[Uptown] best PHO.....

[chinaboy1021]

sushi and pho being hands-down my favorite eat-out foods, i really want to explore the best of hte best.

as of now, all the pho restaurant has tasted pretty much the same to me. but i keep reading about "good" pho and "bad" pho.

can someone recommend me a few places to go uptown (markham, richmond hill, scarborough, etc) with "good" pho. i want to see if i can taste the difference and if this dish can taste any better than it already does.

i love pho :D :cheesygri :D :cheesygri
http://www.fobtastic.net/downloads/Typicalbeefpho.jpg

[trueno92]

pho88 in bamburg circle

always open
always fast
food on the most part is pretty good.
pretty cheap
good selection
if u ever have a problem with the food, they'll fix it quick.

[chinaboy1021]

ah yes. i frequent htat place often. good service and nice environment. also that area is pretty central for my buddies.

what are their hours of operation? any restaurant that's open late (3am) on everyday?

[charliebrown]

New place opened on west side of Yonge, between Empress/Church
(across the street from Hello Wanton)

Pho Delight (couldnt remember the name, so googling Yonge+Pho yielded this

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/321195


20% off grand opening special (not sure until when); tried it last weekend, not bad...would go back partly because it's within walking distance :)

[dasaylay]

That pic is making me damn hungry :!:

[spm24]

ah yes. i frequent htat place often. good service and nice environment. also that area is pretty central for my buddies.

what are their hours of operation? any restaurant that's open late (3am) on everyday?


2 phos i go to one is alton towers and the other is bamburg. the alton towers one is usually open later but sometimes they do close shop up early .

bamburg circle is the best though fast service as well as good food . servers are friendly as well as the fact they can customize the order within reason.

i usually get the 124 with no spices even though its almost exactly 104 but i hate tripe . time and time again no hassle is ever given to me , the manager ( not sure if owner) is nice as well we brought some people from overseas to pho and the next day before they went to Montreal we got pho take out and the manager even let them buy the big ass xl bowl as a souvenir

[slippy]

mmm i want some pho now

[Rocketo]

pftt only chinese people like pho88 at bamburgh place is overpriced and i almost puked eating that sludge...

[gilboman]

pftt only chinese people like pho88 at bamburgh place is overpriced and i almost puked eating that sludge...

overpriced??

where else can you get a XL pho for 6.50? that thing is huge

[chinaboy1021]

pho 88 and pho viet are both in bamburgh circle right?

[shopGirl]

PHO at bamburgh is numero uno choice as well for uptown.

[spm24]

pho 88 and pho viet are both in bamburgh circle right?

pho 88 is south of steels in the bamburg plaza .

pho viet is north of steeles in the same area as the shopper , t&t and kelseys

[warlockdilemma]

PHO Viet on warden and steeles is my fave,infact I am just heading down there for lunch.
I know Pho 88 on Bamburgh cirlce has a fan following but I have had both and Pho Viet wins hand down.Plus the decor at Pho Viet is much brighter and cleaner.

[d2fresh]

Ate there yesterday and i dont know the name either. It's run by chinese people and the pho was definitely good! And 20% off grand opening so cant go wrong!

New place opened on west side of Yonge, between Empress/Church
(across the street from Hello Wanton)

Pho Delight (couldnt remember the name, so googling Yonge+Pho yielded this

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/321195


20% off grand opening special (not sure until when); tried it last weekend, not bad...would go back partly because it's within walking distance :)

[Rocketo]

like i said only chinese people eat there they don't know better

[gilboman]

like i said only chinese people eat there they don't know better

um... there are other nationalities other than chinese at pho88..or should i tell my friend he's not really viet :confused: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Ogata]

Pho Viet is as close as authentic as you are going to get if u want vietnamese people cooking it uptown. Peachtree next to pacfici is run by Cantonese people who can speak Vietnamese. Peachtree has large portions but the taste is bland and full of MSG.

[Anessa]

pftt only chinese people like pho88 at bamburgh place is overpriced and i almost puked eating that sludge...

