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Yet, pho wasn't what I was craving when visiting Bong Lau Vietnamese Restaurant. Instead, it was their famous bún riêu ($13.95) that drew me in. Traditionally, it's a fragrant seafood, pork, and tomato soup. Bong Lau's recipe skips the meat and uses tomato, crab, and egg drops (?), which when soaked in broth provides a crumbly texture that almost seems like it could be minced meat. For a dish that looks so vibrant, the taste was surprisingly timid. There wasn't that salty umami hit of shrimp paste that I expected. In fact, it wasn't very salty at all. The most prominent flavours were the tomato, basil, and shallots topping the dish. Perhaps if the bún riêu was hotter, it'd be more enjoyable. As it stood, the lukewarm texture combined with lacklustre soup and the frozen tasting blue crab really didn't seem rave worthy. In retrospect, selection of "light bites" would be more impressive. The bahn dap ($11.95), a steamed rice roll stuffed with a choice of lemongrass pork, beef, chicken, or Vietnamese meat balls, makes for a refreshing but hearty meal. Unlike a salad roll, which uses a rehydrated rice paper wrapper, the steamed roll was thicker and softer, while still having an elasticity that allowed it to be held and dipped. We opted for the recommended lemongrass pork, which was well seasoned and thinly sliced so the meat layer adds a saltiness throughout the roll. Incorporating tender lettuce leaves, hits of herbs, and bits of crunchy peanuts, the bahn dap had a host of textures and flavours that kept me satisfied.
Was waiting for my order at another establishment next door, and wanted to order something else for my toddler. Pho was perfect for her. I ordered the special pho dac biet and goi cuon (fresh shrimp and pork) rolls to go. The restaurant smelled good walking in and I see quite a few patrons enjoying their meals. I'm assuming the boss lady is the one sitting behind the cash counter and making drinks. Food was ready within 10 minutes. Got home and started to heat up the pho for my toddler and noticed they skimped on the meat. I tasted the broth and it was just okay, it wasn't deep in beef flavour and had an off aftertaste. The only good thing was the fresh shrimp and pork rolls.
This has always been a pho restaurant spot with numerous owners in the past and Bong Lua Viet has been established here for more than 12 years now. The food is pretty amazing regardless of the very very basic décor of the restaurant. Perhaps it is better to order takeout from here. The reason is that it could get quite busy at night and it's quite cramped and squishy during dinner time. Highlight is the Bun Rieu (Tomato Crab Soup with Vermicelli). Very tasty and unique. They offer a WHOLE CRAB in the bowl! Not a big size though, but still pretty impressive. The sweetness from tomato broth matches up pretty well with the crab freshness. Not just great taste but also good value. It's not a common item in pho places in Toronto. Probably getting good crabs at the right size is very seasonal. I have also heard restaurants use a crab paste/ shrimp/ egg mixture as the topping rather than using a whole crab. Not sure which version is more authentic but I am pretty happy with it here. Other dishes such as spring rolls and chicken wings are pretty impressive too. The servers are nice as well. As I said, the food here is definitely good but the place itself is not that comfy compare to a lot of other Viet Pho places in Toronto. Still recommended.
This is probably one of the most legit Vietnamese restaurants in Toronto. I should know as I have gorged myself at dozens and dozens of Viet places around the city. From the ones that everyone recommends to the ones that are more mainstream, this place has some of the most authentic broths and overall flavour. This place is the opposite of fancy so go in with that expectation and you will enjoy your meal.
Heard some friends talk about this restaurant and the amazing Pho and Tomato Crab soup with Vermicelli and had to try it. Came here today with a co-worker for lunch and it was quite busy for 12:30pm on a Thursday afternoon. Ordered the Tomato Crab soup with Vermicelli and my co worker ordered the Satay Beef Pho. We also split a spring rolls. Spring Rolls came very quickly and it was piping hot and crispy. Amazing flavour and very fresh. My Tomato Crab soup with Vermicelli arrived and it was very very piping hot and so much crab meat all throughout. The soup broth was very unique and the aroma and flavouring from it was amazing. My co-worker was equally impressed with his Satay Beef Pho that he loved it and the authenticity of this Vietnamese restaurant. We will be returning.
