Pho

UPDATE

I was a big fan of this place, but recently i agree with many of my friends in that the quality and FRESHNESS of this food has slipped. Always several times now I have been given non spicy dressing when I asked for spicy. Hope they get their act together.

UPDATE END

easily the best value,taste and healthy option in the westend. love the freshness of the ingredients the amazing flavours. its almost addictive. I have to stop myself going everyday.

£4.90 for a pretty big box of noodles and chicken is great value.

I’ve been wanting to try Pho for such a long time! After my friend came to lunch with us the other day and ate one of their soups, which look amazing, I figured I had to get some.

I had lots of time to spare today because class was cancelled so I decided to get a takeaway. The venue is quite small, and gets busy quickly. There was a 15 minute wait which was absolutely fine to me, ran the few errands I had while I waited for some noodly goodness.

I bought Bun Chay, which is cold noodles with a warm stir fry of tofu and mushrooms, beansprouts, and other yums. The sauce that they cook it in is lovely! And I consistently bow down to Asian cuisine for making tofu taste amazing the way that no other cuisine I’ve found has been able to. The portion was quite large and satisfying, for just under a fiver. Great value :)

I’ve actually never had Vietnamese food before so felt apprehensive, but I’m glad I tried it out because it was a nice experience. I look forward to trying actual pho, among the tasties on the menu :)

Really great place. Fantastic food and service. Have been going here for a while, and still loving it.

Have eaten twice in Pho reaturants before and always been impressed but today at work we decided to get a take away from there. It was just as good – the chicken and prawn noodles were amazing. Everything always taste fresh, healthy and full of flavour. The portions are great and for only £7.00…very happy AGAIN!!

anybody who knows anything about food will like this place – I ordered a take out and it was ready on time and delicious on the palatte! The only small gripe and this is an easy fix…..can the queue for the collections be seperate from the queue that walk in orders are in? It would stop the blockade at the door and there would be no “shuffling” to free up space for the arrivals and departures! Great food and great prices xx

Sometimes busy here at lunchtime but I can see why! Every meal I’ve had here I’ve enjoyed, I usually order no. 32 which is Lemongrass pork meatballs on a bed of noodles and salad with a spicy sauce. Completely yummy. Quick service and dependable.

I went to Pho on a Thursday night and was pleasantly surprised by the speed of service and the food.
We tried the meet ball Pho soup which was delicious and really spicy (probably because I put in all the chillis I was given on the plate), the chicken curry and one one of the Pho Xao and loved everything.
I guess it would be a lovely place to come for lunch if I worked in the area as it is quick, good and at good price!

Really great lively venue right by Oxford Circus, on Great Titchfield St. Went there for dinner on Thursday night and got the opportunity to try really lovely dishes. Noodle soup - love the fact that you can put your on ingredients in and tone down or up the spices. We also tried the chicken curry with rice and the beef with pasta. It was all delicious and I'll definitely go back to try it out at lunch time.

Really friendly genuine service, really good food and brilliant value.

Very trendy fashionable young clientelle but still accessible to a more mature crowd.

I really enjoyed my visit and will go back with friends soon

Ditto the last review. This is hands down my favourite Asian restaurant in town. Super fresh and tasty, and huge portions.

I hear they are opening in Soho soon which is amazing as at the moment I have leave Soho and cross the great divide of Oxford St into Fitzrovia at the moment... scary.

Top tips: any of their spicy phos, summer rolls, and the spicy mango salad.

I love this place! The food always tastes so fresh and as if you're really doing yourself a favour... It's cheap enough that I don't seem to be able to avoid always over-ordering - be warned. I've even grown to love the 70s cafe decor...

For photos see Greedy Diva @ http://greedydiva.blogspot.com/2010/03/pho-fow-and-feu-fi...

The last time I visited South East Asia, I left with a salty mane of plaited hair, a battered back pack and a tan which blended beautifully into my dirt brown bathers (quite a feat considering my natural moon tan). I did not leave with the entrepreneurial inclination to set up my own mini chain of London restaurants replicating my favourite highlights of the local cuisine. Most likely, I was too busy trying to untangle my hair before the cameras came out - complete nightmare.

However, that is exactly what husband and wife team, Stephen and Juliette Wall have done. Having travelled around South East Asia and fallen in love the pho soups (pronounced "feu"), they ditched their office jobs 5 years ago and set up Pho (pronounced "fow", in a kind of oh-for-Goddsakes-I-give-up concession to the locals).

The first Pho restaurant opened on St John Street in Clerkenwell in 2005 and since then they have multiplied like cheeky gizmos into branches in Great Titchfield Street and Westfield Shopping Centre. In May, the new Brighton branch is due to open, and a new site in Soho has just been purchased.

Coming from Australia, a country abound in fresh, flavourful, colourful Vietnamese fare, TPG and I have found it quite an ordeal to find decent Vietnamese food in London outside of Kingsland Road. Fresh and zesty, Vietnamese food should be packed with the full range of spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet flavours. To date, Cay Tre is a favourite.

