2024-07-20. Pho Anh Vu.
So I came here a couple of times now and I think I've tried enough of their menu to write about. Pho Anh Vu has several locations in Toronto and the GTA and the franchise is open for expansion.
The Vaughan location is quite small, but they do have room in the center where they can put tables together to accommodate larger parties (up to 20 if you're willing to squeeze a little.) The menu is not as extensive as most other Pho places, but they do cover all the basics. Pho (soup), Bun (vermicelli), Com (rice).
What got me to try Pho Anh Vu in the first place is their Beef Rib Pho (#22). It only comes in one size and is limited quantities. We were lucky enough to get it both times we were here. The good news is that this bowl of Pho is large enough for 2 people so the $23 that this comes with isn't doesn't sting too much.
If you've ever read any of my other reviews on Pho restaurants, you'll know that Pho is all about the broth. Making a clear soup is much harder than most people know, and if you do know, you'll appreciate a good broth when you get one.
The broth. The pho broth here is one of the best I've every had. Mind you, consistency is also important, and I can't really speak to that considering I've only been here a couple of times. My visits were about a month apart and yes, sadly, the soup did not taste the same both times. But what you need to realize is that consistency also depends on turnover. Like aging meat, there's a minimum, but really no maximum. The longer the soup cooks (i.e. the longer the turnover), the more prominent the flavors will be. The broth her a Pho Anh Vu gets full marks from me.
Bun Bo Hue. This is their spicy pork soup broth and is often a specialty dish in Pho restaurants. This soup is from central Vietnam and is often made with pork hocks, lemongrass, fried tofu, and congealed pigs blood. Here they complement it with beef, sausage, and fish cake. The bun bo hue here is fairly decent. Not as spicy as it should be, but again, probably to cater to the local tastes. 4 stars.
With all other Vietnamese dishes that are not soup based, it's all about the fish sauce. The fish sauce here is a little on the weak side in both the fish sauce and the citrus, most likely to cater to the locals (more watered down to tame the pungent aroma). The good news is that it's not overly sweetened. The nuoc cham is key to many of the non soupy dishes including appetizers and is just ok. 3 stars.
Com. The rice dishes here are barely ok in my opinion. The seared meats do have that grilled flavor, but it' snot as prominent as other places. The meat is also more dry (overcooked). 2 stars.
Bun. The vermicelli dishes here are decent and on par with most other Pho places. The vermicelli is the packaged type (but I prefer that anyways) and is well cooked (not overcooked, not al dente.) Unfortunately, the mediocre nuoc cham (fish sauce) and the grilled meats aren't enough to elevate or enhance this dish. 3 stars.
Spring rolls (Cha Gio). I love my deep fried crispy foods and I'm a sucker for Cha Gio. More often than not, I'm disappointed with the filing and in some cases the wrap, and this time was no different. I'm glad they used the proper wrap here, and I was only mildly disappointed with the filling. What it was lacking in was the flavor, ground pork content, and vermicelli. The fatty pork is key as it releases a lot of flavor when it's cooked off. Once again, the on-par fish sauce didn't do much to enhance this dish. Rating this one is tough, I've had better, which would normally be 2 stars, but then again, I've had worse. Based on whether or not I'd order it again, I probably would if I'm craving it, so I'll give it 3 stars.
Overall, Pho Anh Vu is a good spot for Pho and iced Vietnamese coffee. It's ok for the spring rolls (if you're really craving them - but be warned, they may not hit the spot), and Bun, but I wouldn't recommend the rice dishes (com). My favorite place for Com in GTA North is Pho Metro (on Rutherford). I'm going still giving Pho An Vu 4 stars overall because they're one of the few places that serve Beef Rib Pho and they do it quite well here.
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