The House Special at Phở Hà Plus is listed on the menu as Phở Tái Nạm Gầu Bò Viên, and underneath, in English: rare steak, flank, fatty brisket, beef meatballs. Those four words are the whole vocabulary of beef pho. Once you know what each one is, every other bowl on the menu, and every Phở menu in the San Gabriel Valley, reads clearly. This guide explains the cuts, what they do in the bowl, and how to order either the House Special or a bowl you build yourself.
The five beef words you need
| Vietnamese | On the Phở Hà Plus menu | What it is | Texture |
| Tái | Extra Steak – Thêm Tái | Thin-sliced rare steak, cooked in the bowl by the hot broth | Tender, pink to grey as it sits |
| Nạm | Extra Flank – Thêm Nạm | Well-done flank, sliced thin | Lean with a thin edge of fat; slight chew |
| Gầu | Extra Fatty Brisket – Thêm Gầu | Well-done fatty brisket | Soft, rich, melts into the broth |
| Chín | Extra Brisket – Thêm Chín | Well-done lean brisket | Firm and clean-tasting |
| Bò viên | Extra 4pcs / 6pcs of Beef Meatballs | Springy beef meatballs | Bouncy, dense |
The House Special uses the first three plus the meatballs. The Pho Extras list on the menu uses the same words, which is how you add or swap.
Tái: rare steak, cooked by the broth
Tái is the cut that makes a bowl of pho feel alive. The kitchen slices lean beef paper-thin and lays it on top of the noodles raw; the broth is poured over it hot enough to cook it at the table. If you eat quickly it is pink; if you stir it under the broth and wait a minute it is grey and fully cooked. Either is correct. If you want it cooked through before it reaches you, say so when you order; and if you are ordering for delivery, the steak will be cooked by the time it arrives.
Tái is the order if you want the most tender beef in the bowl and if you like the clean, almost sweet taste of beef that has not been simmered.
Nạm and gầu: the two briskets
Both are cooked slowly in the broth, so both carry the flavour of the stock. The difference is the fat.
- Nạm (flank) is lean. It is sliced thin across the grain and has a little chew, with a thin band of fat or membrane along one edge. It is the cut for people who want cooked beef without richness.
- Gầu (fatty brisket) is the opposite: well-marbled brisket, soft enough to pull apart with chopsticks, and it leaves a sheen on the broth. It is the cut regulars argue is the point of the whole dish.
A bowl with tái and gầu together is the most common order in Vietnamese pho shops for a reason: tender raw-cooked steak on one side, rich simmered brisket on the other.
Menu card — House Special Phở (Tái Nạm Gầu Bò Viên)
Rare steak, flank, fatty brisket and beef meatballs over rice noodles in beef broth.
Chín, bò viên, sách and gân: the rest of the list
The Phở Extras list at Phở Hà Plus goes further than the House Special:
- Chín — lean, well-done brisket. If you want cooked beef and do not want fat, this is the one.
- Bò viên — beef meatballs, listed in 4-piece and 6-piece extras. Dense and springy; children usually go for these first.
- Sách — tripe, listed as Extra Tripe. Thin, crunchy strips.
- Gân — tendon, listed as Extra Tendon. Simmered until soft and gelatinous.
- Egg Yolk and Broth – Chén Trứng — a raw yolk in a small cup of hot broth, stirred into the bowl for richness.
The menu also lists Bone Marrow (No Noodle) – Xí Quách as its own dish, which the menu describes as broth and marrow bones with no noodles.
Ordering the House Special
Order the House Special Phở when you want the kitchen’s version of the full bowl. It arrives with tái, nạm, gầu and bò viên, rice noodles, and the broth. If you want a bigger bowl of broth to go with it, the Pho Extras list has a Small Soup Bowl of Broth and a Large Bowl of Broth; if you want more noodles, Extra Rice Noodles (no broth) is there too.
Building your own bowl
The Create Your Own Phở lets you choose up to three toppings. Three combinations that work:
- Tái + Gầu + Bò viên — the classic: tender steak, rich brisket, meatballs for bite
- Chín + Nạm + Gân — all cooked, all lean-to-medium, with tendon for texture
- Tái + Sách + Gầu — for people who already know they like tripe
If you want chicken instead, the Chicken Phở is listed separately and the menu notes the chicken breast is served with a ginger sauce. For no meat at all, the Rice Noodle Soup (No Meat Phở) and the Vegetarian Phở – Phở Chay are both on the menu.
Menu card — Create Your Own Phở
Choose up to three toppings from the beef list and build the bowl you want.
The sides and drinks that belong with it
Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn) or Vietnamese Egg Rolls (Chả Giò) before the bowl, and a cold drink with it: Ice Jasmine/Green Tea, Thai Tea, or a Ca Phe Sua Da Vietnamese coffee if you need the afternoon to go faster. The Signature Drinks list also has Ube Foam Coffee and Toasted Egg Coffee for anyone who wants something beyond the usual.
Pho Ha Plus is at 21090 Golden Springs Dr in Diamond Bar, near the 57 and 60 interchange, a short drive from Walnut, Rowland Heights and Pomona. Pickup and delivery are both available through the restaurant’s own ordering page, which sends the order to the kitchen without a third-party commission.
FAQ
What does tái mean in pho? Rare steak. The beef is sliced thin and laid on the noodles raw, and the hot broth cooks it in the bowl.
What is the difference between nạm and gầu? Both are brisket cuts cooked in the broth. Nạm is flank: lean, sliced thin, slight chew. Gầu is fatty brisket: soft and rich.
What is in the House Special pho at Pho Ha Plus? Rare steak (tái), flank (nạm), fatty brisket (gầu) and beef meatballs (bò viên), per the menu listing.
Can I get the rare steak cooked through? Yes; ask when ordering. On delivery orders the broth cooks the steak by the time it arrives.
Is there a pho without beef? Yes. Chicken Phở, Rice Noodle Soup (No Meat Phở) and Vegetarian Phở – Phở Chay are all on the menu.
Order your bowl
Tái for tender, gầu for rich, nạm for lean, bò viên for bite. Order the House Special or build your own, and order it direct.