Then go to North Vietnam...

[Cafe_333]

PHO Viet on warden and steeles is my fave,infact I am just heading down there for lunch.
I know Pho 88 on Bamburgh cirlce has a fan following but I have had both and Pho Viet wins hand down.Plus the decor at Pho Viet is much brighter and cleaner.I've been to both and I thought Pho Viet wasn't very good. Albeit the soup tasted cleaner but the noodles wasn't as good and meat was too lean. The portions were a little smaller and it was a little more expensive. It didn't suck, but it wasn't good either. Then again I went when they first openned, maybe they've improved now. Pho88 isn't amazing either, but it certainly does taste better than many Pho restaurants I've eaten at in that area. There's one around Jane and Steeles that I prefer, but I can't remember the name at the moment. When you see lots of viets eating there, you know it's gotta be good lol.

Oh, and if anybody knows of any restaurant anywhere in the GTA that has authentic pho let me know. I'm talking about the one where there is no MSG and the broth takes several hours to brew from scratch. There used to be one I frequent but that one closed down now.

[alifromca]

pftt only chinese people like pho88 at bamburgh place is overpriced and i almost puked eating that sludge...

If that place is no good, why don't you tell people where to go to get good pho then? It would certainly be more constructive than insulting Chinese people.

[keanefan]

history and recipes:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/11/05/FD48543.DTL

http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/bookshelf/articles/pho_SJM.htm

It's a steamy debate, even to this day. However, some Hanoi cultural experts with ancestors who are said to have witnessed the birth of pho believe this dish parallels the history of Vietnam, harboring both a Chinese and French connection. (The former occupied Vietnam for 1,000 years and the latter almost 100 years.)

Some theorize it was the French who triggered pho, popularizing the use of bones and lesser cuts of beef to make broth. After all, in a society that wasted nothing, what was one to do with all the bones carved from biftecks? In fact, they believe perhaps it was first created when Vietnamese cooks learned to make pot au feu for their French masters. The name pho, they suspect, might have even come from feu. But others argue that while the French can take credit for popularizing beef, it was actually the Chinese who inspired the dish with ingredients like noodles, ginger and anise. Then there are still others who claim it was the Chinese, and the Chinese alone, who instigated this culinary wonder.

But regardless of the origin, Chinese or French or both, once at the stove, the Vietnamese were quick to interject their own ideas. They concocted an exciting dish, using ingredients inspired by their foreign rulers but customizing it to include nuoc mam, or fish sauce, the defining characteristic of the local cuisine.

RECIPE:

VIETNAMESE BEEF NOODLE SOUP (PHO BO)
You can prepare the beef broth in advance and assemble just before serving.

INGREDIENTS:
The Broth -- 5 pounds beef marrow bones -- A 3-pound chuck roast -- 2 (4-inch) pieces fresh ginger, unpeeled -- 1 large yellow onion, peeled -- 1/3 cup Asian fish sauce -- 5 tablespoons sugar -- 8 whole star anise -- 3 whole cloves -- 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

Noodles & Assembly

-- 1/2 pound beef sirloin steak, slightly frozen, then sliced paper thin -- 1 1/2 pounds fresh or dried flat rice stick noodles (about 1/8 inch wide) -- 1 yellow onion, sliced paper thin -- 4 green onions, chopped -- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro -- 1 pound bean sprouts -- 20 sprigs Asian basil -- 20 leaves saw-leaf herb (optional) -- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai bird chiles, or thinly sliced serrano chiles -- 2 limes, cut into thin wedges -- Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS: Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large stockpot.

Place the bones and chuck roast in a separate pot with water to cover; bring to a boil and boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Using tongs, remove the bones and meat and add to the first pot of boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, reduce to a simmer.

Using metal tongs, hold the ginger and onion over a gas burner until slightly blackened and aromatic. (If you have an electric stove, dry-roast the ginger and onion in a skillet.) Rinse the ginger and onion and add them to the pot with the meat and bones.

