Less than a fortnight after opening, chef Jerry Mai and her brother David are still figuring out just how much stock they need to make to keep shoppers at the new Emporium development supplied with pho.

Their slick, lower-ground level eatery does a nice line in ready-to-go rice-paper rolls, bun (noodle salads), made-to-order banh mi, Vietnamese beer and freshly pressed sugarcane juice.

But most people are queuing for pho, richly flavoured noodle soup made with top ingredients to their mother's recipe. There's a choice of thinly sliced rare beef, brisket, wagyu sirloin, meatballs, chicken or mushrooms and tofu - and you can customise with lemon, chilli and Thai basil.

Jerry, who has worked at Elwood's Dandelion and David Thompson's Nahm in London, says lunches have been really busy. Pho Nom is open daily 10am-7pm.

Details: Pho Nom, store 33, lower ground, Emporium Melbourne, 287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, facebook.com/PhoNomAU.