My favourite dish when it comes to Vietnamese food is most definitely Bún Riêu, which is a tomato crab soup base with delicious meatmalls. They make a delicious one here, and probably the best one I have had in the GTA. I love coming here since the service is always phenomenal, the food is super delicious, and I would recommend this amazing local business. It's small and unassuming in the plaza, but I would say it's just a hidden gem!
I've always wanted to try tomato crab meat soup but it seems to be an uncommon item on menu. Well well well~ they do have it on the menu. This homey family-owned Vietnamese restaurant may be small. But you've got to try this noodle soup. Bún riêu is a type of vermicelli with tomato crab soup. The broth was sweet, rich in taste and aromatic, like a whole family of crabs were added to make the soup. But honesty, you'll have to test your luck, as you get crab claw sometimes, or the leg/body this time... but its crab paste is already good enough~ It offers two sizes and mine was a small sized version. I'd say it's a pretty decent size for me, as I ordered an appetizer as well. The spring roll was so flavourful, but I'm not a fan of CARROTS. Picky eater just wanna pick all carrots out... but the filling was so tightly packed, it's almost impossible to pick out... thank goodness it's delicious enough for me to ignore the carrot part (dipping in lots of fish sauce) I crave this noodle soup whenever I wanna have Vietnamese food. But my doctor is not gonna approve because of its high cholesterol level LOL
Updated review. Been going here a few times for takeout during Covid. It can still get busy and sometimes service can get a little slow, but the staff are friendly. I love the wraps here, all types. They have a nice crunch in them, and the rice roll itself is nice and chewy. It's a nice light meal by itself. I also like to get the Iced Coffee, though I find the size a little small, and overpriced. Can also sometimes be a little burnt tasting, a little inconsistent.
As I'm waiting for the weather to get warmer... during this cold weather another comfort food for me is Pho. I had a colleague recommend Bong Lua .. after reading some reviews I decided to stop by. Ordered the Pho Dac Biet and Crispy Garlic Butter Wings. First off there's not really any service... staff aren't very friendly ... so don't expect to be welcomed .. seating is also super uncomfortable ... my back was not having it ... but it's ok as long as foods good. The broth was tasty but I wasn't huge on the noodles they used. The wings were a definite NO GO... they were so dry and the batter was hard.... Soaking it in Nuoc Mam didn't help either ... I'm always down for food adventures and not every visits going to be a W. I would say this was a decent spot... but I don't think I'd come back. Portions are generous and the prices are fair compared to other pho places. Pho Dac Biet 3/5 Crispy Butter Chicken Wings 1.5/5
If you are from Scarborough, you must know Bong Lua! It is a cute mom-and-pop restaurant in a neighbourhood plaza that serves much more than just your regular bowl of beef pho. Their seafood pho like the Bun Rieu is a must order! The tomato broth with dried seafood and crab paste is full of flavour and you even get pieces of blue crab in the dish! Service is mainly the wife and husband, they can get very busy and sometimes may forget you. But they are really nice and apologetic once they realize it! The really busy during prime hours, but turnover is usually pretty quick.
