" sign, the restaurant owner also put up another sign stating, "Suspended Pho is a form of charity where you pre-order a meal for someone in need whilst supporting local businesses".

When asked about the criteria for receiving a bowl of "suspended Pho", Ms. Le explained, "Anyone who comes for suspended pho is welcomed, but we give priority to the elderly, children, people with disabilities, and students. For young people in good health, we also help out because sometimes they would have to go through hard times, looking for work but unable to find a proper job. A bowl of suspended Pho can ease their financial burden a little."

The difference between a "suspended Pho" bowl and a regular Pho bowl

Upon observation, we noticed distinct differences between "suspended Pho" bowls and the regular Pho bowls served at the restaurant.

"Indeed, the suspended Pho bowls are different from the regular ones. The phở we serve to regular customers remains the same as always, but the bowls for those eating "suspended pho" are specially ordered. These bowls are larger, and we add more noodles and meat. This is because most of the people who come for suspended Pho are low-income workers or those in difficult circumstances. Many of them come later in the morning, trying to combine breakfast and lunch into one meal. I encourage them to come whenever they’re hungry, but for reasons of modesty, they often only come for one meal a day. That’s why we have decided to use larger bowls for the suspended phở, so they can have a full, satisfying meal," explained Ms. Cat Le.

Bowl for Pho treo (left) and bowl for regular pho (right)

For over 10 years, many people have become familiar with the sight of Ms. Cat Le providing free meals, including rice, pho, and porridge, to those in need. However, few know that she herself once faced difficult times, living with scarcity. During a hospital stay 15 years ago, she witnessed many people in dire situations, which gave her a deep understanding of the struggles faced by those in hardship.

"They were struggling, lacking everything from hospital fees to daily living expenses. The first time I received a charity meal at the hospital, I realized how much that meal meant to patients and their families. I held the meal in my hands but didn’t eat it. Instead, I gave it to someone who needed it more than I did. After being discharged, I made a promise to myself that one day I would cook and donate meals and porridge to patients and those in difficult circumstances," Ms. Cat Le shared.

Thanks to media coverage of the humanitarian "suspended pho" initiative, on the afternoon of August 14th, Mr. Trinh Quoc Binh and his colleagues visited the restaurant to experience it for the first time. "This is a meaningful and thoughtful model that highlights the Vietnamese tradition of loving others as you love yourself. My colleagues and I left five "suspended pho" bowls, hoping to help those who are struggling," Mr. Trinh Quoc Binh expressed.

Looking ahead, Ms. Le hopes that more people will learn about the "suspended pho model, enabling it to spread to other shop owners so that even more people in need can be supported. She sees it as a "bridge" that allows those in better circumstances to provide practical, effective assistance to those in hardship.

In addition to the suspended Pho model, Ms. Cat Le is also running two other initiatives called "The Compassionate Rice Bowl" and the "Free Medicine Cabinet". All donations from customers at the restaurant are used to prepare meals for patients undergoing treatment at major hospitals, the elderly who live alone, or people in difficult circumstances. 

TOLUNHA.

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