Came here with some colleagues from work. The lunch time rush does get busy as the parking lot was almost full. Restaurant itself was about half full when we walked in. Staff throughout our time there were super friendly. I ordered spring rolls and the ultimate sub. Both were great. It does get pretty loud in there and at times it was hard to hear my colleagues. As the lunch rush subsided it got a bit easier. Will definitely come back. read more

Basil Ultimate - Vietnamese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Authentic owned and operated Vietnamese kitchen. The Satey Pho was phenomenal, with just the right level of heat. I had a Vietnamese Iced Coffee and fresh spring rolls as well. Service was quick and friendly and I will be back on my next visit to Calgary. read more

Basil Ultimate - Beef fresh rolls with peanut sauce - Vietnamese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Our first night in Calgary, and Basil Ultimate was close to our hotel, it was cold and rainy which made for a perfect time to have Pho. We were welcomed and sat quickly, and immediately got the hot jasmine tea to warmed us up, we then ordered our appetizer fried prawns which was delicious, really got the flavor. The Pho I received was in a spicy broth which was great and very comforting with the tender beef rib and short rib. Friendly service, felt very welcomed, and definitely a local restaurant. Great experience. read more

I was looking for a nice place to walk to from my hotel. Basil Ultimate was excellent. I had the Pho special.. it was a great portion with lots of meat. The broth was phenomenal! Service was friendly and quick. I'll definitely stop by the next time I'm in town. read more

Work lunch - first one's in the door at 11am. The food was on point! I had the sate beef salad rolls to start, chicken and spring rolls on vermicelli, and a blueberry bubble tea with black pearls. Yummy! I can always tell if I like a Vietnamese restaurant by the peanut sauce, and theirs is great! My coworkers had the wor won ton soup and another vermicelli dish, which they said were equally great. Our server was attentive and soft spoken. She confirmed our orders and everything was delivered well. We will definitely be going back to this little gem. Well done! Note* $80 got us 3 mains (one w/additional meat and one extra peanut sauce), an appetizer, pot of tea, and a bubble tea read more

The best bo Luc lac I had in Calgary. I also love their rocket shrimp it has taro in it which inspired me to make this next time when I have time but in the meantime I will continue going here to eat their roasted chicken on rice, quail on rice and shaking beef on rice. The pho is a hit and miss for me, sometimes the broth tastes very gingery and too much of cinnamon or cardamom and not enough beef flavour. But some times the pho is really good. Their hours are completely wrong on google and very weird lately. On google they don't open for dinner they close at 6pm. We went there on a Sunday and they were completely closed they had their windows gated down. A bit disappointing. read more

I was traveling from the US for a week worth of training. I love Vietnamese food and I was super excited there was a place close to the hotel. I have a rule that if you go to a any ethnic restaurant and the only people in their are white people, you souls turn around and leave. I did give it the benefit of the doubt however. Since I was traveling from a distance away it could've been different than what I've been used to. I should've kept with my rule. I tried to order a couple of different items that are traditionally Vietnamese and have been on every menu at every restaurant that I've ever been to. That being said I had to settle for regular Pho Ga which I guess is what white people here eat. If you haven't had good Vietnamese then this might be a place to start. If you've had Vietnamese at other p places I would steer you away from this one. To be fair, it was clean and the people were nice. read more

Went for lunch today. Lemongrass vermicelli bowl was very good - fresh and tasty. Spring rolls were excellent - crisp and flavourful. Good service, food came quickly (good for a lunch break). I will eat here again. read more

I've been to this place on occasion, mostly for the vermicelli bowls which I usually get for pick up...I have had their pho in the past and sometimes its been amazing and other times its fallen flat. Staff is incredibly nice and attentive and the service is super quick, I just found the place needed a deep clean and the pho broth was way too salty and not as clear as other places. It also wasn't piping hot so about half way through it was getting lukewarm. The meat was excellent quality and probably the best I've had at any pho place so bonus points for that. Menu had a lot to choose from including subs which is something I might try as I work nearby. The vermicelli bowls are pretty good so no complaints there. Prices slightly higher than nearby pho places, one size pho starts at about $12 and goes up from there depending on what you want. Its worth trying but I might forgo the pho in the future and stick with the vermicelli bowls and subs. read more