Add the fish sauce and sugar to the pot. Simmer, skimming off the foam, until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chuck roast and submerge in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. This prevents the meat from darkening and drying out. Place the star anise and cloves in a dampened spice bag and add to the broth. Add 2 cups water to the pot. Simmer for 1 hour, then remove and discard the spice bag and onion. (Cooking the spices too long makes the broth dark and pungent.) Add the salt to the broth and keep at a low simmer while preparing the noodles. The broth should be rich enough to serve after 2 1/2 hours total cooking time. It will taste salty, but will balance once the noodles and accompaniments are added.

Noodles and Assembly: Cut half of the roast into thin slices; reserve the remaining roast for another use. Cut the partially frozen sirloin into thin slices. Place the sliced chuck and sirloin on separate plates and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place a handful of fresh noodles (enough for 1 serving) in a sieve and lower into the boiling water. Using a fork or chopsticks, stir for 15 seconds, then lift and shake off excess water. (If using dried noodles, soak them in warm water for 20 minutes. Cook them all at once until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse extremely well in warm water.) Divide the noodles among heated serving bowls. Arrange a few slices of roast and sirloin on the noodles in each bowl.

Bring the beef broth to a rolling boil. Season with salt (if necessary) and pepper. Ladle 2 to 3 cups into each bowl. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon sliced yellow onion, 1 tablespoon green onions, 1 tablespoon cilantro and pepper to taste. Let diners garnish their bowls with bean sprouts, Asian basil, saw- leaf herb, chiles and squeeze of lime as desired. Serves 6 to 8.

[keanefan]

maybe pho refers to someone's name???

My last name is Pho (prounced "faw", with the high tone), and although I consider myself Vietnamese, growing up I was always told that the great-grandfather on my dad's side was Chinese, and that my surname has Chinese roots. Well, the same can be said about many Viet surnames.


Some Vietnamese family names with their meanings or ethnic origins:
Bui: Muong name, from Hoa Binh province in Vietnam

Chu: Family name with Chinese roots

Hoang: means yellow, which is the royal color, and can infer royalty.

Lai: Chinese background

Lie^u: Chinese background

Lo: White Thai name

Nghiem: Prestigious central Vietnam family name

Pho': Chinese background

Trung: Loyalty to one's country or king

[mikehole]

i would have to say pho 88 at bamburge would be the best place thats close to uptown (markham, richmond hill)

but if you want authentic good vietnamese food you would have to travel downtown for it.

I usually go to pho linh, pho mi/ga, when im in toronto.

[chinaboy1021]

am i the only one that enjoys using large amounts of hoisin and Sriracha to dip my noodles in??

[rabcede]

PHO VIET - is it still around? tried to look for it at the T&T mall. drove all around, couldn't find it or does it close early (i was there at midnight on a friday)

oh, and I've tried the pho at that new place on Yonge St, just north of Sheppard - i liked it. the Broth was very clean and beefy tasting. Not much selection, but wasn't bad for a cheap price.

[warlockdilemma]

PHO VIET - is it still around? tried to look for it at the T&T mall. drove all around, couldn't find it or does it close early (i was there at midnight on a friday)

oh, and I've tried the pho at that new place on Yonge St, just north of Sheppard - i liked it. the Broth was very clean and beefy tasting. Not much selection, but wasn't bad for a cheap price.


Pho Viet closes at 10 pm and its actually besides Ajisen Ramen and Boston Pizza

[aznspddmn]

pftt only chinese people like pho88 at bamburgh place is overpriced and i almost puked eating that sludge...


i agree with you. all places in scarb, markham and rh suck. so what if there owned by viets. they know majority of the the people who come in are chinese who dont know what good pho is or what it is suppose to taste like. or even have had pho before. the viets you see eating there eat there cuz there is no good pho places. i personally go to pho linh, thien thanh, mi pho #1. google the addresses yourself. I aint being no arse here but believe me i've tried every places up here and i mean every place. you dont know how mad i get when it tasted like crap. the worst one i think is at midland and finch (dickens plaza) the one at times square next to jcy house is also crap. i also stay away from all train's

