Thursday, October 1, 2026
The ultimate comfort food has to be noodle soup.
Nothing heals what ails us better or faster than slurpable noodles and savory, umami-rich broth. Everything from the common cold to heartbreak responds to this utterly satisfying and soothing combination, and soupy noodles have filled bellies and calmed worries for millennia.
The oldest evidence of noodles is more than 4,000 years ago in China – archaeologists actually found an earthenware bowl with petrified noodles! Recipes for noodles were written down during the Han Dynasty more than 2,300 years ago. Made from wheat dough, with various accompaniments, they became central to the Han diet. (The world had to wait another 400 years for noodles, or pasta, to appear in Mediterranean countries.)
And as much as American chicken noodle and minestrone soups have their place, when it comes to iconic noodle soups, phô and ramen will always reign supreme. Even speaking of phô and ramen together could imply that they share some history or origin, but in fact, these two dishes come from different parts of the world and followed very different paths to become today’s craveable versions of themselves. These bowls of complex flavors, aromas, and textures are at the center of culinary habits of people everywhere, especially here at home in Washington.
Like so many of our favorite foods, both phô and ramen
resulted from a mashup of culinary traditions. Phô’s roots are clearly embedded in Vietnamese culture and history. While food historians may quibble over its origin, most agree that phô emerged in northern Vietnam late in the 19th century and reflect Chinese, Vietnamese, and French influences.
Ramen, on the other hand, developed in Japan after Chinese immigrants brought noodle-making to the country early in the 20th century. The word “ramen” is derived from the Chinese “lamian,” which means hand-pulled noodles, but those noodles quickly evolved into a uniquely Japanese dish.
Apart from their origins, each of these noodle soups has a number of elements that make them truly unique, from the type of broth to the toppings.
PHÔ: Phô’s flavor is simple and elegant – a clear broth with ginger, onions, and spices and a gentle sweetness from fish sauce and sugar. Vietnam may have incorporated the beef from France (French colonists took all of the best cuts of beef and left the majority for the locals) and the noodles from China, but since then, phô has evolved into something distinctly Vietnamese.
The original and traditional phô is made with beef and beef broth, but there are regional variations like chicken (phô ga), seafood (phô hai san), vegetarian (phô chay), and even sour phô. Today, diners can order pork, bean sprouts, tofu, and more as their main protein, but those delicious accompaniments remain steady – more bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime, cilantro, and sliced chiles and onions. If you do not get a cream puff on the side, you are missing out.
Phô must have those thin, flat rice noodles, known as bánh phô, the translucent, silky noodles that absorb the broth and have a gentle chewiness. The noodles are traditionally hand-cut, but these days machine-cut noodles are more standard. Phô noodles tend to be cooked more than ramen noodles, making them softer and easier to chew.
RAMEN: Ramen noodles are firmer than phô, making them ideal for easy slurping without the noodles breaking. That said, those ridiculously curly and fun-to-eat noodles are not standard in ramen, and the unifying feature of ramen noodles is the dough. Ramen noodles are made from wheat flour, water, and kansui (alkaline water), which give them that firm texture, regardless of shape.
Ramen broth was also developed to offer a bit more intense flavor than a phô broth. Ramen’s four main variations impact many of the senses – intensely salty (shio), savory and soy-forward (shoyu), hearty and robust (miso), to intensely creamy and porky (tonkotsu). Proteins in ramen run the gamut, from braised pork belly to fermented bamboo shoots.
Ramen toppings are also more loosely interpreted, with common toppings including nori, green onions, fish cakes, corn, mushrooms and, of course, a soft-boiled egg. The variety of toppings can turn each bowl of ramen into a unique culinary adventure. All of this fun with ramen meant that ramen shops began to pop up across Japan 10 years into the 20th century and across the world by the 1950s (especially once Chef Momofoku Ando invented a shelf-stable ramen noodle).
The number of high-quality, high-flavor phô and Vietnamese restaurants in south Snohomish County outshine so many other regions across the state or even the western United States. Highway 99 alone offers SO many options that it is difficult to reduce the list to a select few. Ramen shops may be a bit harder to find, but they are out there. Besides, while getting a real bowl is hard to beat, sometimes the add-hot-water pack is the only choice.
Phô Café on the Mukilteo Speedway is a spot worth slowing down for. Their menu offers a small but deliberate set of options for phô, as well as bun (vermicelli noodles), rice dishes, and bahn mi sandwiches. It is also known for its eggs and spring rolls. Once you try them, it will be clear why. Phô Café is about the food, and you will be happier once you try it. 8410 Mukilteo Speedway, Mukilteo.
Than Brothers in Edmonds makes phô as it should be, and also gives you a bit of flexibility to personalize the bowls of goodness to your liking. The vegetarian bowl has bright green fresh broccoli, mushrooms, tofu (perfectly seared), and carrots, but all versions leave patrons happily eating and slurping the broth and noodles. It would be unthinkable not to mention the mini-cream puff that comes free with every bowl – one of the best in town. 22618 Highway 99 in Boohan Plaza, Edmonds.
Rise & Shine Bakery is quite simply, the best Vietnamese restaurant on Highway 99. Visit Rise & Shine for something sweet or savory, for the most delectable sandwich or a steaming bowl of phô, or for the perfection of their pastries. 23030 Highway 99, Edmonds.
