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Review : Pho Hoa Vietnamese Noodle Soup
About a month and an half ago there was a new restaurant that opened up on the main drag in my town (Wheaton Way actually). A small chain of Vietnamese noodle houses called Pho Hoa. Now this is not the first time that I have had Vietnamese beef noodle soup before there is a good stand that sells it in the Uwajimaya food court over in Seattle but that is an hour boat ride away from where I live so Pho was an once in a while treat.
As Anna pointed out much to my disagreement Pho is correctly pronounced "Faah" and it ends up she was right.. Damn!
Growing up I had a friend who's dad was an officer in the South Vietnamese army and he came to the US after the fall of Saigon so I was not a total virgin to Vietnamese cooking.
Ok now back to Pho Hoa. The place was converted from a lame ass restaurant and is now this franchise is owned and run by a local Vietnamese family. Damn it is so damn tasty. Pho is rice noodles in a beef broth with strips of beef and fresh basil, lime juice and fresh chilies. It is so damn good on a cold are rainy day that it just fills you up with beefy spicy hot goodness. They have two menus one for people new to Pho also known as "White people". And then a more traditional menu that features tripe and Beef Tendons to go with your noodles. They also have a big catsup container full of Hoisin sauce and Chili Garlic sauce for and little dishes so you can dip your beef in a sauce if you wish. They also have Vietnamese coffee that is made with a condensed sugar cream that is so strong and rich that it will kick your ass espresso style. Pho Hoa is fast, cheap, tasty and just generally well done.
If you happen to live in a town near one of these places I suggest you check it out but take a pass on the tripe and tendon until you are ready. I am not but my Ex GF from Hong Kong loved it. Yuck. Peter will have to go check it out. To summarize I have lost all desire to go to McDonalds when I can go here and get a bowl of Pho instead.
Jake at December 11, 2002 
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HO LY SHIITE that sounds good. There is nothing like spicy hot Korean or Tai noodle soup. Love that stuff...I will go there soon. I have seen this new place. sweet.
Posted by: pete at December 11, 2002 12:53 PM
That's pretty cool. We have a lot of Vietnamese restarants in my area. My parents took a liking to this one place while I was in high school so we'd eat there about once a week. My favorite Asian Cusine is Koreah, Thai and Japanese... but Vietnamese isn't bad. ;o)
Posted by: Judy at December 11, 2002 3:34 PM
In Seattle I like Than brothers pho because they give you free cream puffs to start with, and of course you buy more (they are cheap) to have with your iced coffee at the end. intense! And the pho is very good, too. branches on the ave, broadway, and aurora.
http://www.google.com/search?q=than+brothers+pho
I've eaten at the pho hoa in burien -- that was good, too, but no cream puffs.
who is it that can consume a "large" bowl? it's huge!
Posted by: Anita Rowland at December 11, 2002 3:34 PM
Actually I can eat a large bowl of Pho but I need to stop half way through and take a tinkle so my bladder doesn't pop. But it is damn tasty. Actually I think I have been to the Than Bros on the UW Ave before. I will have to go again next time I am there but I will probably have to wait until next year.
Posted by: Jake at December 11, 2002 3:54 PM
open to restaurant
Posted by: kim at February 10, 2003 4:40 PM
"open to restaurant" Huh? what do you mean? Please only press the comment button
once. If you press it multiple times I have to delete the duplicated posts.
Posted by: Jake at February 10, 2003 5:44 PM
Did you say Pho Hoa is a SMALL chain?!?!? Did you not look at their website? They have dozens of locations in eight countries! Pho Hoa is the McDonalds of pho, so while the menu is different, the economics are not. I suggest you try the first pho shop in Seattle, dating back to the 1980s -- Pho Bac. This is a truly small local pho chain, with only four locations -- two next door to each other on Jackson at Rainier. And do try the tripe and tendon. This white boy found them quite tasty, and not at all "yucky."
Posted by: zeb at April 8, 2003 3:50 PM
This is the first that I have seen of them. They are not the size of Starbucks but they are nothing to sneeze at.
Oh I have tried the tendon. I don't care for tripe. But the Fatty Beef is super tasty.
Next time I am in South Seattle I will have to give Pho Bac a try.
Posted by: Jake at April 8, 2003 4:04 PM
omg pho is my favorite food. Than brothers is pretty good, the cream puffs are soo good. but you guys have to try PHOENiX in lynnwood. Thats located in washington, most of u know it by seattle. yup phoenix is the SHiit. i eat there almost everyday..i use soo much rooster sauce. haha yeah that hot sauce they give with u..ahh pho is soooo goooood
Posted by: Nari kim at September 9, 2003 8:43 PM
whoaa..wait. u guys are from seattle? HAHAH wierd...but go to lynnwood and try phoenix i swear its worth it
Posted by: nari at September 9, 2003 8:44 PM
Pho hoa restaurant always disappoints with its service, the staff is totally inexpireanced they dont care about their customer`s needs. I went to pho hoa restaurant in Victoria, British Colombia on oct.10 2005. The waitress gave me tea but did'nt ask for bevrages I ordered coffee ;and then ordered my meal but nobody came for quality cheak. I wanted have more coffee and nobody seems to be taking intrest in serving my table. Finally finished my meal and wait for my server to come over and bus my table I tought I will order my coffee when she will come to clear my plate off. But she never took intrest in clearing my dirty plate. I decieded to leave and never go to any pho hoa restaurant in my life.
Poor show by Pho hoa service staff in Victoria B.c.
Posted by: s munshi at October 11, 2005 11:44 PM
Wow sounds like you are a really needy customer. I am damn glad that I don't work at a restaurant and serve folks like you.
Posted by: 8Bit Jake ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.8bitjoystick.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 12, 2005 5:36 PM
I went to the one in santa clara. The waitress were rude, dirty and loud. The lady was picking her teeth while walking with our plate on her hand. A man mopping the floor wet my feet with the dirty water and acted like nothing happened. The ladies were chatting loud in Vietnamese yelling across the room and ignored another customer who wanted to order. Lastly the cashier blew her nose in my face while paying for the meal. I kept my cool but it was dirty & rude experience and felt sick to my stomach walking out. Traumatizing experience.
Posted by: hanu at May 27, 2006 11:51 PM
Eversince I tasted Pho Hoa I never stop visiting the restaurant. In fact I want to open a franchise of Pho Hoa in my home town in Laguna.
Can you please send me details on how to open a franchise. I believe it will be a great success here in Laguna, Philippines.
Posted by: Lade Sixto Gargarita at February 5, 2008 4:27 AM
