Deep fried Vietnamese pho dish best tasting savory at Texas fair

A deep fried pho dish created by Vietnam-born chef Michelle Le has won the "Best Taste - Savory" award at the State Fair of Texas.

Since 2005, the Big Tex Choice Awards contest has placed the State Fair of Texas as a top for great food creations. Each year, State Fair of Texas concessionaires cook up tasty and unique foods for a chance to become a finalist at the competition.

This year, the award selected 57 participating dishes from 37 vendors in three categories: "Best Taste - Savory", "Best Taste - Sweet" and "Most Creative.”

Chef Michelle Le deep fried the Vietnamese rice noodles used for the famous pho soup and combined it with a Southern American culinary style. The dish beat other creations to win the “Best Taste - Savory” title.

“Deep fried pho is handcrafted, rolled up, and deep-fried Texas style. This unique combination creates a perfect balance between flavorful and refreshing. With every bite, you get a harmonious and succulent mouthful of noodles, slices of beef, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and a taste of aromatic pho broth that has been slowly simmered for hours,” the State Fair of Texas wrote.

This dish is served with a side of pho broth for dipping, lime, jalapeños, cilantro, hoisin sauce, and sriracha for a spicy, fiery kick.

Sharing with NBC 5 about her feelings after receiving the award, chef Le said she “was in shock”. “I think I blacked out for a second. I could feel my husband squeezing my hand, it was so exciting,” Le said.

For years she had wondered if she could deep fry her father-in-law’s pho, which he makes at least once a week. “Having a dish that we enjoy as a family that’s the most meaningful. It brings the whole family together for dinner with Dad’s pho. That’s really where the inspiration started”, the winner of "Best Taste - Savory" said.

In addition to deep fried pho, the award had a surprising dish: deep fried Vietnamese coffee. It uses ingredients from slow-brewed coffee, is breaded with crispy fried dough and served with condensed milk.

“The cake is then rolled into a ball, battered, and deep-fried Texas style! To finish this off, it is dusted with powdered sugar and served with velvety condensed milk. Say goodbye to your mundane cup of joe and join us at the State Fair of Texas for an experience that will leave you begging for another bite”, the fair’s website gushed.

The 2023 State Fair of Texas, held September 29-October 22, will serve all the winning dishes as well as new ones from local restaurants, organizers said.