Fast and great service, food is good great for cold days. Pho and viet sandwich good. Cantaloupe boba also sweet and delicious

The perfect soup for any time, and day. Fun owners and an experience that never disappoints! One of my favorite spots in the city! read more

Basil Ultimate - Sate Beef Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Really like the pho amd spring rolls here. A bit pricy compared to other pho places but it is well worth the extra money. It was packed when I came during lunch time and managed to get a small table. Service was decent with everyone hustling around to get food out and clear tables. Everything about the noodles, soup, meat etc was good. No complaints here. If I had to pick out something... the hot sauce was a bit runny so didn't use it. Would definitely come back here again. read more

Basil Ultimate - Half order spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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My friend Vanessa and I were going to try out Noodle King but it closed at 4pm. I then recommended Basil. I've never been before but the reviews I've seen we're all positive so I brought it up. If I could give 3.5 I would but they are still worth a 4. They get 1 whole star for their atmosphere and deco. From the menu to the floors and art on the walls. You can tell this Viet place was a bit more upscale then the regular run downs. Also the food is $1-3 more than regular Viet places. The other 3 stars are broken down.... 2 stars for the food.. A1 Shrimp Summer Rolls - The wraps were fresh, soft and moist. You can tell the rolls were made to order A7 Rocket Shrimp Rolls - Super yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Giant tiger shrimp and taro paste wrapped and deep fried. P3 Seafood Sate Noodle Soup - Didn't try it but it had a lot of seafood shrimp, crab stick, squid etc.. my friend loved it. The bowl was HUGE and you get a lot B1 Bun - Grilled Pork and Spring Rolls - Generous portions and Pork was tender and cooked just right. I asked for no bean sprouts... and I was sad to see that there were bean sprouts. I had to pick them out one by one... arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh gosh I said no bean sprouts in a clear bold tone and they still put bean sprouts. I wasn't too happy with their Avocado shake... it wasn't sweet enough and I had to ask for more sugar. Also I think it needed more avocado. Good size though. Totally worth the $$$$ Finally the LAST star is for the service. I needed HOT WATER for my baby's bottle and they were so quick and helpful I like that :) read more

Basil Ultimate - Clockwise: Seafood Sate Soup, Rocket Shrimp Rolls, Bun, Summer Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Review #10 of Yelp's 30 Day Challenge 2012 When you're not really all that hungry but you're at least a little bit hungry and should probably put a little something in your belly so you're looking for something that's light on the stomach but filling enough so you won't be hungry twenty later, what do you go for? Vietnamese! That's exactly how I ended up at Basil Ultimate Pho. We were in the NE, I didn't want to take our new Calgary visitor into Forest Lawn JUST yet... so Yelp reviews let us here. Well, we ran into another friend just outside, and she was all like "Meh, it's ok. I come here because it's close to work. I know the other Yelpers seem to like it a lot but... meh." And on that note, we proceeded inside. Inside, it's bright and clean and pretty new looking. No dodgy NE stuff happening here. The menu is quite varied with curries and pho and vermicelli dishes and stir fries and other things of typical Vietnamese nature. I ordered Lemongrass chicken with pork spring rolls on vermicelli noodles. It was... ok. The spring rolls were good... hot and nice and crispy. The lemongrass chicken was a solid 3.5 stars I'd say. We also ordered shrimp salad rolls... but they never showed up to the table. And when we were ready to leave, the staff were enthralled with something on the TV. At any rate... atmosphere good. Staff is friendly, but sometimes forgetful. Food is decent, though if you're a Vietnamese food fanatic, there are probably other spots you'll want to try first. read more

Basil Ultimate - Lemongrass chicken with spring rolls. - Vietnamese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

I wouldn't say this is the best Pho I've ever had, but the food is great as many others have reviewed. The owner took effort to "trim" the taste of their dishes and sauces. Their Pho tastes good but not too rich or meaty as others often do. 4.5/5 The deco is one of the best amongst Vietnamese restaurants. If there's some smooth music to cover the noise of chatting, I'd give 5/5. So far 4/5 to encourage improvement! If you like Pho or Vietnamese food, you'll like this restaurant. read more