10 days ago
We decided to revisit this viet restaurant after a long hiatus. Service seems to have improved and their communication as well. Food: Beef special pho was good, broth was piping hot and has a nice aroma to it, not overly salty. Large amount of noodles and good amount of beef and toppings 5/5. Rice rolls with minced pork - smooth, soft and silky rice rolls surrounding minced pork. Has Vietnamese ham as well. 5/5. Rice rolls with bbq beef - huge rolls filled with lettuce, slices of bbq beef. Comes with fish sauce. Delicious and filling though not a huge amount of beef. 4/5. Vermicelli with bbq pork and chicken. Lots of Noodles, decent amount of vegetables and bbq pork and chicken. 4.5/5. Price: On the less expensive side of Vietnamese restaurants. read more
I learned about their #119 Tomato Crab soup with & Vermicelli a few years ago, but I somehow missed a chance to come here - until today! The last few weeks I thought of it, and had a dream about it lol and there I was, and I was happy!!! Soup had slightly sweet and sour notes from tomato and is loaded with crab meat! A touch hot. Very delicate... I am always suspicious about vermicelli in hot soup, as it often loses texture and gets soggy in the soup. But NO, their vermicelli kept its delicate mix of crunchiness and springiness. We also tried #50 (with pork). Huge! Lots of crispy lettuce, nice roasted peanuts crunch, shrimp chips' light & crispy texture, and super tender meat were wrapped in a soft steamed rice noodle. The wrapper was different from fresh spring roll's, more springy. The texture was super enjoyable. If there were more meat, the textural/flavor balance/contrast would have been perfect IMO. But yes, it was very good. :) #500 Saigon Fried Rice was also good, do not let these frozen veggies let you down lol :) Homey and well rounded, savory taste. A lot of meat - BBQ pork, vietnamese sausage and pork sausage. Two large shrimps are on top, bonus. Menu is extensive, service was friendly and efficient. I will come back!!!! read more
Yet, pho wasn't what I was craving when visiting Bong Lau Vietnamese Restaurant. Instead, it was their famous bún riêu ($13.95) that drew me in. Traditionally, it's a fragrant seafood, pork, and tomato soup. Bong Lau's recipe skips the meat and uses tomato, crab, and egg drops (?), which when soaked in broth provides a crumbly texture that almost seems like it could be minced meat. For a dish that looks so vibrant, the taste was surprisingly timid. There wasn't that salty umami hit of shrimp paste that I expected. In fact, it wasn't very salty at all. The most prominent flavours were the tomato, basil, and shallots topping the dish. Perhaps if the bún riêu was hotter, it'd be more enjoyable. As it stood, the lukewarm texture combined with lacklustre soup and the frozen tasting blue crab really didn't seem rave worthy. In retrospect, selection of "light bites" would be more impressive. The bahn dap ($11.95), a steamed rice roll stuffed with a choice of lemongrass pork, beef, chicken, or Vietnamese meat balls, makes for a refreshing but hearty meal. Unlike a salad roll, which uses a rehydrated rice paper wrapper, the steamed roll was thicker and softer, while still having an elasticity that allowed it to be held and dipped. We opted for the recommended lemongrass pork, which was well seasoned and thinly sliced so the meat layer adds a saltiness throughout the roll. Incorporating tender lettuce leaves, hits of herbs, and bits of crunchy peanuts, the bahn dap had a host of textures and flavours that kept me satisfied. read more
This is one of my favourite spots in Toronto. A very homey, mom and pop shop that is family run, with authentic and wholesome Vietnamese dishes. I usually get the Bun Rieu here, but I also love their fish vermicelli soup. The service is efficient and friendly. read more
3 years ago
Was waiting for my order at another establishment next door, and wanted to order something else for my toddler. Pho was perfect for her. I ordered the special pho dac biet and goi cuon (fresh shrimp and pork) rolls to go. The restaurant smelled good walking in and I see quite a few patrons enjoying their meals. I'm assuming the boss lady is the one sitting behind the cash counter and making drinks. Food was ready within 10 minutes. Got home and started to heat up the pho for my toddler and noticed they skimped on the meat. I tasted the broth and it was just okay, it wasn't deep in beef flavour and had an off aftertaste. The only good thing was the fresh shrimp and pork rolls. read more
