My whirlwind trip to Warsaw last week found me spending a lot of time in Zloty Tarasy. On a Monday afternoon, after an interview, I was hungry and in need of something comforting.
I wandered a bit through the mall, until I made my way up to Level 3 and found Thai Wok. I thought that I would be happy with Thai food, and I was actually pleasantly surprised to find that they had Pho.
Pho seems to cure everything.
So I ordered Pho z kurczakiem (chicken). I had to wait for a bit as it was prepared (heated up maybe). It only took about 7 minutes, and in that time I found a spot to drop my bookbag and heavy coat. My buzzer buzzed to let me know my meal was ready, and I collected it. The large bowl was STEAMING hot, and it came with sides of sliced garlic and sriracha (I think that's what it was). The soup itself contained a large quantity of noodles, and green onion and coriander/cilantro floated throughout the broth. There were a smattering of sprouts already at the bottom of the bowl. White meat chicken was sliced thin and actually quite good considering the fast food nature of the restaurant.
Taking a chance, I dumped the garlic in, and stirred it up. And I ate it all. It was salty and made me feel good. Pho is a comfort food for me, and being in Warsaw alone with my possessions on my back after an interview- I was happy for any kind of comfort!
Does this compare to the authentic pho I've had back home from true Vietnamese owners? No. Was it bad? Not a all. Would I eat it again? Yes considering the other options for fast food in Zloty Tarasy. read more