Basil Ultimate - One of the best deco amongst the many Pho places :) - Vietnamese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Super awesome pho! I think by now I am a conesiuer of the pho, this place didn't disappoint. Found it on Yelp. Great reviews. This place was jammed for lunch. Was super fast tho! Lottery took 60 seconds for our salad rolls which were very fresh. Crispy lettuce fresh! The slips came out in about 3 minutes! Awesome pho, and my gf had the spicy beef satay ph1&ph6. Both were massive and tasty for only $10. Definitely one of the best. Great service and super clean as well. Basil is a gem. read more

Basil Ultimate - Rare beef pho and the curry chicken soup extra veggies - Vietnamese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

I used to come to Basil all the time. They would be known for their great quality Vietnamese food as well as for their generous portion sizes. Today I came in and ordered the pho dac biet, spring rolls and orange juice and was disappointed with the amount of meat I had in my pho. I did bring it to the waitresses attention before I started to dig in, she then waved the manager over and their response was that all bowls get the same amount of meat. Honestly, if I'm paying nearly $10 for a bowl of pho.. I expect a decent amount of beef and beef balls in it. My pho had maybe 1/3 of a beef ball cut in small pieces. And EVEN IF that was the usual amount of meat they put in their pho, they could have dealt with the situation in a different way.. Could have told me that it was normal amount of beef and maybe mention extra beef costs however much and offered me that.. Anyways, I used to enjoy eating at basil and because of the chincing of the meats in the pho, I'd rather go to the dozens of other Vietnamese restaurants located in the NE. read more

Second stop on my pho quest, upon recommendation from my sister (who also happened to join me) This place is brought about by the same folks from Pho Dau Bo, so I was looking to see if they would measure up. Arriving a little earlier than the usual dinner rush, the place was understandably empty and we were greeted and seated right away. I let my sister take the reins - she ordered us spring rolls to share and a bowl of pho sate each (beef for me and seafood for her). Waiting for our piping hot spring rolls to cool, our soups were out no more than 10 mins after we ordered. I prepped my pho with the bean sprouts, fresh herbs and lime and wished I had mentally prepared myself for what I was about to embark. The broth was so AH-MAZING, the added coconut milk brought the flavors to another level! Although the sate was a bit spicier than I'm comfortable with, I powered thru the runny nose and slightly numb lips because it was THAT good. I'm rarely in the NE, so I haven't had a chance to go back to Basil. But when I do, I'll make sure to get my sate 1/2 spicy to I can enjoy my pho that much more. read more

Ugh, Beef Satay to make you scream "Hey Hey HEYYY" So freaking delicious, and such amazingly huge portion sizes! If you're a lover of PHO, come to BASIL in the NE, you won't regret it. The service was fast, the restaurant is nice, clean, and the beef in the soup is perfection. No gristle, my nizzle. That's what Snoop Dogg would say. Wait, isn't he SNOOP LION now? But I digress. I can't WAIT to get my arse back to BASIL. I actually saved my leftovers last time and brought them home for next day lunch. Weee read more

I've been hunting for the perfect bowl of Pho since moving to Calgary and Basil is it. The broth is flavourful, the amount of meat and other ingredients they put in the bowl are plentiful too. I always order the PH1 or the PH2, the Beef Sate or Chicken Sate Pho. Vietnamese cooking is always focused on the Umami and Basil gets it right with their food. The flavour balance is always spot on and the spice level is at just the right amount to make you go wow, that's spicey, but not so much as to become overwhelming so all you taste is the chili. Of course, if you're a real chili head, they include a potent chili pepper on the side of the dish should you want to kick it up a notch. Another favourite dish of mine is the grilled pork chop topped with a fried egg. Fantasic dish, great flavour combo. It's become my go to place for whenever I get the craving for Vietnamese. 9/30 read more

