Pho Thai Hoa -- Not Bad, but Inconsistent

1625 Kingsway, Vancouver

Food: 3.5
Service: 3.5
Price: Cheap

Some say chicken soup warms the soul, but for me it's a bowl of noodles, especially Vietnamese pho. Can I call this Asian soul food? They're large bowls of warm, steaming goodness that reach my heart (and stomach!) on the occasional weekend. Lately I've been frequenting the Kingsway and Knight area, where a good number of Vietnamese restaurants are situated up and down Kingsway. It's not hard to pick which restaurant to go into because some are busy, and some are definitely not. One that seems steadily busy is Pho Thai Hoa at the corner of Kingsway and Perry Street.

It was recognized as one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Vancouver, according to Vancouver Magazine's 2011 Restaurant Awards. I was there for the third time last weekend where my dad and I chowed down on identical meals.

What to expect:

·    efficient and courteous service

·    inconsistent food; notes will be in italics within this article

·    they won’t ask you if you want cooked or uncooked bean sprouts, so if you are particular to one then you must be assertive

·    a small flat screen if you want to catch a sports game



Unlike other Vietnamese establishments, Pho Thai Hoa is not particular to glowing neon lights or a big screen TV, but still offers some flamboyant flair in its ceiling mural of a dreamy bright blue sky and in its draping curtains that remind me of the waves of the sea....Also interesting are the restaurant's walls which resemble 'cracked' faux stone. It's a strange combination of decor, but the restaurant still seems pretty comfortable.

Right after we ordered, we quickly received our tea and a generous plate of uncooked (though other times I've come they've come as cooked) bean sprouts, basil leaves, quarters of lime, and unchopped chili peppers. We sipped through a couple of cups of tea and stared at the bean sprout plate for a short while till our noodle soups came over.

#4 Pho Special, regular size $6.25

·    beef flank, tendon, beef balls, tripe, onions, and green onions in noodle soup

·    very pungent soup, with a strong fish sauce taste

·    well-cooked noodles really absorbed the taste of the soup

·    very clear and delicate tendon I haven’t had anywhere else



Salad Rolls with side Hoisin Sauce, $5.00

·    one order gives you two full size salad rolls

·    cut in half so they’re easier to handle while eating

·    sliced pork, sliced prawns, vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, and lettuce

·    rice wrap was dry, so it probably sat in the fridge the night before

·    pork had texture, but no taste

·    prawns were unnoticeable; just there for presentation

·    dominant tastes of this dish were the green lettuce and the dipping hoisin sauce

·    worst salad roll I’ve ever had; I could make a better one at home

·    on previous occasions, the rice wrap has been moist, and the prawns have been fresher; so this restaurant is capable of better salad rolls



I'd come here again. Even though I had a bad experience with my salad roll, I still forgive the restaurant because the salad roll was cheap. The menu here is quite extensive, so I look forward to trying their Vietnamese submarines and rice plates in the future.