‘Phobruary’ Returns to Silver City

Support local restaurants in Silver City this month by celebrating “Phobruary.”

VIA CDC, a community development corporation, is holding the annual event meant to encourage support for small, local restaurants by partaking in a bowl of the Vietnamese noodle soup. This year marks the return of in-person dining for Phobruary. In 2021, the event was held strictly through take-out meals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pho, for those that have never had it, is “a deep bowl of beef or chicken broth filled with rice noodles, fresh herbs, scallions, and thin slices of beef or chicken,” as Urban Milwaukee dining critic Cari Taylor-Carlson described it.

“It’s not to be confused with ramen, though many equate the two, perhaps because both are essentially noodle soup served in bowls,” Carlson wrote. “Pho uses stock made from beef or chicken bones and rice noodles, while ramen has pork- based broth and wheat-flour noodles.”

Two restaurants participating in this year’s Phobruary will be offering specials throughout the month. Thai Bar-B-Que, 3417 W. National Ave., is offering $5.99 Pho Bowls and $1 crab rangoon throughout the month between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.. Vientiane Noodle Shop, 3422 W. National Ave. is offering $5 bowls of Pho all day long.

“Guests are encouraged to dine-in, order takeout, purchase gift cards and or leave a kind review on their social media platforms,” the community organization said. “Remember to be kind, patient and to tip accordingly.”

Along with the deals, there is the annual Phobruary challenge that enters participants in a drawing for $25 gift cards to one of the two participating restaurants. To enter the challenge, participants must like a giveaway post on VIA CDC’s Facebook or Instagram pages – posted every Wednesday of the month – and tag someone they would like to have Pho with.

Phobruary was first held in 2014. In 2018, Taylor-Carlson wrote about her experience trying the Pho at all three participants in the annual celebration, including the two restaurants involved this year. In summing up the nature of the noodle soup she said it could “warm the heart on a cold winter day.”