Basil is located on 32nd Avenue NE of Calgary in a little strip mall area, their sign is green and it can be easily missed. I work nearby so I've been here a few times.. although, its been a while so when my co-worker asked me out for lunch I chose Basil because she hasn't been there yet. We went on a Wednesday lunch hour. The parking lot is pretty big because its a strip mall area but around lunch its usually packed. When we entered, we were winded by a fresh pho scent. "Mmm, thats smells deelicious!" she said. Basil was quite packed, so we had to wait for them to clear a table. We got sat within 10 minutes and glanced at the menu. We both wanted some Vermicelli. Robin went with the B1 which was vermicelli, pork, bean sprouts, greens and two spring rolls. I went with the B6 which was the same thing but with lemongrass chicken instead. We also got different drinks, I got the D9 which is a coconut 3 color drink and Robin got the strawberry bubble tea (which isn't on their menu so you have to ask!). The food didn't take too long to come which was surprising because of how busy it was. The vermicelli comes with a side of fish sauce to pour over. The spring rolls were nice and crispy and the vermicelli was delicious, I love the bean sproats because it adds a nice crunch!! I found the meat a teeny bit dry but other than that, everything was good. I find the service a bit sloppy, kind of a drop and go. But I guess the food makes up for it! read more

Fast friendly service, the staff all have big friendly smiles. Good food, I had the sate combo. Clean and nice atmosphere. Coming back again. They make the Vietnamese iced coffee for you so there isn't any mess on your table. read more

Well.. you know this place is going to be good eats, afterall, I do believe these are the old owners of Pho Dau Bo down on International Avenue aka 17th Avenue SE aka Pho Avenue. From friends to reviewers I know everyone loves this place, don't get me wrong the food is great -- well at least some of it is. Service is very low when the place is packed but most Vietnamese restaurants tend to be that way. Their satay bowls are delicious, just the right amount of zing to enjoy a flavorful bowl of soup on a hot or cold day. The one thing I dislike about this place is the fact that there are only one bowl serving size. I'm not one for the 'westernized' Vietnamese restaurants. I like having my size selection of bowls because I'm not always super starving when I go eat and in most instances a small bowl is perfect for my appetite complimented with some spring rolls and an iced coffee. Speaking of spring rolls, I don't very much like the spring rolls at this place -- it's not that the spring rolls taste bad but it's mostly filled with carrots and is very lacking in the meat department. A good spring roll is 80% meat with 20% carrot. This place is better to go eat at when you're with one or two people, when you're in large groups it does get kind of hectic and unorganized and through talking to other people that have eaten there it seems to be a reoccurring pattern. I also find prices here just a bit steeper than it needs to be, I know for one because of who the restaurant caters to as well as the fact that there is only one sized bowl. As far as decor, ambience and atmosphere go this place did it's homework -- not that it's super high-end luxurious but they did take the time to look at their brand as a whole which I find admirable. If I'm in the NE along 32nd avenue I will usually stop by here for a quick bite! read more

After hearing good things about Basil, a co-worker and I decided to pop in for lunch. We were greeted the second we walked in, seated and given waters. This is almost unheard of in Calgary's bustling restaurants, so it made a big impact. I ordered the lemongrass chicken vermicelli and my co-worker got the steak pho. Our dishes were served literally a minute after we ordered! The food was extremely fresh and delicious. The only reason I'm taking off a star is the noise level. It was a bit difficult to hear my co-worker over the crowd. We didn't have to wait for the bill as they had everything ready for us up at the till. This is a great place for lunch-time eats if you're in the NE. Definitely a must-have. read more

Ordered the vegetarian curry and veggie spring rolls. Got food poisoning. Staff was unfriendly. Can't recommend this place.

