Solid comfort food for a rainy day. Consistent, generous portions for an affordable price, no-frills environment: the place to eat alone or with friends you know well and don't need to make awkward conversation with or for a brisk meal. It's not an extraordinary rendition of pho, and there's nothing in particular that makes it memorable, but it's good enough for this part of Melbourne.
We traipsed here on our way to Clayton and other parts of Melbourne on the recommendation of my sister: it's a favourite haunt of them Asian students craving some good 'ol heartwarming steaming Asian soup. The menu is simple - all pho dishes are either $9, $10, or $11, based on size. I found the $9 comparable to the size of dishes in Melbourne/Singapore/city centers basically, so it'll be enough. If you're looking for something more filling or looking to share, the brimming bowls looked very appetizing. You can also order various combinations of rare beef, beef balls, brisket, innards, and so on.
I ordered the $9 beef balls + rare beef, and all the bowls for our tables were swiftly carried out in the next 5 minutes. It was served with a heaping plate of raw bean sprouts, mint leaves. I loved the bundle of noodles - they were soft and slightly chewy, and I basically inhaled the whole bowl so quickly just enjoying the texture of it. Don't you just love carbs??
The clear soup was a bit on the lighter side though, without a very strong meaty taste. Good because I could drink all of it without feeling like a glutton. Bad because it wasn't that tasty on its own. That's my sister's grouse with it too - that although it's a great option for pho, the soup isn't cooked long enough or flavored strongly enough as well as some versions in Vietnam or Asia.
I saw many people adding the darker sambal-type chili to the soup, instead of the sweet sauce and hoisin that Americans typically taint their soup with, and was so bummed I didn't think of adding that too!
When we first went in before noon, the restaurant was already quite full. As we ate, lines of mostly Asian families formed outside, and watched us hungrily as we finished. As my sis drank up all the soup in her bowl with gusto, one marvelled that she even drank everything as we left the store. Best to come early, and this too shows that this isn't the best location if you're looking for a calmer, slower meal! read more