[Cafe_333]

so tell us what pho is supposed to taste like or what good pho is.I'm not sure how to describe it in words, but I suppose you'll have to know how to identify the taste of MSG artificial flavouring in soup broths. Authentic pho has no MSG and the broth takes several hours just to prepare from scratch. I used to frequent this one restaurant (before it closed) and I knew for a fact that they did this (was friends with the owner and even took a tour of the kitchen to see it made) and you can definately taste the difference. Though they charged more per bowl than chinese pho places, it was soooo worth it. :D

"pho linh, thien thanh, mi pho #1" ....thanks for the suggestions, i'll give those places a try sometime.

[LaSombra]

I really like going to this one Pho place, just south of Hwy 7 on Kennedy Road, right beside Congee Wong. I forgot the name, but they have a big symbol of a train, so I just call it Trains. They have one downtown on Spadina also.

Their noodles are thicker and more filling than other pho places, so that's the main reason I keep going back. Only bad thing is they aren't open too late, maybe 9-10pm or so.

[AzNCrAzYcOoLeR]

This is my usual Pho Stops.


******* BEST LOCATION***********
In chinese its "Fire car head", but i forgot what the name of the place is in english. On hwy 7 west of south park before bayview
Why? MUCH cleaner then the location at woodside (mccowan and finch) and kennedy and highway 7 AND the open till 5 AM!!!!!!


others would be

Pho 88 at warden / bambugh circle
pho 88 at alton towers

pho 99 at hwy 7 and mccowan

peach garden beside pacfic mall (kennedy / steeles)

bamboo something at midland and sheppard

Pho Hoa at also midland and sheppard

Pho Viet at kennedy and ellesmere seems to havea nice atmosphere.

First Markham Pho, a couple stores down beside pc village. Forgot the name (woodbine /7)

Ive only been to Mini Viet once at Woodbine/Apple Creek , didint like it there too much

[aznspddmn]

i've tried that place and did not like it at all.

so tell us what pho is supposed to taste like or what good pho is.

can you try the pho at Middlefield and Steeles and tell us if it's good or bad?

Super 7 Restaurant- a few doors away from T&T Supermarket

also there is a new pho/Vietnamese restaurant near StarWalk Buffet and Wasabi AYCE
(on Silver Star / south of Steeles)

Restaurant Krispy Roll
Address : 789 Warden Avenue (Eglinton)
Scarborough, ON M1L 4C2
Telephone : 416-759-5757

how is the pho at Krispy Roll?

That guy, Truth, talked about Vietnamese crepes and I haven't seen them on the menus around here so do you know if any Vietnamese restaurant makes Vietnamese crepes?

Thanks.

[aznspddmn]

I'm not sure how to describe it in words, but I suppose you'll have to know how to identify the taste of MSG artificial flavouring in soup broths. Authentic pho has no MSG and the broth takes several hours just to prepare from scratch. I used to frequent this one restaurant (before it closed) and I knew for a fact that they did this (was friends with the owner and even took a tour of the kitchen to see it made) and you can definately taste the difference. Though they charged more per bowl than chinese pho places, it was soooo worth it. :D

"pho linh, thien thanh, mi pho #1" ....thanks for the suggestions, i'll give those places a try sometime.


never mind serveral hours, try the whole day or several days. good pho has a strong beef aroma in the soup you can taste it as well.

[aznspddmn]

I'm not sure how to describe it in words, but I suppose you'll have to know how to identify the taste of MSG artificial flavouring in soup broths. Authentic pho has no MSG and the broth takes several hours just to prepare from scratch. I used to frequent this one restaurant (before it closed) and I knew for a fact that they did this (was friends with the owner and even took a tour of the kitchen to see it made) and you can definately taste the difference. Though they charged more per bowl than chinese pho places, it was soooo worth it. :D

"pho linh, thien thanh, mi pho #1" ....thanks for the suggestions, i'll give those places a try sometime.


you will have to travel to north york and ossington for those places.

pho linh uses fresh noodles which i think makes a big difference compared to the packaged noodles which you have to boil.

jane and 401 (nammer central)
college and dufferin (nammer central)
ossington and queen (nammer central)

[chicadam]

you will have to travel to north york and ossington for those places.

pho linh uses fresh noodles which i think makes a big difference compared to the packaged noodles which you have to boil.

jane and 401 (nammer central)
college and dufferin (nammer central)
ossington and queen (nammer central)

I completely agree... I just can't eat it if the noodles are bad.

