This is a great place to start if you want to get into the vast array of amazing Asian soups. The serve yourself platter of sauces & herbs not only allows you to play with the various flavours and seasonigs ad hoc but it also makes this dish extremely easy to make. I found the standard liquid beef stock available at the supermarket a bit too strong so I have run straight out to the Asian grocers and gotten the pho stock cubes available there - my Vietnamese friend said that's how she makes it at home for a quick & easy midweek meal anyway. If I didn't get those I'd suggest trying a chicken stock instead. Lastly, don't be scared about just letting the soup cook the raw meat - you can see it cook straight away and leaves the meat so tender. Delicious!