What is the Vietnamese name for pho with rare beef slices?

The Vietnamese name for pho with rare beef slices is phở tái. Tái refers to beef that is rare or lightly cooked, usually sliced very thin and placed over the noodles before hot broth is poured into the bowl.

The heat of the broth partially cooks the slices as the dish is served. This gives the meat a tender texture and a distinct beefy flavor. In Vietnam, diners can often choose individual cuts and doneness levels when ordering pho, so tái is part of a wider vocabulary used to customize a bowl.

Phở tái is different from phở chín, which uses fully cooked beef. Phở nạm generally refers to flank or a related well-cooked beef cut, while phở gầu uses fatty brisket. A mixed order such as tái chín combines rare slices with well-done beef. Restaurant menus outside Vietnam may translate tái as “rare steak,” although the meat is warmed by broth rather than grilled like a conventional steak.