The Eating Chambers on Finding Pho

What is up, my Eaters! I hope you are all well. I’m good. I’m excited for the new year and all it has in store. For me, that looks like getting into more farmers markets, doing a lot more catering and supper club dinners, hopefully some travel and new business opportunities, and of course—tons more stories and other content.

In light of last week’s column, I hope you’ve all been more observant of health scores and have begun holding restaurants and foodservice establishments more accountable. It’s your responsibility.

This week, I wanted to lighten the mood a bit from our last discussion. I’m going to do that by talking with you about soup—more specifically, pho, the Vietnamese dish that has grown immensely in popularity with Americans over the last 8–10 years.

It’s ironic that I’m about to encourage you to eat soup, because for most of my life I wasn’t a fan at all. Hot liquid as a meal never made sense to me. My thought was, “Why would anyone want to slurp their lunch or dinner?” Growing up, this mindset was widely criticized among my Jamaican family. Soup is a staple in Jamaican cuisine. Most households have a hearty soup on the menu at least once a week.

Growing up—and well into adulthood—there were a few soups I would entertain on occasion, but for the most part, soups were a no-go over here. However, one evening about ten years ago, things changed for me.

I was between classes at Georgia State. I hadn’t eaten in hours, and my next class was quickly approaching. I had to find something to eat in a hurry or I was going to miss my window to eat before class. The only place still open was a pho restaurant. I had never even heard of pho prior to that. You should have seen the disappointment on my face when the person working explained to me that pho was soup.

But hunger was winning, so I ordered a bowl.

I was absolutely floored by how delicious it was. I remember being satisfied by the experience in all the right ways. The noodles were nostalgic. Eating them wasn’t exactly the same, but they reminded me of the countless Oodles of Noodles Ramen I grew up eating. The fact that I was enjoying a bowl of soup was nostalgic, too. I still remember wishing my mom was there with me—she would have been shocked. I told her about it later.

As a chef and foodie, I was amazed at how simplistically satisfying the meal was. I remember being totally satiated, but also still totally comfortable in my clothes. No elastic was needed.

That place was DUA Vietnamese. Years later, they opened a location in Fayetteville.

Over the next few years, I ate pho any chance I got. After I graduated from Georgia State, we would travel to Buford Highway, north of Atlanta, for our pho fix. There are multiple places along Buford Highway that were good, but we liked Pho 24 the most. It was always worth the drive.

The necessity to drive across Atlanta for a good bowl of pho was erased by the arrival of Viet’s Cuisinein Peachtree City a short time later. For a long time, Viet’s was a sure thing for good pho. The service was great, the prices were fair, and the pho did everything it needed to do. Viet’s later expanded and opened a second location in Newnan.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, after the expansion—and then the loss of key employees—Viet’s consistency and overall dining experience have become less than favorable. This has been made even more apparent by the most recent health inspection failure at their Peachtree City location.

My life no longer allows us to make quests across the city in the name of pho. As a result, about a year ago, I began researching the traditional ingredients used to build a signature pho broth. I was going to take it on myself.

Around that same time, I noticed a new pho restaurant had opened on Bullsboro in Newnan. It took me a few months to try them out, but it finally happened. One afternoon, I stopped in for lunch with JG, a friend.

I’ve been going back ever since. They do it perfectly, so I no longer have to concern myself with making it. Although, the chef in me will probably take it on at some point.

By now, I’ve probably eaten a dozen bowls or more, and every single one has been incredible. The name of this restaurant is Ruby Pho—and it truly is the best pho I’ve ever eaten.

Ruby Pho is so delicious, and the experience is so special, that I’ve decided to interview them. I want to share more with you about the food—and the people—who make this place such a gem in our local food scene, and such a standout for pho and Vietnamese cuisine.

Look for that interview in the next 2 weeks. Until then, I hope you each find peace and happiness in all you do until we are together again. Also, remember to tell your friends, family, and brides to be about the upcoming bridal and business fair in Newnan on January 24, 2026. Here is a link to the article I wrote on it. You can also always come see me or my team at the Peachtree City Farmer’s Market every Saturday.