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Pho King
Category: Restaurants Vietnamese Vietnamese [Edit]
638 International BlvdOakland, CA 94606
Neighborhood: East Oakland
(510) 444-0448
- Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sat 9 am - 7 pm
Sun 9 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
228 reviews for Pho King
Review Highlights
"The Bun Bo Hue is absolutely AMAZING here."
(in 98 reviews)
"I am just salivating thinking about mi quang here."
(in 7 reviews)
"Best tasting Pho broth ever."
(in 55 reviews)
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228 reviews in English
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Review from Amy D.
Hercules, CA
Hit Pho King for the first time today, based on Yelp reviews. Hands down the best pho I've had so far in the Bay. I ordered the #9: well done beef flank & brisket. The broth was incredible, the meat was delicious and had minimal fat..the least I've ever seen in pho previously. The basil was super fresh, as were the sprouts and jalapenos, and they didn't skimp at all on the basil like many spots do for some reason. They also included lemon basil, whose fragrance alone did me in. The prices are right - $6.75 for a large order of pho..probably more than enough for most people to finish in one sitting.
I'm looking forward to trying the bun bo hue next visit. Seems to be popular, and looks yummy.
I'll be back. Will be one of my staples from here on out. -
Review from Andy D.
Oakland, CA
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Not really sure why people give this place a high reviews. my wife and i tried out this place earlier and the broth does not taste as good as we had back in our favorite place in marin area.
I've gotta say that i'm still curious to go back and try out their super hyped "Bun Bo Hue" -
Review from Stanley L.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 1/14/2012 3 Check-ins Here
FOOD: The bun rieu is freakin stacked so Order it! The crab/meat cake in the medium bowl is a bit small for my tastes, but I get the large so no problemo. Not usually necessary, but kick it up a notch with some additional shrimp paste! *BOOM!* Taste explosion.
TIP: The best time to come is for lunch when their soup stock is at it's best. If you come late in the day or after a particularly busy lunch, they may not have the ingredients for their aforementioned specialties. This usually follows in a *sadface* *facepalm* *defeat*
Oh, if you like imperial rolls, try something new! Get the shrimp on sugar cane and/or the shrimp cakes in tofu skin.
CONCLUSION:
-Still the best Bun Bo Hue/Bun Rieu restaurant I had in Oakland -- BBH/Bun Rieu is their specialty. If you haven't tried it yet, order it! You won't be disappointed.
-Still don't get the pho -- it's average on good days; 'nough said.
-Still don't come on Tuesdays -- it's closed. Doh!
-Still cash only. Don't forget!Listed in: Pho around town
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/19/2009
GET THE BUN BO HUE. a close 2nd is bun rieu. Shts' famous here shun. Talked to a woman from SJ… Read more »
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Review from Kristina L.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012
I FINALLY FOUND IT! PHO KING original!
So in sacramento I have always been going to the pho king 2 and I always thought to myself, huh...If this is pho king 2....where is pho king 1...and after 4 years...I FOUND IT! I know a little sad, but nothing like the BUN BO HUE here!!!
When you are here you HAVE to get the BUN BO HUE! no exceptions! Its like heaven in your mouth. Just as good as the one in Sac. mMMMMmmm Just the right amount of spice and flavor to make your mouth water! If you don't believe me, try it for yourself!Listed in: Pho
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Review from Jeff C.
San Lorenzo, CA
1/26/2012
Some of my family members were craving the Bun Bo Hue (which they claim is the best in the East Bay, that's why they make the 25 minute drive here) and I tagged along. Not being a big fan of bun bo hue and not wanting soup, I opted for the vermicelli with pork and egg roll. I was a little disappointed... the meat was pretty fatty and there was only two 1.5" pieces of egg roll in here. Booooo. I've definitely had a much better version of this dish elsewhere. So the three star review is for my particular dish. Next time I'll stick to the pho.
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Review from Lena L.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 12/30/2011
Mmkay, I had Bun Rieu here for the first time and it was freaking bomb. I literally talked about how good it was the whole day. Ask the boyfriend. He was pretty annoyed. :)
I would def come here again. I want to try the Mi Quang here, as I've heard it is good!
Bun Bo Hue still rocks here.1 Previous Review:
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12/30/2008
Always too crowded. Parking is crap. Bun Bo Hue good.
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Review from Michelle T.
Oakland, CA
1/5/2012
Pho King.