However, it was on our maiden voyage to Westfield last year that we first discovered Pho, and were pleasantly surprised to find such a gorgeous bowl of noodle soup in a shopping centre food court. Since then, our experiences at the Great Titchfield Street restaurant have been more mixed as we found the flavours sometimes lacked the punch of our first experience depending on our order. Therefore, I happily accepted an invitation to visit Pho with some other bloggers last week, to learn more about the business first hand.

It's too easy to accuse a chain restaurant, and particularly a Vietnamese chain being run by non-Vietnamese people, of being bland and inauthentic. The husband and wife team at Pho have employed a full team of Vietnamese cooks, have done their utmost to remain true to the fresh Vietnamese flavours of their travels and have kept to simple menu focussed mainly on what they do best - the pho.

A pho is a serious business, afteall, and is not to be treated lightly. Taking on the status of a revered national dish in Vietnam, it's basically a noodle soup containing chicken, beef, pork, tofu or prawns, eaten at all times of day in its natural habitat - often on a plastic chair at the side of a street cart. The pho stocks at Pho are prepared from scratch on site, and take up to 12 hours to prepare, simmering away alluringly in large vats in the kitchen.

We started with a lesson demonstrating how to make our own goi cuon tom (fresh rice paper rolls filled with prawns, salad and herbs). Some call them "summer rolls" but, to the Aussie girl in me, a Summer Roll will always involve chocolate, peanuts, coconut and nougat (highly recommended, by the way).

Platters of fried spring rolls followed, filled with pork (a favourite) or veggies, as well as nem nuong (pork and lemongrass meatballs - I somehow missed these) and ginormous bursting platters of goi du du (papaya salads alternatively containing chicken or prawns). Papaya salad or a Vietnamese chicken salad is always an essential when I visit any Vietnamese restaurant, and Pho's versions were lovely, refreshing and tasty, although I prefer slightly more of a chilli hit (I'm sure you could ask for it).

Having spied the sensational looking beef stock brewing away in the kitchen, my bowl of the pho bo dac biet did not disappoint (noodle soup with steak, brisket and meatballs - the beefy trifecta - why limit yourself to 1 style of beef?). As always, it was served with a side of herbs, lime and chilli to be added to taste. The flavours were subtle but lovely, and as always, I find pho to leave me feeling healthy and replenished. Serving sizes are satisfyingly generous - particularly given they fall within a £6.95 - £7.95 price range.

Hot and spicy soups and noodle dishes are also on offer, but save room for the banana fritter with honey and ginger ice-cream - oh my. I'm sure there was a bit of "I'll have what she's having" going on as I enthusiastically enjoyed mine.

I rate Pho as a terrific option for a healthy, tasty and fulfilling meal, particularly if you love Vietnamese food as much as I do, and particularly if you find yourself on the other side of town to the strip of Vietnamese places on Kingsland Road. It's definitely the best option I've found around the West End for Vietnamese food. And having met the passionate duo behind the business, Pho now has a face - and I like it even more than I did before.

• I was a guest of Pho, attending a blogger event, and so my meal and drinks were free of charge on my last visit - although this review is also based on my experiences at several previous visits where I attended incognito as a paying customer.

www.grummblinggourmet.com

Ideal for a local lunch

(very) local to me, lovely staff, simple menu and as authentic as you need for a healthy satisfying bowl of bun noodle soup!

WHAT a damn good place!

Genuinely and pleasantly surprised with my visit to Pho. Reviews are mixed with the professionals, but reviewers seem to really enjoy it, hence the visit.

Too be honest, the place is nice (not extraordinary), and the staff were fine (see above brackets), but the food was bloody tasty.

I love seeing and tasting fresh ingredients, which is why I love Vietnamese food, and Pho really stick to the basics, by keeping it simple.

Menu - small; execution - excellent.

I'm a massive believer in doing a few things well, as opposed to doing lots average.

Important points:

Summer rolls - all the essential ingredients, freshly made, and great nuoc cham - point Pho.

Bun dishes - same as above + tasty meat, right amounts of lemongrass and garlic and herbs - another point Pho.

PHO - the litmus... - the stock was wonderful. It was fragrant, clear, booming with all the right flavours clear in their own right. It was served with a lovely plate of fresh herbs, chili and lime too - another point Pho.

I didn't personally like the veggie spring rolls that much, though the pork spring were very good.

The goi (salads) were very tasty and fresh, the juices very nice, and the teas were fine (had better, had worse).

The banana fritters with honey ice cream were fantastic though. Definitely get involved if you have room.

Overall, Pho was a great dinner out, and I would highly recommend it being given a go.

Overall - 8/10

Update

I've since been back to Pho and unfortunately had a rather disappointing experience due to unimaginably shoddy service and just a really dull food choice I suppose. So have had to dock a star, and would no longer recommend it unfortunately.

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Nifty lil' Vietnamese rezzie near Oxford street named after a traditional rice noodle soup. It's a great stop off for fresh, healthy meals that are good for the heart and soul with smatterings of ginger, chilly, coriander and lime.

