I checked out Viet Foods in Waltham last night.
I'd say its good, but it will never lure me away from
Pho Pasteur.
We tried:
1) "fresh rolls" -spring rolls that aren't fried.
I wish they had a vegetarian version
as boiled chicken rarely excites me.
2) Pho --more expensive than average at $6
for a medium-sized bowl. There
were no options (funky of otherwise)--
the soup came with thin strips of
cooked beef.
This Pho does NOT come with all
the goodies on the side--hot sauce,
limes, peppers, basil. I asked about this,
and I was told that this particular type of
Pho does not taste good with all that stuff.
3) Pork with Vermicelli -- This came with the fish sauce
and vinegar already mixed in. It was a little different
than what I've had at other Vietnamese restaurants,
and it was also extremely good. This disappeared
quickly, and if I go to Viet Foods again it will be to order
this dish.
Marcel L. wrote:
>Also, I thought pho just refers to soup--which could be made with
>chicken broth, for example, not just beef (though beef is certainly
>more common, and better, IMHO). I could be wrong, though. Anyone
>know for sure?
>
There are lots of different vietnamese soups, but my Vietnamese
friends tell me that Pho is specifically a beef broth.
These same friends once wisked me off to Little Saigon (near LA).
We spent a whole weekend walking from one restaurant to another.
Each restaurant was famous for a different find of soup---pure heaven.
>Finally, I was a little surprised that the pho at Pho Pasteur has
>so many fans. Don't get me wrong, I think it is good, and I really
>like some of the other Vietnamese food there. However, IMHO, the
>beef broth has always seemed a little thin--missing some of the
>richness of flavor that I have found in some other Pho shops in town.
>The small Pho Pasteur in Chinatown seemed to have a slightly better
>version than the Allston branch for some reason though (but I haven't
>been there for a while). On the other hand, the pho also seems less
>oily than in most places (possibly related to my other comment above),
>so I can see how some people would like it better.
The Pho broth at Pho Pasteur (Allston) is never oily, but other than that, its
never the same twice. I'm very fond of their Pho, and I love the restaurant--
good vibes (I'm sorry, but that's the only way to explain it). They do an excellent
job of managing a very busy restaurant.
I honestly can't say I've tried many Pho places in the boston area, so I can't
rank Pho Pasteur. Anyone out there have a favorite?
steveBoston, MA