This has always been a pho restaurant spot with numerous owners in the past and Bong Lua Viet has been established here for more than 12 years now. The food is pretty amazing regardless of the very very basic décor of the restaurant. Perhaps it is better to order takeout from here. The reason is that it could get quite busy at night and it's quite cramped and squishy during dinner time. Highlight is the Bun Rieu (Tomato Crab Soup with Vermicelli). Very tasty and unique. They offer a WHOLE CRAB in the bowl! Not a big size though, but still pretty impressive. The sweetness from tomato broth matches up pretty well with the crab freshness. Not just great taste but also good value. It's not a common item in pho places in Toronto. Probably getting good crabs at the right size is very seasonal. I have also heard restaurants use a crab paste/ shrimp/ egg mixture as the topping rather than using a whole crab. Not sure which version is more authentic but I am pretty happy with it here. Other dishes such as spring rolls and chicken wings are pretty impressive too. The servers are nice as well. As I said, the food here is definitely good but the place itself is not that comfy compare to a lot of other Viet Pho places in Toronto. Still recommended. read more
This is probably one of the most legit Vietnamese restaurants in Toronto. I should know as I have gorged myself at dozens and dozens of Viet places around the city. From the ones that everyone recommends to the ones that are more mainstream, this place has some of the most authentic broths and overall flavour. This place is the opposite of fancy so go in with that expectation and you will enjoy your meal. read more
Heard some friends talk about this restaurant and the amazing Pho and Tomato Crab soup with Vermicelli and had to try it. Came here today with a co-worker for lunch and it was quite busy for 12:30pm on a Thursday afternoon. Ordered the Tomato Crab soup with Vermicelli and my co worker ordered the Satay Beef Pho. We also split a spring rolls. Spring Rolls came very quickly and it was piping hot and crispy. Amazing flavour and very fresh. My Tomato Crab soup with Vermicelli arrived and it was very very piping hot and so much crab meat all throughout. The soup broth was very unique and the aroma and flavouring from it was amazing. My co-worker was equally impressed with his Satay Beef Pho that he loved it and the authenticity of this Vietnamese restaurant. We will be returning. read more
4 years ago
My favourite dish when it comes to Vietnamese food is most definitely Bún Riêu, which is a tomato crab soup base with delicious meatmalls. They make a delicious one here, and probably the best one I have had in the GTA. I love coming here since the service is always phenomenal, the food is super delicious, and I would recommend this amazing local business. It's small and unassuming in the plaza, but I would say it's just a hidden gem! read more
I've always wanted to try tomato crab meat soup but it seems to be an uncommon item on menu. Well well well~ they do have it on the menu. This homey family-owned Vietnamese restaurant may be small. But you've got to try this noodle soup. Bún riêu is a type of vermicelli with tomato crab soup. The broth was sweet, rich in taste and aromatic, like a whole family of crabs were added to make the soup. But honesty, you'll have to test your luck, as you get crab claw sometimes, or the leg/body this time... but its crab paste is already good enough~ It offers two sizes and mine was a small sized version. I'd say it's a pretty decent size for me, as I ordered an appetizer as well. The spring roll was so flavourful, but I'm not a fan of CARROTS. Picky eater just wanna pick all carrots out... but the filling was so tightly packed, it's almost impossible to pick out... thank goodness it's delicious enough for me to ignore the carrot part (dipping in lots of fish sauce) I crave this noodle soup whenever I wanna have Vietnamese food. But my doctor is not gonna approve because of its high cholesterol level LOL read more
1 year ago
Loved the Bun Bo Hue! It had the perfect balance of flavour and richness. The amount of meat was just enough as well. The spring rolls were also very good. read more
2 years ago
Small pho restaurant tucked in Scarborough plaza. This place is known for their heavier tomato or curry based broths for Pho. I got the special beef pho dish and fried spring rolls. Pretty basic standard not knock your socks off but decent for a nice lunch. read more
Updated review. Been going here a few times for takeout during Covid. It can still get busy and sometimes service can get a little slow, but the staff are friendly. I love the wraps here, all types. They have a nice crunch in them, and the rice roll itself is nice and chewy. It's a nice light meal by itself. I also like to get the Iced Coffee, though I find the size a little small, and overpriced. Can also sometimes be a little burnt tasting, a little inconsistent. read more