I opted for the lemon grass chicken on cold noodles which was quite tasty but not a-MAZING. I did like the spring roll thrown in and definitely a fan of the brightly coloured decor and friendly environment. Average meals about £6/7 so not every day lunch but good for a change. Try the fresh juices as they're made right then and there so get in your 5 a day on the sly.

This is my ABSOLUTE favourite in the area! Loving Pho at the moment. I'm a sucker for noodle soups, and here they are fantastic. So tasty, so healthy, so good... Can't recommend highly enough.

Pho Café - Pics at The London Foodie
(http://www.thelondonfoodie.co.uk)

After my recent visit to Vietnam, where I consumed copious amounts of Pho and other delicious local dishes, I was thrilled to be invited by the gorgeous Rachelle of Qype to visit Pho Café in London’s Great Titchfield Street.

I was also intrigued by this invitation as, in London, I admit never venturing outside Kingsland Road for my regular fix of Vietnam’s national dish.

Pho Café is one of those restaurants I was ready to dislike. Owned by an English couple and with three branches in London (Clerkenwell, Oxford Circus and Westfield), the cafes have a trendy decor and cater for a mostly Western clientele – I feared it would lack authenticity.

Having dreamt about opening my own restaurant for the last 20 years, I feel inspired whenever I meet people like Stephen and Juliette Wall. They were clearly passionate about Vietnamese cooking and the quality of the food served at their restaurants. They gave a touching account of their trials and tribulations starting Pho 5 years ago (and getting married in the process).

We were then shown how to prepare “goi cuon tom” (fresh rice paper rolls filled with vermicelli noodles, prawns, salad and herbs) by one of their chefs (all their kitchen staff are Vietnamese).

These were fresh and delicious and similar to the ones I’d just eaten in Vietnam. At £3.75, I felt that they were also well priced.

This was followed by two other delicious starters/sides – “Cha Gio” – fried pork spring rolls £3.95 and “Nem nuong” – grilled pork and lemongrass meatballs £4.50.

These are the simplest of starters, but good quality versions are very hard to find, hence I never order them in Vietnamese restaurants in London. Pho’s versions were delicious, fresh and obviously made on the premises.

We were also served “Goi du du” – a salad of shredded green papaya with prawns and herbs topped with peanuts @ £5.95. Again the most popular of Vietnamese salads, this was a perfect example of Goi Du Du - very aromatic and ultra fresh.

The “Goi ga” – chicken salad with peppers, mixed herbs with chilli and ginger dressing @ £5.45 was also excellent. I loved the combination of shredded chicken, peppers and finely sliced shallots, with the chilli and ginger dressing giving it a zingy lift.

Juliette took us to visit the kitchen where we saw their large vat of pho stock simmering away. It looked fantastic, and the kitchen was filled with the most delicious aromas of beef, star anise, cinnamon and other spices.

I had a lot of trouble deciding which of their 11 different types of Pho I would have, but opted for “Pho bo dac biet” – rice noodle soup with steak, brisket and meatballs served with fresh herbs @ £7.95. This was much anticipated, and I have to admit it was extremely good. The stock was concentrated but still with a sophisticated flavour – the meats were also delicious, as were the noodles which had been cooked perfectly.

For dessert, I had a “Chuoi Chien” – banana fritters with honey and ginger ice cream @ £4. I loved the flavours of this dessert – the deep fried bananas were covered with a deliciously crispy batter and went very well with the honey and ginger ice cream.

In Vietnam, beer is traditionally drunk with food at restaurants and on special occasions. Pho serves all major Vietnamese beers like Halida, Hue and Saigon for £3.25 as well as Beer Laos at £3.45.

I was also impressed by how well priced their wine list is. Bottles start at £13.95 for a delicious French Viognier (which I tasted) and go up to £16.25 for an Australian Riesling or £17.95 for a Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. I find that for Oriental food in general, Gewürztraminer, Viognier and Riesling are nearly always the best matches.

Stephen and Juliette have made Vietnamese food accessible to Londoners – there are no plastic lobsters hanging on the walls, the menus are well explained, and the serving staff are friendly and articulate. In May, they will be opening a branch in Brighton, and another in Soho is also scheduled to open later in 2010.

Cost: this was a complementary meal, but I have quoted the prices of all the dishes I tried. I estimate that a meal for one would cost in the region of £15 including a starter, pho and dessert but excluding drinks.

Likes: probably the most delicious bowl of pho outside the ‘pho mile’ (Kingsland Road or thereabouts), excellent value for money and fantastic banana fritter with honey and ginger ice cream. The wine list is also well priced and includes some attractive choices.

Dislikes: despite the simple but well thought out menu (40 items only), I missed some old favourites like “chargrilled beef and lemongrass wrapped in betel leaves” and “fried soft shell crab”.

Verdict: Simple but well executed menu just off Oxford Street at very affordable prices. An excellent choice for Vietnamese food outside Kingsland Road. Recommended.