Now say it real fast with me:
pho king pho king pho king pho king pho king pho king pho king pho king fucking pho king pho king pho king pho king
This place is everything a pho place should be: cheap (CASH ONLY), fast, crowded, and light weight dirty. Portion sizes are good, I ordered a medium and they filled up the bowl so much that i couldn't eat fast enough and the noodles soaked up the soup. Parking can be a bitch during lunch hour on weekdays and weekends. -
Review from D. N.
Emeryville, CA
1/29/2012
I've been going to this place with the rest of the family for some time - Distinction of authentic Vietnamese pho is a definite must...and I'm always a fan of the smaller family-run places. They serve pho broth with taste, it comes with all the extra hits of onions, cilantro, basil...tasty goodness all put in a bowl, along with the various options of meat-cuts.
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Review from Fenny g.
Berkeley, CA
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is my second best pho place in Oakland!! Love hole in the wall. The place is small!
I came here during cold rainy day... their pho really make my stomach happy and warm my body! I did order other food and I would say that other things beside pho are good too. I'm a happy satisfied costumer!
Beside the food, I also love their coffee. Since coffee doesn't effect my sleeping habit, I wont forget to order coffee here!! I
Their service is very nice and accommodating. I came here 2-3 minutes before closing time and they still let me in and order food!! AWESOME!! =D -
Review from Michael L.
San Francisco, CA
Alright children, I'll try to make this easy. Let's start from the beginning.
When you sing you begin with do-re-mi. Sing it with me, Do-re-mi-PHO-so-la-ti..
Do- a deer, a female deer
Re- a drop of golden sun
Mi- a name I call myself
PHO- a Noodle Soup I eat
So- a needle pulling my thread
La- a note to follow So
Tea- a drink with jam and bread
That will bring us back to Pho Pho Pho Pho. When you know the notes to sing! You can sing most anything!
Here's a clip: http://www.youtube.com...
Which brought me to Pho King, a little Vietnamese eatery in the middle of the block on International Blvd. A grungy looking restaurant, but I guess it matches the grungy neighborhood it's in.
I like how they put the menu's underneath the glass counter tops on each table so they don't have to bother handing a menu to each customer. But I felt kind of weird staring at the table. Like I don't have enough issues of looking retard when I'm out. But I knew what I wanted:
Brisket with Pho: Basic southern style Pho. Served with bean sprouts, basil, and jalapenos. At Pho King there is a generous amount of noodles, broth was ok. And Pho isn't good until I feel droplets of sweat of my forehead so some Sriracha and the temperature of the broth got my juices flowing.
Usually Pho comes out in about five minutes. Some reason it took about ten minutes to get my Pho. Fortunately I don't care what time I get back to work.
Pho-King, (I know, I know: insert joke here) serves good Pho at a low price.
But before I leave children, I have a farewell song:
http://www.youtube.com...
So long!
Farewell!
Auf Weidersehen!
Goodbye!!!! -
Review from Sophia T.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Bun Bo hue here is pho-king amazing, the soup is not bland it was just right and the noodles are cooked just right, I hate it when the noodles don't really "blend" in with the soup like you are eating two different things ...? but over here their noodles are so soft but its not too soft. Just perfect. Something like that, but man this is some killer food I felt like shit going back to sf... But it was all worth it, I'm definitely coming back for sure!!
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Review from Lydia K.
Huntington Beach, CA
10/4/2011
This Vietnamese restaurant is somewhat a hole in the wall. There are a small parking area in the back alley. How do I describe this? Compact and tight? I rather find parking on the street then to have to drive to the back to see if there's parking and if not, figure out a way to back up without hitting the other cars or people. Okay, it's not thaaaat bad but it does save time if you are in a hurry.
During certain times and hours, there can be a line. But usually people eat and go so it usually doesn't take that long. Their pho is good here but I usually just order the same ol' Bun Bo Hue! It's probably one of the best I've ever had and therefore i can't seem to give that up every time I go. Service is okay but you can't expect much from a place like this. And what else? Don't order their Thai tea, it's from a bottle that is already prepackaged. It tasted weird, just saving you the trip ;) -
Review from Fei L.
6/12/2011
The name of this place rocks!!! So does the Bun Bo Hue!
