We Served 100,000 Bowls of 'Wrong' Pho—Here's Why Customers Keep Coming Back

You've probably seen our sign: "Will Vietnamese × Korean fusion actually taste good?"

It’s an honest question.

Most fusion restaurants throw random ingredients together and call it innovation.

But here's what we've learned serving 100,000 bowls over 11 years. Fusion works when you pair spices that share natural flavour compounds.

Vietnamese cinnamon and Korean black pepper aren't random. They're scientifically compatible, and they amplify each other instead of clashing.

The science comes from The Science of Spice by Dr. Stuart Farrimond. Here's why it works.

Why Traditional Pho Stops at One Layer

Traditional Vietnamese pho uses cinnamon, star anise, and ginger. All three create the same sensation: warm, sweet, aromatic.

They're beautiful together, but they're all playing the same note.

The problem: Your palate gets one hit of warmth upfront, then it plateaus. The first spoonful tastes exactly like the twentieth spoonful.

This isn't a flaw in Vietnamese cooking. It's intentional design for a light, clean soup. But it also means traditional pho lacks progression.

What We Added (And Why It Works)

We kept everything traditional Vietnamese: chicken bones, cinnamon, star anise, ginger.

Then we added Korean black pepper. Not instead of cinnamon.

On top of it.

Here's what happens when you eat it.

First spoonful: sweet warmth hits your tongue. That's the cinnamon—familiar, comforting, exactly what you expect from pho.

Second spoonful: you start noticing something different.

A tingling sharpness building at the back of your throat. That's the black pepper arriving.

Third spoonful: now you're tasting three things at once.

The sweet warmth upfront, the sharp heat in back, and underneath both this deep, savory richness from the crab and prawn.

One bowl. Three completely different sensations. All happening at different moments.

Traditional pho gives you one hit of flavor, then nothing changes. This one keeps revealing new layers the more you eat.

Why Cinnamon and Black Pepper Actually Work Together

Most people assume these spices would clash.

Vietnamese cooking uses cinnamon for sweet warmth. Korean cooking uses black pepper for sharp heat. Completely different flavor profiles.

But here's the interesting part.

Cinnamon creates warmth you feel on your tongue immediately—sweet, round, comforting.

Black pepper creates heat you

feel in your throat gradually—sharp, tingling, building over time.

They're hitting different parts of your mouth at different moments.

Like a song where the bass comes in after the melody. They don't compete. They layer.

After 11 years and roughly 100,000 bowls, we've figured out the exact ratio where they amplify each other instead of fighting.

Too much cinnamon? Black pepper disappears.Too much black pepper? Overpowers the sweetness.

The balance took us years to nail down.

Why We Added Seafood to Chicken Pho

Traditional pho ga is chicken only.

We add crab and prawn—shells on.

Here's why that matters.

When you boil shellfish with shells on, you extract this deep, savory richness. Korean seafood soups have been using this technique forever.

That richness sits underneath the cinnamon and pepper, making both of them taste more intense.

Think of it like music. If you only have melody (cinnamon and pepper), it sounds thin. Add the bass line underneath (seafood umami), suddenly everything feels fuller and more complete.

You don't consciously think "oh, I'm tasting shellfish" while eating.

You just notice the broth has more depth than regular pho.

What You're Actually Getting

Standard Pho Ga: Three flavor layers: Vietnamese cinnamon warmth, Korean black pepper heat, seafood umami depth.

Jjambbong-Style Fusion Pho: Four layers: everything above PLUS wok-fried vegetables and protein finished with broth (Korean Jjammbbong technique adds smoky char).

Both include gluten-free options and customizable toppings.

The Simple Truth

11 years operating since 2014. ~100,000 bowls served. Google 4.2 stars, Uber Eats 4.7 stars.

We're not trying to replace traditional Vietnamese pho. We're offering something different. Intentional fusion based on flavor science, not random mixing.

If you want pure Vietnamese tradition, there are excellent restaurants for that. If you want to experience what happens when Vietnamese cinnamon and Korean black pepper work together scientifically, we've spent 11 years refining exactly that.

Try It This Week

📍 Pho Heaven

Shop L11, 19 Maki Street

Westgate Shopping Centre, Auckland

Order Online | Walk-in Welcome

Standard Pho Ga or Jjammbbong-Style.

Three layers or four.

Your choice.