Phô 84 has a large variety of dishes, from the tame to the adventurous. Their phô contains a version of that fragrant broth that makes the world quiet down, and it comes with all of the requisite garnish (bean sprouts, jalapenos, more fresh cilantro, and sweet chili sauce), chicken or tofu, and perfectly cooked noodles, onions, and fresh cilantro. 6815 196th St. SW, Lynnwood.
Phô & Chill’s menu is extensive, so phô is not the only choice but one among many wonderful choices. This is a small storefront in a small strip mall, but you won’t want to miss it. Try their huge assortment of Vietnamese classics, and enjoy their fun milk teas and desserts. This restaurant wants you to have a great meal and have a great time while you are at it. 14007 Highway 99, Lynnwood.
Phô Time in Mill Creek is a nice little spot for some big flavors. The charming restaurant is bright, and the service always kind. Their menu features Southern-style phô (a richer, slow-cooked broth, with flat noodles and charred onion, ginger, and aromatic spices), as well as banh mi, select chef specials, and an impressive array of beverages that will make the whole family happy. Also, try the iced coffee. 914 164th St. SE, B-10, Mill Creek.
Sensen Ramen will take you to this location between Mukilteo and Mill Creek. Their four delicious ramen options are flavorful and special, served with pork belly meat, soft-boiled egg, bean sprouts, mushrooms, spinach, seaweed, a fish cake, and green onions. Katsu, soba, and sushi options are delicious, too. 17424 Highway 99, Lynnwood.
Yua Ramen is located next door to the Ranch 99 Market on Highway 99 in Edmonds. Quite welcoming and bright inside, stylish in its décor, the focus is on the food as soon as you sit down and read the menu. The variety of soups and ramen options is impressive (more than a dozen), but anyone not in the mood for noodles can order one of their wonderful rice dishes or from their generous appetizer menu. 22511 Highway 99, No. 105, Edmonds.
Ranch 99 Market is an adventure on so many levels. When it comes to ramen, where else can patrons find dozens and dozens, perhaps hundreds, of varieties of packaged ramen? Any flavor profile or style is available. This is also the market to find the rarest of ramen toppings, like those fermented bamboo shoots. There is also a food court at Ranch 99 that cannot be missed. 22511 Highway 99, Edmonds.
Ashiya Sushi & Ramen, just west of Mill Creek by Martha Lake, is another spot to find ramen and much, much more. Their extensive menu goes well beyond ramen, with Japanese favorites from udon to yakisoba and even donburi, a rice-bowl dish of fish, meat, and vegetables simmered together and served over rice. Working your way through this menu will take some time, and it will be time well spent. 1233 164th St. SW, Lynnwood.
Both of these dishes require some skill in the kitchen to create the depth of flavor that we come to expect from our favorite restaurants. Interestingly, there is a growing movement to improve on store-bought products and create delectable phô and ramen bowls in your own home.
Most Americans likely remember when all we could afford (or perhaps wanted) in our early 20s was the multipacks of ramen that averaged out to as little as 19 cents a meal. Over the past decade, though, roommates and friends trying to have a nice meal and save a bit on groceries have begun to upgrade that little ramen flavoring packet with some extras.
At-home ramen creations are cool, as you can see on TikTok or Instagram. The “Ramen Rater” in Edmonds has transformed and rated packaged ramen for more than 20 years (Check out his website: theramenrater.com, and leave yourself a lot of time to read through his clear obsession with the noodle soup).
The options for taking the dried noodles and flavor packets to the next level are not as complex as they would seem. Simple pantry staples like miso paste, curry paste or powder, and even ponzu can brighten ramen broth. Anyone can turn a bowl of noodles into more of a rib-sticking meal by adding grilled vegetables – spinach, sprouts, cabbage, any kind of peas, shredded carrots, or any meat you have in the house, including thinly sliced chicken or beef, and even deli meats. Of course, a fried, hard, or soft-boiled egg would make any dish taste better, and ramen is typically served with an egg.
Adding a dash of fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh herbs will take your home-improved ramen to the next level. Some of the ramen variations out there actually sound kind of good, like Aloha ramen with Spam, pineapple, and a fried egg, or a Thai-inspired chilled ramen salad with peanut butter and coconut milk.
Phô is not quite as easy to recreate in your own kitchen, but in a pinch, most grocery stores have ingredients that make it possible. The traditional proteins and vegetables are readily available these days, as are the correct rice noodles (although the trick is cooking the noodles to the right texture). Most difficult, though, is that phô broth. It is a broth so complex that only a few of the ready-made phô broths even come close.
Ramen chef Momofoku Ando famously said: “Peace will come to the world when the people have enough noodles to eat.” He is so right. Noodles make people happier than most other foods.
Phô and ramen share a place in culinary history as iconic noodle soups, and yet, the distinctions are what make them so darn fabulous. South Snohomish County is fortunate to boast some of the best phô and ramen restaurants in the United States, and there are no shortage of opportunities to go on a flavor journey any day of the week.
Choosing between phô and ramen is not so much about which bowl of noodles is better, since they are both utterly delicious, but rather depends on your mood, your cravings, your level of creativity, or maybe even the change in your pocket.
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