Introducing Halal Wagyu Pho at Pho REDBO® - Garden Grove, CA

featured in

Explore Pho REDBO®

Order & Visit - Garden Grove

Why Halal and Wagyu Together

When Pho REDBO was conceived, the founding question was simple: why does premium Vietnamese pho have to be a choice between quality and accessibility? Vietnamese cuisine in Orange County serves one of the most diverse communities in the United States – including a significant Muslim population that has historically had limited access to Vietnamese restaurant food that meets halal standards without compromising on quality.

The Wagyu decision came first. James Bui and Quyen Tonnu had spent years eating pho across Orange County and Los Angeles. The ceiling of the standard bowl was clear – commodity beef, shortened simmers, commercial concentrate filling the gaps. Wagyu beef represented the answer: high intramuscular fat that changes the physical properties of the bowl, not just its marketing.

The SICHMA Certification Process

Sourcing Wagyu beef that also carries legitimate third-party halal certification is not straightforward. The certification market is fragmented, with significant variation in what different bodies actually audit and verify. SICHMA – the Supreme Islamic Council of Halal Meat in Australia – was chosen specifically because their audit process covers the full supply chain: from the processing facility through transportation, cold storage, and delivery to the restaurant kitchen.

Stanbroke Beef Pty Ltd Est 203, the supplier behind Pho REDBO’s Wagyu, met both requirements simultaneously. The farms that produce Wagyu at the marbling standard required – no growth hormones, no antibiotics, verified animal welfare practices – overlap significantly with the farms that can pass SICHMA’s halal audit. Both standards demand supply chain integrity. Cert #00042507STAN2/2C(CV), valid through March 2028.

What Changed on the Menu

The introduction of halal Wagyu changed every pho preparation on the menu simultaneously. The beef was already Wagyu – the halal certification extended the reach of those preparations to halal-observant diners without altering the dish. The 24-hour Wagyu bone broth, already made from Wagyu bones, was confirmed pork-free. The kitchen protocols were reviewed and updated to ensure no cross-contamination from non-halal products.

The result: a Vietnamese restaurant in Garden Grove where the question “is this halal?” has an honest, documented answer backed by an independent audit – not a verbal assurance. Ask your server about specific specialty items, as a small number are not covered.

The Response from the Community

The LA Times included Pho REDBO in their 22 Essential Halal Restaurants in Southern California within the first year of operation. The Muslim community in Orange County – and particularly the Vietnamese-Muslim community – responded immediately. The Westminster location at 16334 Beach Blvd, opened to serve the Little Saigon corridor, now holds the highest review count of the three locations at 481 Google reviews with a 4.5-star average. The message from diners was consistent: they had been waiting for this combination for years.