Duck, Duck, Soup! — Live in Everett

If flavorful fowl is your favorite, follow me to Pho Hung.

During the short period where I lived in Silver Lake and didn’t have a car yet, Pho Hung was one of the closest options for Vietnamese food. It was a two-mile walk each way, but their food is so good, I didn’t mind at all. I still make it down there occasionally even though I live across town, especially if I want to pick up a few things at Pacific Market/Chanh Hung Deli next door.

The menu at Pho Hung is huge, and recently came to the rescue when I went to PhoSo 1 for duck soup and unfortunately found it had gone out of business. On that particular day, I had a great seafood pho at Pho Mai Noodles, but then I went home, confirmed there was duck on Pho Hung’s menu, and made plans to go there soon.

And then when I went, I ordered the wrong soup.

It’s so rare to find any duck on a menu at all, so I just scanned the menu and absentmindedly asked for the first duck item I noticed, expecting a duck soup with egg noodles and a cabbage salad on the side. A silly mistake to make when reading such a large menu.

I didn’t mind at all, though. Duck pho is a great discovery! I’ve never seen it on another menu, and it’s delicious. Plus, I had an excuse to come back soon. It wasn’t as soon as I’d have liked, due to the busy holiday season, but after finally being ready to eat again after too much turkey, I was ready for more delicious duck, the best bird out there.

*Duck stew with egg noodles, the classic option.*

I was a little disappointed that they serve their duck stew with pho sides (bean sprouts, lime, and jalapeño) instead of cabbage salad, but the feeling faded quickly because the soup is fantastic. It’s full of fresh, crunchy vegetables, so it’s almost like there’s a salad already in it.

There’s a duck salad on the menu, but it’s priced as a spendy entree, so I’d like to bring someone along to split it with at some point. Maybe that’ll be soon.

I’m becoming quite the regular there, because I noticed a third duck soup on the menu and was back four days later to try it. If you’re looking for the ultimate duck experience, this is the one to order.

*BBQ duck pho. Yes, that’s a whole drumstick.*

This soup was such a nice surprise. Bone-in BBQ duck is delicious on its own, but when you soak it on pho broth? Absolutely amazing. I fished the pieces out so I could easily mix the fixings in, then put them back in to keep them warm. It’s a little messy to eat, and you have to watch for small bone chunks at the bottom of the bowl, but it’s well worth the trouble.

It’s neat to find so many duck options on a menu because it’s generally hard to find in the first place. Also, common perceptions about it are wildly different. A lot of people have just never had it. Some people like me think it’s the tastiest, most luxurious bird. In general, I think most people think it’s a bit much. Is it expensive? Is it something you eat reluctantly because you married a hunter?

There’s plenty of duck to try at Pho Hung, along with over 100 other options. If the menu’s a little overwhelming, pick from the wall instead.