Pho Hoa at midland and sheppard, although its not the cleanest of places, noodles are really good and the soup is about average.

[mikehole]

I really like going to this one Pho place, just south of Hwy 7 on Kennedy Road, right beside Congee Wong. I forgot the name, but they have a big symbol of a train, so I just call it Trains.

the name is pho xe lua, got food poisoning there...

best places in dt i would have to say pho linh and mi pho#1.

[Pete00]

If you are ever in Mississauga and want good Pho, try Golden Turtle (rua vang or something). Very clean and tasty soup base. Can't quite remember the address, but its located in a plaza along Confederation.

[Rocketo]

i agree with you. all places in scarb, markham and rh suck. so what if there owned by viets. they know majority of the the people who come in are chinese who dont know what good pho is or what it is suppose to taste like. or even have had pho before. the viets you see eating there eat there cuz there is no good pho places. i personally go to pho linh, thien thanh, mi pho #1. google the addresses yourself. I aint being no arse here but believe me i've tried every places up here and i mean every place. you dont know how mad i get when it tasted like crap. the worst one i think is at midland and finch (dickens plaza) the one at times square next to jcy house is also crap. i also stay away from all train's

atleast someone agrees with me...

[i-o_o-i]

^^ any other good places for pho in Mississauga?

[B0000rt]

I've noticed that most, if not all eat out Pho places miss one important flavour/smell to the broth.

Cinnamon.

Another flavour I also notice that is very weak, and should be stronger in most, if not all Pho restaurants is Star Anise..

Nothin like smellin star anise, cinnamon, ginger and onions being toasted in the air!

[B0000rt]

I completely agree... I just can't eat it if the noodles are bad.

Pho Hoa at midland and sheppard, although its not the cleanest of places, noodles are really good and the soup is about average.
Don't bother with that garbage chain. Sure they were good, maybe 10 years ago, but they've gone wayy too commercialized and their portions SUCK.

I mean, come on, just look at their menus, they're soo goddamn whitewashed for people to read. (I say this to re-enforce the notion that they've become a franchise driven 'company')

[tanmanwayne]

^^ any other good places for pho in Mississauga?

In addition to this request...anything in the Brampton area?

I know of Saigon House beside Kingsley Chinese Restaurant here in Brampton, and I have to admid I like their Pho. But can't tell the difference between "good" pho and "bad" pho.

All I can say is that I always request an extra bowl of spicy satay to add to my pho.

Can someone comment?

Tano

[M-e-X-x]

New place opened on west side of Yonge, between Empress/Church
(across the street from Hello Wanton)

Pho Delight (couldnt remember the name, so googling Yonge+Pho yielded this

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/321195


20% off grand opening special (not sure until when); tried it last weekend, not bad...would go back partly because it's within walking distance :)

i live across the street from that place.. maybe i'll go try tonight..

[M-e-X-x]

PHO Viet on warden and steeles is my fave,infact I am just heading down there for lunch.
I know Pho 88 on Bamburgh cirlce has a fan following but I have had both and Pho Viet wins hand down.Plus the decor at Pho Viet is much brighter and cleaner.

agreed... coz pho viet is run by vietnamese 'wah q' (chinese that grew up in vietnam).. unlike most places run by chinese :(

[M-e-X-x]

anyone know where to get viet crepes/wraps? more homestyle stuff, and i oddly had it in london, england hehe... and my ex-gf's mom makes it all the time :p

[DJ_Peanuts22]

who has the biggest portions?

best prices?