Hello There, Certified Pho'ker here
Here is my review of this restaurant!
Driving on the way to work I see this .... interesting place called iPho and iNails. My FIRST impression just by driving by was, god dammit -- did you guys have to really enforce the stereo type? It probably, is owned by the same owner but REALLY?Anyways, I'm Vietnamese - and Pho is in my blood -- So I decided to get a transfusion.
Décor -
The Décor is a little..... odd. The restaurant is split into two sections, one for guests and the other is for a larger reservation ( at least from what I can observe) Tables and walls, including fixtures are kind of perplexing by them selves. On one side, you see traditional Asian ornaments, while on the other you have modern-chic art The mood lighting is very subtle, but it doesn't detract from the oddities surrounding you. The music that they played was a little jazzy / instrumental and even the plating had more an updated look to them.
In short, It's a Hipster Pho Noodle Shop.
The Food-
The food is Meh. The broth is a bit too greasy, and I've been here over five times. Its a little disgusting, and its kind of easy to fix too (when you make the broth, just scoop around the oil, or scoop it out). The Tripe, and the meat balls are obviously frozen, and sort of tastes that way too, but the beef and the noodles it self (esp after absorbing the broth) taste average at best.
The menu was a little confusing at first, Kudos for not making Pho #1 (its actually #17 I think; being a bit different isn't bad) They also serve Banh Mi, and for the love of god, they make Banh Mi Xa Xiu. (BBQ pork). Its not the best sandwich I've ever tasted, but its certainly a lot better than DK (located off McHenry). They also add some kind of weird Hoisin/Teriyakis Sauce that kind of throws it off a bit, but whatever.
I've also tried their Thai Tea, It was a tad bit expensive -- but it was what you would expect.
The Service -
The Service is great. The servers are polite, and when the servers are not there the cook seems to help out too. Table service, to dinner service was always prompt and Honestly does merit a .5 of a star.
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To Summarize this review,
Would I go back? Yeah, probably. The location is actually kind of better than the other ones around town. I'm a busy person, and I carry a lot of expensive equipment on me all the time. Its one of the few places in Modesto where I can pull out my tablet to work on some expense reports and have something to snack on without being worried about getting mugged by some homeless guy.
Let me break that down for you. Saigon Restaurant is in front of Oakdale Road, next to that save mart. I dare you to park in front of the dollar store for ten minutes with your doors unlocked. Pho Bac on mcHenry? That Walgreens is a cess pool that gets robbed by meth addicts every other week. Pho 7 on Carver? its Carver, enough said.
I don't go back because the food is great, or because I'm in love with the service. Saigon Restaurant is my personal favorite, but Its really far from my location. So on those days that I need to get work done and don't want to drive half way across town for noodles? I think I can settle for here. read more