Suwon Vietnamese restaurant for clear beef pho and pad thai: Madam Hao

Finding Madam Hao from the entrance to Ajou University

I usually love noodles and tend to have pho about once a week, so I love checking off new good restaurants every time. Today, I took advantage of the weekend to have lunch with my husband near Ajou University in Suwon, an area with lots of great-value restaurants.

From the entrance to Ajou University, walk straight down and turn into the alley between Sinjeon Tteokbokki and Yeopgi Tteokbokki. After one block, you will find Madam Hao right away. I parked at Uman-dong Public Parking Lot; there was a crosswalk right in front of the alley I mentioned, and after crossing and walking the same way, I arrived in under about two minutes.

Madam Hao is the shop with such a flashy, pretty exterior that it really stands out when you look down the alley.

As you would expect from a great Vietnamese pho spot, they have created an exotic atmosphere nicely with bamboo blinds.

A larger-than-expected dining room and the lunch atmosphere

When I came inside, I was surprised by how spacious it was. Since it is on the first floor of a villa building, I expected it to be small, but there is a larger space farther in and plenty of tables, making it nice for dining with several people.

Maybe because I visited around noon on Sunday, there were truly so many customers. By the time I was eating, even the tables farther inside were full. What was interesting was that more than half the customers were actual local Filipinos. From couples to group gatherings, lots of Filipino people came here, which made me think, ah, this really is an authentic local-style pho restaurant.

A varied menu from pho to sides

The wide range of Vietnamese dishes is probably one reason so many people come. There were many kinds of noodles, including beef bibim pho, bulgogi mixed noodles, and beef brisket pho, along with unfamiliar-to-me dishes such as cha ca la vong and tom yum ramen. At ₩11,000, the beef brisket pho also seemed great for a light lunch.

They also have sides such as banh khot, cha gio, and Vietnamese chicken salad, so you can add whatever suits your taste.

Since I had come for a simple lunch, I just ordered one pad thai and one beef brisket pho, for a total of ₩23,000.

When you order, they give you snacks. They were quietly addictive, so I kept picking at them while we waited.

There are sauces on every table too, so you can add them to your pho however you like.

Beef brisket pho with generous portions and a lovely broth

Maybe because there were many orders that day, I think we waited about 10 minutes for the food. The beef brisket pho was packed with brisket and noodles—an unbelievable amount for ₩11,000.

There was so much that it would fill you up if you ate it alone, and it was a good amount to share between two people. The broth was a little clearer than the pho we were used to, so it was easier to keep eating without feeling heavy. My husband, who often traveled to Vietnam for work, said it tasted exactly like the broth he had eaten there.

The brisket was tender rather than chewy, which I loved. Squeezing in lemon partway through added a tangy note and made it taste really different.

Pad thai transformed by peanuts and chili

Pad thai is a dish my husband loves, so we decided to order it.

I liked that the peanuts and spicy chili came separately rather than already mixed in.

Eating it plain without mixing anything in, I could strongly taste that savory, distinctive Vietnamese pad thai flavor, and it was delicious. Unlike at some other places, it was not overly salty, which I liked.

After eating some, I added the peanuts and chili, and the flavor changed so much that it felt like eating a new dish. It became more intense with spicy and nutty flavors. Since I am not very good with spicy food, I preferred the pad thai without anything added.

I had a tasty lunch of pho and pad thai at Madam Hao, a great Ajou University restaurant. True to its reputation as a pho spot visited by Vietnamese people too, both the pho and pad thai were so delicious to my taste. The prices are affordable and the atmosphere is nice, so it seems good for a simple lunch, a family meal, or a date. Parking in the alley may be possible, but I recommend Uman-dong Public Parking Lot across the street when you visit.