As I'm waiting for the weather to get warmer... during this cold weather another comfort food for me is Pho. I had a colleague recommend Bong Lua .. after reading some reviews I decided to stop by. Ordered the Pho Dac Biet and Crispy Garlic Butter Wings. First off there's not really any service... staff aren't very friendly ... so don't expect to be welcomed .. seating is also super uncomfortable ... my back was not having it ... but it's ok as long as foods good. The broth was tasty but I wasn't huge on the noodles they used. The wings were a definite NO GO... they were so dry and the batter was hard.... Soaking it in Nuoc Mam didn't help either ... I'm always down for food adventures and not every visits going to be a W. I would say this was a decent spot... but I don't think I'd come back. Portions are generous and the prices are fair compared to other pho places. Pho Dac Biet 3/5 Crispy Butter Chicken Wings 1.5/5 read more
If you are from Scarborough, you must know Bong Lua! It is a cute mom-and-pop restaurant in a neighbourhood plaza that serves much more than just your regular bowl of beef pho. Their seafood pho like the Bun Rieu is a must order! The tomato broth with dried seafood and crab paste is full of flavour and you even get pieces of blue crab in the dish! Service is mainly the wife and husband, they can get very busy and sometimes may forget you. But they are really nice and apologetic once they realize it! The really busy during prime hours, but turnover is usually pretty quick. read more
3 years ago
- I live for it, gonna revisit - busy restaurant, pls come early to get a table - authentic Viet food, nice chili paste as well read more
This place is a hole in the wall but the food was phenomenal (no pun intended!!). We ordered the tomato crab soup with vermicelli and it was very flavourful! Wasn't expecting much crab in the dish since it was called "crab soup" so was pleasantly surprised to find a small crab swimming in the vermicelli :) I am always on the lookout for these Vietnamese steamed rolls that aren't often offered at restaurants. Got super excited to find them on the menu and they were sooo good! Rolls were freshly made and the filling was very generous. read more
This small plaza in Scarborough seems to have mostly restaurants. I guess that's great for the neighbourhood. I love Vietnamese food so when a friend suggested we come here, I was in. It's a small place, but very busy. We actually had to wait a few minutes for a table. I left the ordering up to a friend who has been here before. She usually chooses very well. Bánh Dp Crushed Rice Cracker Beef Roll was delicious and healthy looking, with a nice crunch texture from the crackers. Although I would have preferred a bit more beef, this dish was actually well balanced. Bún bò Hu Noodle Soup with Beef, Pork, Sausage was served hot and tasty, with the usual bean sprouts and basil leaves on the side. Not bad. Ch Giò Spring Rolls were better than average. Overall, this was a decent meal with good service. read more
I saw a post a while ago saying their bun rieu was better than a friend's home-made one and I've been dying to try it ever since! So glad we finally did because WOW it really was delish! The egg/pork mixture was soft and fluffy, and there was half of a real blue crab in there with a shell filled with roe the soup was flavourful and delicious and full of the good stuff We also had the bun bo hue, which I found to be disappointing as they used pho noodles vs. regular vermicelli noodles. The pork sausage was also different and there were no pork knuckles which is two of my favourite items that are usually in bun bo hue To top it off we ordered the large springroll with pork, which is filled with seasoned pork, lettuce and shrimp chips, wrapped with fresh rice rolls. It was topped with fried onion with a side of fish sauce. The fish sauce could have been a bit sweeter but the roll was massive and delicious! I'm not sure I would come back for the rest of their foods but the hype for their bun rieu is very real and I now know where to go for the best one in the city! read more
4 years ago
