A few spring rolls ago, Pho Hoa has been featured in this little blog of ours. Now, I’m going to feature this restaurant again.
Anyway, Pho Hoa is more properly known for their specialty Vietnamese soups. One thing about Vietnamese noodle soups (they call it Pho) is that these guys have their own way of eating and preparing their soups. Europeans put butter and dip bread on theirs, while the Chinese sprinkle shredded meat or crack an egg, and Pinoys usually add toasted garlic on ours. The Vietnamese, I’ve come to understand, add fresh herbs and spices to theirs.
I don’t have any experience when it comes to Vietnamese food so I read the how-to-eat-Vietnamese-pho on the menu. Once you get your soup, you then pluck out some basil leaves as well as some bean sprouts (which are already given to you) then add them on your soup. You then squeeze in a pinch of lemon juice, some hoisin and/or chili pepper sauce-then eat.
I’ve ordered what they call a Pho with meatballs, tendon, fatty flank, and brisket since I thought it would taste like bulalo. Okay, to tell the truth, it didn’t really taste like it. The Pho tasted like some herbal, therapeutic, and “minty” version of our beloved beef and marrow broth. I guess it’s because of all those herbs that they use. The meat was sweet and succulent, the meatballs were savory, and surprisingly, the tendons were extremely soft. In any case, it was a refreshing and tasty experience.
It costs about 199 Php for one “small” bowl. Okay, even though they call it “small”, it really isn’t. Well, not unless Vietnamese people eat out of cauldrons then it is. But to tell the truth, one Pho Hoa small bowl of soup could already feed two people. I know, I’m quite a big eater but then I had a hard time clearing up my bowl of soup. In any case, don’t order the large bowl if you’re not planning to feed three people.
Here comes the personal part. Even though the serving was quite big, the price was a bit too edgy when it comes to your daily lunch-money. Also, it’s Vietnamese food-something that’s quite different from the Pinoy’s common palate of Japanese, Chinese, American, and Italian food. So if you’re willing to eat on the safe side, I suggest you just put your 200 pesos on Kenny Rogers, Jollibee, Chowking or somewhere else. But if you’ve got the money (and the curiosity), then Pho Hoa is a refreshing and interesting break from your usual lunch diet.
And oh, Pho Hoa has two branches here in Ortigas. One’s in Megamall Building A (ground floor) and the other’s at Metrowalk. Enjoy!
Or you can just take a sip of the soup just as it is. That’s how delicious it is! *fangirling*
I love pho hoa! I actually love the fresh spring rolls and they have this dish (I forgot what it’s called) served on a sizzling plate. On it is a huge mound of rice topped with spicy beef and slices of green chili. You can order it really spicy or mild :) I think it’s #46 on the menu. Hahaha!
The soups tastes very… therapeutic though. :p
or maybe it’s because of the basil leaves lol!
you should also try the Pho Do Vien or Seafood Pho. it’s much more refreshing than the beef pho. :)
oh we’ll sure take note of it :D