Illustration by Sarah Campbell
A Pop Up Pho Restaurant in Lisbon
“Stop whatever you’re doing, there is a temporary Pho restaurant right near our house!” It’s what I messaged Nick when I found out a Vietnamese restaurant had temporarily settled on a street below ours.
I walk past the Sinel de Cordes Palace every day, and in the last few months, I noticed they were announcing something related to the Lisbon Architecture Triennale. The event focuses on contemporary approaches to architectural spaces.
I figured it was an art exhibition like they often do there. I didn’t realize something else was happening, something that I should have known a long time ago.
Eating Pho in Lisbon
Last Thursday, I finally decided to check the website and see what was going on inside this forgotten palace. I was surprised when I saw that besides the regular exhibitions there was also a pop-up restaurant. I got even more excited when I read they were serving Pho — a typical Vietnamese noodle soup.
I’ve been to the Pho-Pu restaurant in Martim Moniz a few times, but this one was different. Maybe it was the fact that we had the whole place to ourselves on a Friday night or the nice guy who served us, or the taste of the food. Even before leaving, I was already thinking of coming back for more.
I tried to go there the day before. I rushed out of the office, walked up the hill from Santa Apolónia, and asked the lady at the entrance where to find this mysterious Vietnamese restaurant. She told me to head to the courtyard and check if they were still there.
I walked up the stairs, took a brief look at the exhibition and was disappointed to see that the restaurant was closed. Nick was as excited as I was and convinced me to come back the next day, and I’m glad I did!
It was about 7 p.m. when I spotted the Cafeteria sign outside the small room where the Pho was being cooked. In front of me, a blackboard announced the food and drinks that were on offer — three types of Pho, a pork sandwich, craft beer, and even ice cream.
Phoi – Cavalo
Phoi – Cavalo was the name chosen by chef Hugo Brito for this temporary establishment. He is responsible for another restaurant in Alfama called Boi-Cavalo.
The name hasn’t changed much, but the food is completely different. Boi-Cavalo focuses on reinventing Portuguese cuisine, while Phoi-Cavalo is all about the Vietnamese street food spirit!
First, you choose your favorite flavor. There is the meat classic, vegetarian, or even a codfish version! Then you decide how big do you want it: small or big.
We went for two small portions of the classic Pho. After that, the guy recommended trying the Bahn mi sandwich. I was overwhelmed with the number of ingredients they manage to put inside that bread, but boy was it delicious!
One thing I love about Vietnamese cuisine is the freshness of the ingredients. Unlike Chinese food, which can be quite greasy sometimes, I can never get enough of Vietnamese dishes.
To finish off, I ordered a homemade coffee and cardamom ice cream to go. I was about to leave with it on my hand when I realized I still had to pay! I quickly apologized, gave him the money, and promised to come back the next day.
While I didn’t manage to go back just yet, I thought it was worth sharing this secret spot before it’s gone! The good thing about it is that you can take the food back home with you 🙂
Where is it?
- Campo Santa Clara 142, 1100-155 Lisboa
Go inside the palace, up the stairs and then find the door that gives access to the courtyard. Go down the stairs to the left and you will see the sign that says Cafetaria, the door should be open.
When to go?*
Phoi-Cavalo is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. You have until the 10th of December to experience this delicious food, so make sure to visit asap!
They only accept cash, so bring at least €10 with you, depending on how much food you’re getting!
*EDIT: You can probably tell by the date of this post that this Pho restaurant is no longer open, but I decided to keep it as a memory.
About the Illustrator
I met Sarah through Instagram. She started following me there, and I immediately fell in love with her illustrations.
We had a quick chat on Instagram about future collaborations, and since my food photography skills aren’t the best, I figured this could be a good opportunity to work together!
She’s incredibly talented. If you want to ask for a commission or if you’re just curious about her work, take a look at her website here. Hopefully, this will be the first of many collaborations 🙂