Food: 4/5 Atmosphere: 3/5 Service: 3/5 Overall experience: 4/5 (1- Terrible; 3- decent; 5- Fantastic) After a recommendation from a friend, we came here today for some tasty pho. I give this a 4 mostly because of their beef sate noodle soup. MMMM MMMM! Located in a little strip mall with a bright green sign, Basil is not your typical low end, grimy Vietnamese noodle house. It has a fresh, clean decor and plenty of seating for the big lunch rush. Their menu consists of the typical spring rolls and salad rolls as appetizers, noodle soup (pho), and vermicelli. Like most Fine ('westernized') Vietnamese restaurants I've been to, there is only one size bowl/portion, and the prices are slightly more than your average Viet restaurant. It's almost $7 for appetizers, $10 for a bowl of pho, and $9 for Vermicelli. But heck, I enjoyed my meal very much and was left satisfied and full. I got their Beef Sate ($9.50) - Mekong style beef sate in creamy, spicy broth which was DIVINEEEEEE. Unlike most sates I've had (not spicy when it says it is, peanuty, and oily in a bad way), Basil does a fantastic job by creating a well balanced and flavoured broth of spiciness (just right for those who don't eat it a lot), that is mellowed out by a 'creamy' kind of coconut-like broth. Kind of Thai inspired - like a mellower version of Tom Yum with the coconut milk. Yes.. they could have skimmed a bit of fat off the top, but it was one broth that was worth sipping on. The portion of noodles was good (enough to make me feel full but not that I will fall asleep going back to work), and not overly salty or laddened with MSG. I didn't have to reach for a liter of water after! Highly recommend it! Their service kinda sucks, despite us being there before the lunch rush. Sure..once we were seated we were served water immediately, but it took them 5-10 minutes too long to realize we were ready to order. The food however, was prepared quickly but with careful consideration. Overall, if you're in the area come here and you must try the Beef Sate! read more

This review is based on their bubble tea only: Had a hankering for a bubble tea after going to smashburger. Stopped in to this location next door. Restaurant was clean and inviting as was the staff. Ordered my tea and proceeded to watch the most unprofessional handling of food I've ever seen. The lady scooped the pearls into my cup and then took a spoonful for herself into her mouth. Umm...ok. She blended my mixture and poured it into my cup and then did the same thing. Took the spoon and ate some of the mixture that didn't fit into my tea. You just don't do this! Plus the price was $6.50 for this. The most expensive tea I've ever purchased. The tea itself was very weak in flavour, almost watered down. And the pearls were horrible! Undercooked? I don't know if they're cooked or what. But they were very chewy and hard like in the centre. Like very raw pasta. I'll not return. read more

Pho Binh Minh used to be my favourite pho place but Pho Basil has definitely taken over this title. The Pho Sate at Pho Basil is far superior to the one at Pho Binh Minh. The noodles are nice texture and taste fresh. The broth is delicious. Hmmm ... they make Pho Sate right! My mom also loves this place and declares it to be her favourite pho place as well. The decor is modern and clean. The wait staff is generally pretty friendly. Hmmm ... when can I go back?! read more

My NUMBERRRR ONE spot in the North East. I love their spicy sate (PH1). Like SOOO DELICIOUS. Piping hot and SPICY, SPICY, SPICY. Take my word, I like heat, and this is hot. It's always busy at lunch; but they have excellent lunch service, very efficient. Easy to get in and out of within 45-60 minutes. Definitely get the family owned experience. I've been going here for about 3 years... and mmm crave it all the time. I also have tried their subs, which I really enjoyed the bread they used. Tasted very fresh. And their fresh fruit bubble teas are a great price. Oh, and their (Vietnamese) iced coffee -- keeps you going all afternoon, no 2pm crash. read more

Rating on food. - spring rolls were good - pork chop tasted old - pho was okay, the broth was nothing special Rating on service. - server was a bit rude - food came out quickly Overall mediocre experience for a pho restaurant. read more

A friend and I were in the mood for Vietnamese and a Yelp search offered quite a few options in the neighborhood. We chose this one because of some consistent reviews. Overall, our meal wasn't bad. The service here is good and quick, if that's what you are looking for. We were seated immediately and always checked on. It's also a bit more upscale in atmosphere for Vietnamese, although not fancy by any means. The food was only OK in my opinion. We had salad rolls, which I found extreme slimy and not really that good (1 of the 3 went uneaten). My pork with rice wasn't too bad but not overly flavorful. My friend had a vermicelli soup that looked pretty good and was a good portion. Overall, while I wouldn't say there was anything wrong with our meal, I was not enthusiastic about it either. I would probably check out a few of the other places in the area next time. read more

