Jeonju City Hall Vietnamese restaurant for brisket pho lunch: Phodam

I went looking for a light, clean bowl of pho for lunch and ended up thoroughly enjoying a banh xeo too — this is Phodam, a Jeonju lunch spot I love. If you're already a pho fan, just go in, haha!

What is Phodam Jeonju City Hall Branch? Hours and seating

Phodam Jeonju City Hall Branch is run by a chef from Vietnam who serves authentic, handmade Vietnamese food. It's open every day from 8:30am to 8:30pm, so it's great for breakfast too. The interior is spacious and clean with plenty of seats — and sure enough, I was surprised to see so many office workers there at lunchtime. Turns out it's a real Jeonju favorite. Kids love pho too, and it's easy to eat neatly, right?! There are baby chairs available, so it's good for family outings, and it's also perfect for group visits or gatherings when you're in Jeonju.

There are photos of pho, banh xeo, and bulgogi banh mi posted up. I haven't tried the banh mi yet, but I've seen people on social media who go to Vietnam just to bring the bread home because it's so good?! Today I wanted pho and banh xeo, so I skipped it — but I really should try the bulgogi banh mi before my next Vietnam trip.

Phodam Jeonju City Hall Branch menu prices

• Beef flank pho (양지쌀국수) ₩8,900
• Beef brisket pho (사태쌀국수) ₩9,900
• Spicy pho (매운쌀국수) ₩11,000
• Bun cha (분짜) ₩9,900
• Cha gio spring rolls (짜조) ₩6,900
• Bulgogi banh mi (불고기반미) ₩7,900
• Fresh spring rolls (월남쌈) ₩6,900
• Banh xeo (반쎄오) ₩9,900

You can also get a bigger portion of pho, and the extra-cilantro option cracks me up haha. Great taste, great value, and prices that are honestly reasonable — you can eat here without worrying about the bill.

There are side dishes and sauces to go along with your meal, so you can mix and match to your taste! I still don't fully know all the sauce flavors, but you can stir them in, add cilantro, whatever — building your own Vietnamese food recipe seems to be half the fun.

Beef brisket pho, 9,900 won: clean broth and portion size

The beef brisket pho had a light, clean broth with tender beef — it looked appetizing just to look at, and it really was clean-tasting, delicious, with springy noodles that were excellent. The portion was generous too. The chef, who's originally from Vietnam, apparently makes the broth using a recipe passed down in his family, combining Korean beef bone stock with fresh ingredients.

Banh xeo, 9,900 won: as big as a fist

I love banh xeo, and can you see how big it is — like a fist?! Just looking at it, you can tell it's crispy on the outside. I was amazed at how big and delicious it was for the price — once you start eating banh xeo, you know there's no stopping, right? Apparently Phodam is the only place in Jeonju where you can get authentic banh xeo. If you haven't fallen for its charm yet like I have, give it a try here!!!

How to eat banh xeo at Phodam

There's fun in opening up the banh xeo — it's packed with bulgogi and vegetables! Lay lettuce on a square rice paper, put the banh xeo on top, dip it in the sauce, and you've made a no-water-needed fresh spring roll! The banh xeo is loaded with ingredients so the texture is great and totally my style — each bite is bursting with flavor, and I really enjoyed it.

Is Phodam worth a lunch trip?

I recommend Phodam, a Vietnamese pho restaurant in Jeonju where you can get pho, bun cha, fresh spring rolls, banh xeo, and bulgogi banh mi — a true Jeonju lunch favorite. It's run by a chef from Vietnam who serves authentic Vietnamese food, and the prices are reasonable enough that you get both great taste and great value. Go treat yourself to a delicious meal!