I'm definitely going back! Recommended if you're just looking for Good food! 5 star for the food. Food is good, value for the money! We've tried the chicken pho, crab soup noodle, tomato beef brisket stew with bun, and spicy pork something soup noodle (bun Bo hue think it is#114)... LOL should have taken a photo of the menu. Everything is very well made. Also I heard that people recommended their lamb curry dishes. 3.5 star for service, with only 2 person Manning the store front, between take out, dine in, clean up and cashier work. It is a bit under staffed. But I guess it's not busy enough to hire 3 people. We had a new waiter serving us today. Obviously not used to working big bowls of hot soup. Watched him nearly dropping the bowl of hot noodle a few times. Oh well, everyone gotta make a living. Just hope that he'll be more practiced at his work the next time I'm there. 3.5 star for the environment, the restaurant feels very old and needs updating. read more
I really think this restaurant is under rated ! It has some authentic Vietnamese dishes that most places don't have like good bun rieu, bun cuon, and bun bo hue! It gives me sweet memories when I visit here of my trip to Ho Chi Minh! read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
First time trying Bong Lua Vietnamese Restaurant. I ordered here before for take-out last year and enjoyed the food. Decided to come back to dine in. As always, I normally order spring rolls and Pho Dac Biet. This is the house special pho noodles with different meat. We also got Bun Rieu which is their Crab Tomato Vermicelli noodles. For the spring rolls, this is actually one of the better sized rolls in the city. The broth for the Pho Dac Biet feels like it's missing something. It's not as savoury as other Pho I've tried at other places. It feels like it's missing salt or MSG...which is probably not the worst thing. This is why I deducted 1 star. For the Bun Rieu, this is the only place I know that uses real crab, which is very special. No other place than I know of uses real crab in this dish. Overall, I recommend you to try this place to get your Pho cravings read more
7 years ago
I wasn't feeling particular hungry that day, so my boyfriend and I shared a large bun rieu (tomato crab vermicelli) and banh dap (grilled meat wrap - chicken) for lunch. The bun rieu was pretty good, you can taste the mild seafood flavour. I drank some of the soup and was surprised to find out that I wasn't thirsty later in the day - shout out to the limited amount of MSG used in the broth. The grilled chicken wrap dish came as 2 huge rolls! Shrimp crackers were incorporated into the roll, which gave a nice crunchy texture. The chicken was well seasoned and moist. If only they could distribute the chicken more evenly in the rolls, that would be great. The place was packed when we went there on a Saturday afternoon, but we managed to get seats within 10 mins. However, like others have mentioned service was quite slow for a pho place. We had to flag the servers 3 times before someone came to take our order. However, the food didn't take too long to come, so we were in-and-out the restaurant in approximately 50 mins. read more
This is a busy restaurant that I like to come for Pho/noodle soup dishes. We came on Sunday around 6:30pm, and were lucky because the restaurant got pretty busy after. Their menu offers different noodle soup, bun, rice dishes as well as building your own options. The 3 stars isn't for the food, but for the service as it was pretty mediocre since it was hard for us to get the server's attention when we wanted to order as she would never look at our section. Coming in, she wasn't really smiling either and I never really experienced this before when I came. The food came fairly quickly when we ordered 2 dishes, probably around 10 minutes max. I ordered the small Pho Tai Lan which is a Thai style noodle soup that has rare beef brisket in tom yum soup. The size for me was pretty big even though it was a small. The soup was very flavorful and could really taste the tomato base in it. I thought the noodles were a bit too thick, although they were the right consistency in terms of softness. The beef brisket were soft, and there a lot of it. My boyfriend ordered the build your own rice with 3 meats (chicken, beef, pork), and I think they were made just right; tender and tasty. We were definitely satisfied with the food, but the service was pretty mediocre even for an Asian restaurant. read more
Note: They are open for dine in- maximum a party of 8-10. The size of the restaurant is smaller so the dining capacity is limited to four/five tables at a time Around 6-7pm is their busiest and there was a line up forming near the end of our meal! Food was great with authentic flavours and appropriate sizing. The small was enough to fill me up and the large was a good portion for my boyfriend. The spring roll sauce was great with some pickled carrot and radish garnish, the rolls were fresh too. Overall, the food was satisfying for my Vietnamese cravings with fair pricing. Only thing to be aware of is the Bun Bo Hue is spicyyyy~ so tasty but the spice kicks you hard. Service was pleasant and friendly. They did their best to ensure cleaning measures were done by spraying sears and tables and limiting distance between people. The food came out super quick and servers were very respondent. Please go support them by takeout or dine in- the food is worth it :) read more
