Before anyone tells me that it’s not really the best Pho, because they ate better here and there, plus in UKIM it’s not authentic, not really Vietnamese, prepared according to European taste and so on, I just wanted to street out that it’s my opinion that UKIM serves the best Pho inWarsaw? Why? Because I like it.
I wrote aboutauthenticity, culinary tourism, cult of exotic other, culinary experts and all those trendy words before. You can read about it in my blog post about Koreanka restaurant and ramen workshop. Plus writing about it is what my day job is all about. So I’m not going to bore you with any of it anymore. I don’t knowe whether Pho soup served in UKIM is “authentic”, “traditional”, “Vietnamese” or “prepared the way it should be”. Who am I to say whether something is real or not? I just know that their soup is aromatic, fresh and delicious. And I keep coming back for more.
Remember to get your extras!
I found out about UKIM restaurant from foodie blog Pyza Made in Poland. The author knows a lot about Vietnamese cuisine and is always up to speed with Asian restaurants openings in Warsaw. I always check on her blog what she recommends. This time she wrote about extras that you should order for your soup. You get a plate of delicious Vietnamese Deep fried bread sticks called quay and tons of fresh green herbs. When I visited UKIM for the first time they were out of them, but the soup was so good on it’s own that I came back quickly. The second time I was able to try all of it. And I can confirm it’s delicious!
I’d eat it all!
Maybe except from Nem which are fried spring rolls. I’ve already tried them. They’re tasty but not worth the price. It’s better to spend more on mains. The star of the show is definitely Pho. I’ve been to UKIM twice so far (while writing this post I’m contemplating going right now, as I’m getting hungry when thinking about the soup). Every time I ordered Pho with beeh stewed in wine. In the menu it’s marked with a little heart, so I guess it’s their specialty. My friends tried soup with fried and cooked beef and it was delicious as well. What’s important is that broth in all of them tastes completely different. Respect. Next time I have to try some of the meat-based mains.
Cool place
UKIM is located on Chłodna street in Wola district. I used to live in a building right next to eat. It’s cool to visit “your place” after some years and see how it’s changing. When I used to live there, there was only one hungarian restaurant (still going strong) and nothing else. Now there’s a cafe after cafe and tons of interesting restaurants serving food from around the world.
I really like the interior of UKIM. It’s simple and cozy, with one central point – a huge portrait of a lady painted on a wall. But the best thing about the restaurant, apart from the food, is the staff. I’ve not come across such a good service in a long time. Last time I was there, I ordered a portion of Pho for me, which I ate in there and another one to go. I wanted to take it to Maria, who works nearby and never has time to eat anything. Lovely waiter asked how far am I going to carry the soup and whether it’s going to be consumed right away. He explained that the way he packs it depends on it. Then he waited till the last minute of my visit in the restaurant until it was prepared. This way Maria got the freshed soup possible. And she definitelly enjoyed it.
If you haven’t been to UKIM and you’re fans of Vietnamese cuisine be sure to check it out right away. If you’ve been there already let me know what else I should order. I’ll definitely be coming back there time and time again.
