Pho Bang New York – St. Laurent / Vietnamese

Bonjour,

last week we visited the Vietnamese restaurant New York in china town. We were after an authentic pho, and we were told that this is the place to go. By the way, they are not licensed.

Our first impression was the very tidy, a bit, let’s say, compact furnished, and well visited room. The majority of the customers were Asian, which in my eyes is not a bad sign for an Asian restaurant.

Since we went here with the intension of getting a good, hot pho, nothing else but pho hit our table. Sorry, but I can’t say a thing about their other meals. Maybe one of you have tasted anything else. If so, please feel free to comment your expierence.

After ordering 2 pho bo (pho with meat balls), one vegetarian pho and a pho with slices of beef (also called pho bo in Vietnam) we didn’t have to wait too long to get the bowls. We decided to take the small ones, and wise we were. I don’t know how eats the large ones, but these should last a hole day… minimum. I was definitely full when I finished my small bowl.

Since we were in Vietnam a couple of years ago (around 5 weeks traveling from south to north), we do know how these delicious soups taste in it’s homecountry. Hot, spicy, with corinader, ment, lemon, red pepper and lots of stuff you sometimes don’t really want to know. But always with noddles. And nearly always delicious.

Well, the pho at the New York tasted good, there were noddles and meatballs, but it lacked the… punch. No coriander at all (or at least to taste), not really spicy, although you could spice it up with some sauces standing on the table, and somehow… well not what we got in Vietnam.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a good soup, it tasted good, it was hot and had noodles and everything you wish, but it wasn’t really authentic.

If you know what to expect, it’s a perfect meal. It is absolutely inexpensive, you can eat a lot for less then 10 Can$. And in the winter, I asume, we will be seen there more frequently. Nothing beats a good hot soup if you are freezing. 🙂

The service is between very good and friendly to good but sulky. It depends on the guy.

Oh, and you pay at the counter, don’t expect the waiter to bring you the bill. This won’t happen. 🙂

Bon appétit,

Erik