6 years ago
I come here only for their bun rieu and if you haven't tried it, you're definitely missing out! The broth is nice and rich with good complexity, perfect acidity, and contains plenty of crab paste. In my opinion, this is the best bun rieu in Toronto - other places have very watered down broths that lack depth in their flavor. However, I've tried their regular pho here and it wasn't anything impressive - definitely a forgettable bowl. I'd go somewhere else for pho. Only things I'd wish they improved on would be service and cleanliness - both are way below par. We actually found dozens of ants crawling in and on our tea kettle which prompted us not to come back and find other bun rieu alternatives (unsuccessfully). read more
If you want to be seated almost immediately on a weekend, be there before 12:30pm. We were lucky to have a table the moment we stepped in. The restaurant is quite small, but I noticed that you are able to reserve a table, so that is an option for those who want to secure a table. While menus and tea were quickly provided, food took slightly longer than usual to be served. My friends said the steamed rice rolls were a special only available on the weekend? Definitely freshly made and the garlic sprinkled on top was nice. (Sorry, did not take a photo of that.) My order was #100 on the menu that came with a variety of toppings, but nothing was outstanding. The tripe was sadly small and thinly sliced. Other toppings included made no impression at all that I can't recall what I actually ate. The soup was good and it was easy to down the pho. All in all, average pho with slightly slower service. New patrons waiting for a table should be mindful of the table right at the entrance; no one enjoys the stares... It's rude! read more
LUNCH Heard from a co-worker that this place was serving the best pho she had in Toronto, and judging by the drool hanging from her lips while telling me this, I had to see pho myself! Coming in to this place I already had high expectations. Usually thats set me up pho a disappointment. But pho get about it, this place MF delivered! Let me start with the noodles, they tasted homemade although probably not, the texture and shape hints that they are quality. Bellisima! Next the meat, they use actual beef and not some thinly sliced beef slabs from T&T, beef that tastes like real beef. (Ppl in Cali and Vegas are like wtf? But trust me, in Toronto, this is rare!) this place actually reminds me of Vegas, Pho Kim Long back in the day (10+years ago) when their pho was fukkin bomb! Now the broth, you can tell that this broth is the real deal. No MSG or dry mouth after sipping on the soup. It was so flavourful and soothing I had to finish it down to the bowl! Looking forward to telling the next person who asks me where to get pho about this place. Hopefully with less drool then my co-workers :P I salute you! read more
7 years ago
The Good: food. The Bad: service. The Recommendations: bun bo hue, bun rieu, banh hoi chon mon, ca phe sua da. If someone asks where I've had the best Vietnamese meal, it would be here. The búns that I've tried all had depth to their soups and were plentiful with ingredients. I dream about their custom rolls. It doesn't look like much but one bite is all it'll take to get addicted. No matter what you choose to put in it, it'll taste good. This spot would be perfect if it weren't for the service. To put it quite simply, the service sucks. Orders get messed up when they're busy and no apologies are made. The only thing that keeps me coming back is the food. read more
