A Filipino Take on Pho

"Palawan, even though he hated it when he was 7. The island was a first stop for refugees of the Vietnam War, and its capital, Puerto Princesa, was home to a refugee center that housed thousands of people at a time. Though many of the refugees would resettle in the West, some opened noodle shops where they served pho, which the locals started calling chao long."

"which the locals started calling chao long. "Filipino dishes aren't usually spiced heavily with cinnamon, cardamom, and clove; we don't do that. So I hated chao long pho," Mendoza says. That changed when he tasted the soup as adapted by locals who made the broth richer and sweeter, adding tomato sauce, annatto, or beef stew: "That's when it became my favorite.""

Mark Mendoza planned Swabe’s menu and included chao long Palawan despite hating it at age seven. Palawan served as a first stop for Vietnam War refugees, and Puerto Princesa hosted a large refugee center. Some refugees opened noodle shops and served pho that locals began calling chao long. Local adaptations made the broth richer and sweeter by adding tomato sauce, annatto, or beef stew. At Swabe, chao long is served with crunchy bean sprouts, mint, scallions, plentiful rice noodles, and tender beef shoulder. The broth achieves a sweet, beefy depth from long, careful simmering. The truck operates weekdays in Elmhurst outside a church, creating a street-restaurant atmosphere.

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