Do An Serves Excellent Pho

By Hendrayatna Tafianoto (November 2006)

Back in the nineties, eating Vietnamese food meant only one thing: going to Pho Hoa, a
fast food chain selling various kinds of pho (Vietnamese noodle soup). I remembered
trying it once and found nothing to like about pho.

Nearly a decade went by before I rediscovered pho and this time, loved it. Unfortunately,
Vietnamese restaurants in Jakarta are few and far in between, so I ended up returning
several times to a particular restaurant at Cikini.

When a friend of mine gave his glowing review to Do An, a Vietnamese restaurant in the
Kelapa Gading area, I knew it was time to try something new. Besides, I can always
return to Cikini if things did not work out.

Braving Jakarta’s traffic one Monday night, my companion and I managed to reach Do
An a little after seven PM. Situated in a shophouse typical of most Kelapa Gading
eateries, Do An is decorated with wallpapers of a large panoramic photo depicting
Vietnamese girls on their bikes and bicycles.

With its bright light and simple setup, the restaurant is clearly geared toward family and
casual diners. A small sign on the table proclaimed Do An’s most favorite drink is Ca
Phe Sua Da (iced coffee with milk)—Rp 17,500. I ordered it on a whim, while my
companion chose Tra Xa Da (iced lemongrass tea)—Rp 9,500.

The iced lemongrass tea had a familiar lemon-like taste with an aromatic twist and just
the right amount of sugar.

The iced coffee with milk, however, was a little more complicated. It began with a glass
filled with a layer of sweetened condensed milk. On top of the glass sat a cylindrical
metal contraption, a drip filter. Ground coffee is put inside the drip filter, compacted, and
then poured with hot water that extracted the coffee as it dripped into the glass. Minutes
later, when the drips slowed to almost nothing, a waiter removed the filter, stirred the
mixture and emptied it into a glass of ice cubes.

So how did it taste? Do An’s most favorite drink certainly did not disappoint. It was not
too sweet or too milky and the coffee’s strong flavor is still intact. The waiter assured me
that the coffee came directly from Vietnam, but I wondered how it would taste if the
coffee were replaced with Indonesian specialty, such as Tana Torajan coffee.

Moving on to the appetizer, we had Goi Coun (Vietnamese fresh spring roll with chicken
& prawn)—Rp 22,500. Stuffed with rice vermicelli, chicken, prawn, mint, lettuce, and
slivers of egg omelet, the spring rolls are big and clearly made for sharing. The
accompanying dipping sauce tasted a bit like plum sauce and imparted a spicy taste that
complimented the other ingredients.
Our next meal was Com Sot Ca (tomato rice)—Rp 9,500, a simple tomato fried rice with
plenty of scallion thrown in and garnished with bits of fried garlic and shallot. The
tomato rice tasted rather sweet and has a soft, though not yet mushy texture.

The best tasting menu that night was Pho Bo (Vietnamese beef noodle soup)—Rp
36,000, a big bowl of rice noodle generously topped with scallion, cilantro, onion, and
thin slices of beef in piping hot broth. Rich and fragrant, the beef noodle soup is a mouth-
watering delight.

A condiment basket containing bean sprouts, chopped green chilies, lime wedges, and
vietnamese mint (rau ram in Vietnamese language) is provided to further enhance the
already excellent taste. The bean sprouts add texture while the green chilies are for those
who like their pho hot and fiery. The lime wedges mellowed the rich broth by adding
some acidity and the vietnamese mint gives off a unique flavor that goes well with the
beef.

We ended the dinner with a small bowl of Sihn Sa Hoi Luu (mixed ice dessert)—Rp
9,500, a concoction of red chewy sweets, grass jelly, green jelly, and cassava that evoked
the taste of ordinary es campur.

Overall, Do An is a worthy addition to a small, but growing list of Vietnamese

restaurants in Jakarta. Hopefully, Do An can maintain the quality of its cooking and—
like the slogan on its business card—continues to offer its patrons a “Vietnamese
experience”.

Do An
Jl. Boulevard Raya Blok CN3 No. 26, Kelapa Gading (other branches at Mal Artha
Gading and Cilandak Town Square)
Phone: 021-45845525
Opening hours: 10 AM – 10 PM
Email: doan@cbn.net.id