Pros: Well done Pho Cons: Seats and tables are too tight Very busy during peak times My family and I are always on the look out for more Pho places to try. We came upon this place because the reviews on Yelp. Bong Lua is good place to get a bowl of Pho. I don't recommend coming here though with kids during peak times. Bong Lua is most likely a family run restaurant. It's not a large place and they squeeze every last inch they can with their tables and chairs. From a consumer standpoint, this should be a good thing. However, they have really crammed too many tables and chairs where there's almost no space to walk around. We were seated in a corner and when you wanted to get out from the your seat, you have to moved the tables around because they are way to close to each other. It's no wonder my wife and I were the only ones with kids here. It was not the easiest experience for my family. On the Pho. Bong Lua makes a very good bowl of Pho. They use fresh noodles here which is a plus. The portion size for the large and extra large are pretty good. The extra large is $12.50 in price, a tad high but you're getting a good bowl of Pho for it. We also ordered the spring rolls and they very well made as well. The food here is solid, no doubt about it. As it's family run, they don't have too much staff here. There were 2 servers outside for the most part. When it got super busy, someone from the kitchen would come out and help as well. When the place is full, it gets super busy here. Our server took our order without writing it on paper and she probably forgot to put the order in because she was so busy. The 3 tables around us all sat down after us and received their food first. I should of known it could happen when I saw she didn't write the order down. Luckily Pho doesn't take too long so when they put the order in finally, it came out quickly after. Unfortunately, the rolls came out only after we finished out Pho and they forgot the fish sauce. They could really use some more help in the dining area. The servers even though they were super busy, were still very friendly throughout our visit. They were just way too busy. Almost all of Bong Lua's problems can be solved with an extra worker. As I have kids, I probably won't be coming back anytime soon. But if it's a good bowl of Pho you're looking for, this place will get the job done in that respect. read more
4 years ago
8 years ago
I've been here several times and their food remains delicious, authentic and consistent. Minus the small parking lot, line ups during rush area and crowded space, this has become my go-to viet restaurant. Service go be slow because only two servers are taking care of a full house. Their soup bases are flavorful and doesn't make me thirsty like other restaurants. Their lemon grass grilled chicken for the vermicelli is always tender, meaty and nicely seared, which is pleasant from the usual dry and tiny pieces that others may give. My favourite appetizer is their ban dahp with choice of beef! I've ordered it about 6 times now and each time the wrap is perfectly made, chewy and thin. The beef is super tender (though I don't mind thicker cuts). The combination of flavors and textures from the lettuce, mint, shrimp cracker, meat and fried onion in this wrap is perfect. I highly recommend! I tried their pineapple fried rice which I may hesitant to order again because the rice was too wet and soggy. Overall, this little restaurant is a neighbourhood gem if you don't mind the crowd and wait. read more
Now I heard about this place from the Danny Chau blog on The Ringer.com and from the House of Carbs Podcast. Apparently this place has very authentic Bun Rieu and that exactly what my wife and I came for this time. The food was disappointing to my wife. She found that the crab was likely out of season or perhaps to the point of being frozen for too long before being cooked, so the integrity of the product and the texture was actually mush I had a taste of her and the texture of the crab was different. She has a much better palate than mine and it really impacted her enjoyment of the food. For me the dish was a very home-y reminder of my own youth and the Bun Rieu my mom makes at least in flavour. I'm not used to half a blue crab being in my bowl and its both a delight and some time a pain in the ass to eat. I'm just at the point in my life where getting my hands dirty eating something out of a noddle soup bowl is not my preferred, but as I'm stating this is just my preference (does not impact the review score) The wait and the service is is about average for a smaller Asian restaurant so, it more like it meets the standard. I highly recommend coming off peak lunch hours it get busy fast here and you will most likely wait. Overall, the food for me is a reminder of good home cooking and come close to giving my mom's version a run for her money but the fact that my wife had perhaps an off crab in her dish says something about the quality and consistency of the restaurant. I would love to come back here again for the Bun Rieu and take a gamble of the freshness of the crab. read more
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Bong Lua Vietnamese Restaurant - vietnamese - Updated July 2026
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