I didn't think this place was all that great. I heard all the hype about it and went there one day. I was like....uhhhhhh. :cry:

Seems like me and you have quite similar tastes. My mom used to take us to Pho Van all the fuckin' time cuz it was kick ass. We'd order che ba mao and other stuff. I'm not a big fan of Bao Chau either, the time I had it it was nothing special and super loaded with MSG. I absolutely miss the old Le Petite Saigon, I loved that place dearly.

I didn't know there was still a Pho Van around. Gotta check out that place.

I'll ask my parents about the Southern vs Northen Pho...since my dad is from the north and my mom from the south and see what I can get out of them.

Thai son is still in Richmond?

If you're referring to the No 3 Road location across from Richmond Center Mall, the whole plaza's been closed for the longest time.

It's on Fraser Street just south of Kingsway. You can't miss it.

According to this site on pho I quote, "Northern style pho tends to be simpler and is made with less ingredients. There are fewer cuts of meat and small slices of ginger are laid on top of the soup. The pho is served without bean sprouts or herbs. Instead, it is accompanied by green chilies and lime only. Southern style pho is a complex dish made from a dozen ingredients. Bean sprouts, fresh basil and saw herb are typically served with each bowl. As with the Northern style pho, green chilies and lime are used as condiments."

So I guess there really are no places that serve real Northern style pho? My closest guess would have been Au Petit Cafe and maybe Kim Phung.

thats why you go to ba le thats like a couple blocks down on kingsway and fraser or the chinatown location on main st thats underneath the old PHO VAN :) for good viet subs

their known for their viet subs try the sub!!! they are usually sold out around 2-3pm everyday so get them while their around

lol i always thought you were white judging for your avatar and stuff :lol

oh yeah... pho lan is good too! if i lived in richmond i'd go to pho lan A LOT more.

whos peter?

i've been going to the broadway cambie crackpho place for 8 almost 9 years now. the guy in the kitchen and the lady that works there has always been the same.

^ peter and his family used to own Le Petit (it's spelled without the "E") Saigon on Hastings near Renfew.

Haha, I'm not even a Vietnamese. I'm Chineseeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Edit: Ba Le FTW! Been eating there for the last...12 years at least.

The owner of thai son sold the place when the canada line was being built to them for like 600k or something redicilous like that.

I went to a good place on some street... all i know is there is a gas station, a italian resteeraunt accross the street, and i think a dry cleaner? It was around rupert street.

I was told that Northern Pho holds greater influence from Chinese cuisine, and as a result the noodles are somewhat thicker, almost like chinese "hoh fun" noodles. The broth is also simpler as it gives a distinct, clear flavor whereas Vancouver-type Southern pho broth is quite complex, having been prepared with spices and star anise etc. The other difference is that they give lots of chopped onions on top, and have a wider emphasis on different types of meat balls.

I haven't gone to Paris yet, but will go in February. Surprisingly, the Vietnamese area in Berlin had quite good pho as well, but nothing compared to San Francisco.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pho

Once, I went to Kim Pehn Xe Lua alone for lunch (I used to work nearby), and this zombie woman was there working. I went clubbing that night, came back with my friends at like 3AM? and she served me Pho again. Quite disturbing.

She is always there. I would sometimes like to say she's Ulic's second mom.

PHO TAN makes incredible beef ribs

BAO CHAO makes the best springs rolls

PHO ASIA makes the best nammer subs... =)

So how exactly to do judge wether a certain Pho location is better than another?

ive been to a couple in Richmond and they all taste the same to me. Now your talking to a Chinese person right now with pretty open taste to any type of food.

But Pho is basically Hot Soup and prepped up raw stuff put into the soup.

im not belittle vietnamese food but i want to know how to judge how it is good compared to others.

Hmm... I suppose it just tastes different and will have a taste of "quality" if its good. NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING beats home made pho that's been boiling for most of the day with all the proper ingredients. Once you have a taste of that shit...nothing is every the same afterwards. My aunt made some one time...holy shit. That's all I can say. I think I ate like 5 big bowls of pho. Sadly, I haven't visited her every since.

i want pho....now...

yeah shes been there forever, always looks tired and never stops work. ever. haha

Pho Tam in Surrey
Pho Hong on Kingsway by Imperial

Pho Hong - the girls there are hot. :)

Give me some of your Aunt's Pho hahaha and eat 5 bowls hahaha

Saigon on Hastings and Slocan I think ? and Le Do on Hastings and Nanaimo near the Churches Chicken.

any body know a pho place that gives u a BIG ass portion. i eat like a pig and the pho never makes me full. even the large doesnt do anything?

ANY RECOMMENDATIONS?

^ find a place with lots of MSG so you load up on water haha jk.

hmm you could always order a large and ask for extra noodles. usually extra noodles fill you up

Re: Best Pho Restaurants
 

Hence why they call it Exotic Cambodian Cuisine.

They got awesome everything else though. Their chicken wings are to die for. I grew up eating there since family friends own it. But good food, if you're not looking into pho.

i didnt know phnom penh was like open super duper late... is it still?

i remember the broadway location was. but ididnt find out till they shut it down. didnt some dude get shot there haha