This is a little gem in northeast Calgary that boasts excellent service and food to match. The owners will always greet you with a smile and ensure you are taken care of right away. It gets quite busy over the lunch hour, but I have never had to wait for a table. They have all the staples of a Vietnamese restaurant so this is a perk if you are a creature of habit. They also have some great meal deals for groups and you get to try a variety of foods such as Pho and vietnamese style subs. This location used to be a Thai Thai, so the decor is similar which is always a nice touch. The only reason it lost a star is because it can get extremely loud. I prefer to go after the lunch rush so I can have a conversation with the person across from me without yelling. It is a great location for those who work in the NE and want a quick delicious meal! Oh and on a hot day, try the fresh fruit bubble tea, my fav is the honeydew melon... read more

This restaurant is fantastic! I had a great experience here. I had the Pho Tai which was the one with rare steak! The broth was rich and I enjoyed it. Also had the Bun Num Nuong, Cha Gio, it was simple. The pork sausage has a lovely lemongrass note it was simple! Pure unadulterated nothing crazy! Popular amongst local Viet and Calgarians in general. For sure I'll be back! read more

Basil Ultimate - One side of menu - Vietnamese Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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I ordered the grilled pork and spring roll vermicelli. The springs rolls were delicious and the sauce was really good too. The issue was with the pork. It was sooooo salty and they didn't use good cuts of meat because several of the chunks had so much fat on them it was unappetizing so I wound up discarding several pieces. Also the carrots tasted like regular carrots they didn't pickle them at all from what I could tell. The place itself is clean and they were fast with my order and also very friendly. I would go back and maybe get salad rolls. I wouldn't go out of my way and wasn't super impressed based on the reviews I read. There are much better in the city. read more

Ive been here a few times but yesterday was the first I sat down in the restaurant. The service was awesome! They were pretty busy they sat us right away. The food came within ten minutes or so and tasted awesome! The price is on par for the quality and the service. I will for sure be going here again!!! read more

I dosnt like the service there. Expectantly the lady owner who just stand at the till look pretty and do nothing . No greeting when we walked even no Thank you when we pay . Such a terrible service read more

Love their Pho. Great prices and generous portions. Looking forward to eating here again soon. Thanks Basil! read more

I have tried a half dozen Vietnamese restaurants since moving to Calgary and after stumbling across Basil, I feel so duped for having patronized other restaurants for years and thinking I was enjoying good Vietnamese! I often visit Basil at the lunch hour. I often arrive there at 11:30am, when the restaurant has not yet filled up with all the business folks working in the NE. You are seated quickly, and I have not waited longer than 10 minutes to receive food for two people. The restaurant is usually packed tight by 12:10, but even then food seems to fly out of the kitchen. I have also gone for dinner on weekend nights, and there are far fewer customers, and fewer servers, but the quality of food is still great. I have tried a variety of dishes and always been completely impressed. The sate beef subs are spicy, sweet and delicious, and the bread is not dried out like other subs I have had. I typically order the chicken and spring rolls with vermicelli (B6), and my fiance orders the beef and spring rolls with rice (B7). What I enjoy about Basil is that neither the rice nor the vermicilli are sticky and overcooked, which is so often the case with Vietnamese. I can stir the flavors together without biting into a sticky ball of noodles, and without having to grease up the bowl with fish sauce. I have also enjoyed the sate beef Pho - the broth was delicious, the meat was tender and delicious. Spicy, but not too much. Their spring rolls are always piping hot and crisy, with flavorful filling. The beef ones are a nice change from the standard ones that come with the vermicelli dishes. The only thing that I can say has ever disappointed me is that the last time I went they only offered green tea for our table, and I love Jasmine tea! I hope that was a temporary thing, as I will always look forward to sipping a pot of jasmine tea while I wait for my food and I missed it last time. read more

Should have written this a while back but I was in Calgary for a short period of time and craved some pho. There was one type of pho there that was different from everything else I've had. It had some peanut sauce and was semi spicy. Insanely good. Being that it's been so long I forgot what it was called (just read through some reviews, it's satay pho). Definitely worth a try. Super friendly service for all us foreigners too. They were about to close and we had a party of about 30 come in at the last minute. Very friendly folks read more

This is probably as good as it gets here in Calgary for pho. It's clean, it's delicious and prices are very reasonable. My girlfriend is a bit of a pho aficionado and this place has her stamp of approval. And we've been to a lot of places. We've been here many times already and it's consistent. The broth of the pho hits the spot. Portions are large. Will be back. read more