Bun Bo Hue ($6.50) is a spicy beef/pork noodle soup. The rice noodles are thicker than noodles used in beef pho but is not flat (think spaghetti noodles but white). There are slices of beef, meatballs, pork knuckle, and pork blood in the noodle soup (oops you thought that was red tofu?). The garnish plate that they provide has typical basil and bean sprouts, but also contains sliced cabbage.
The broth and beef were both very flavorful and pho king awesome. I pho king loved it. Did I mention the name pho king rocks? I think coming to eat at Pho King with me might get pho king annoying. -
Review from Dung N.
5/10/2011
The best bun bo hue? I beg to differ.
I tried this place for the first time today. The bun bo hue was OK. The flavor wasn't strong nor was it spicy enough.
Their menu is quite extensive. If I were to come back, I'll order something else. -
Review from Vanessa T.
Brooklyn, NY
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
I come here to get my XL BBH. Yup I get down with the bowl that's bigger than my waist. It's really amazing how much I can eat sometimes. Anyway, Iit's cheap and the restaurant is dirty as hell but the noodles are good. I still prefer other restaurants in San Jose, but I think Pho King is the best BBH in Oakland and SF.
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Review from Norm L.
Oakland, CA
Well it's just like what my good friend said as we entered this place. "this better be PHOKING awesome!" Now I can't say the environment was all that awesome. Its a rather small joint and when I went there it was a rather warm day so obviously I was hoping for some AC (if only I was that lucky) Anyhow I sat down and I immediately noticed that there was a bunch of flies buzzing around the entrance area. So I checked up Yelp and found that the Bun Bo Hue seemed to be highly recommended and so I ordered it too. Best decision I've made that whole day. Sure I sweat every time I eat spicy food and I am pretty sure I had to stop and wipe the sweat of my forehead every so often. But it was totally worth it! Meatballs, pork blood, beef slices were all great. So if you re around international ave I'd definetely recommend checking this place out.
Beware though, there is probably only room for 5 cars in their "parking lot." -
Review from Henry T.
4/27/2011
I'm not sure what the hype around the pho is for this place. Maybe I should have tried the Bun Bo Hue or Bun Rieu, but the pho wasn't very great.
The rare steak pieces were SO thick for pho steak. It was a pain to chew through all of it while trying to eat my pho!
If I ever do come back with friends, it would only be to try the Bun Bo Hue or Bun Rieu. No way am I going for the pho again.
I must give props to them for their name though. ;) -
Review from Athena C.
Oakland, CA
12/29/2011
Glad I found this place, way less crowded than AO SEN and a little cheaper very slight.. I always order the Pho Ga (chicken pho) and it is always good I get the large its $6.75 and doesn't disappoint
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Review from Ron B.
Cupertino, CA
6/26/2011
I got the Bun Bo Hue, with Yelpers recommendation. Really good!!! The broth was very flavorful, just the right amount of spice. Service is OK, and the prices are very reasonable. Overall - IU had a very good experience and I'l be back to try some other items (or not - maybe I should stick to the winner - the Bun Bo Hue!!!!!!!)
The only problem is that I'm going to have cravings now... =) -
Review from Michele R.
Oakland, CA
10/22/2011
I'd give them more stars if I could. My husband and I eat here at least twice a week; my biggest problem is deciding between favorites. I love the pho, but the bahn xeo and the grilled pork and shrimp with vermicelli call to me every time we're there. What's a girl to do? One day I'll get to the shrimp on sugar cane sticks - I will, I will.....The owners are so nice as is the entire staff, no wonder their food is so good - must have love in it! =)
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Review from Cami T.
Emeryville, CA
6/16/2011
Can you say Pho King amazing!
I just moved to the East Bay 6 months ago from the South Bay. It's been a long journey trying to find the perfect Pho restaurant and now I have. The service is the typical Pho restaurant standard however what won me was broth in my #2...it was delightful. The restaurant also uses ceramic bowls which help kept the soup warm longer which I loved. Nothing worse than eating lukewarm Pho. I will be coming back to this place again and trying their rice plates. Yum! -
Review from kni n.
Oakland, CA
2/23/2011
This place deserves 5 stars because the food is bomb diggity. I have been going here since I was 6 yrs old and it has failed me not even once. The employees are very friendly and not intrusive, respect. I highly recommend you get these dishes in order from my most favorite to my favorite: Bun Bo Hue, Pho Tai, Mi quan, bun rieu, bun thit nuong, I can go on but you get the idea. It's affordable and cash only.
I usually get it TO GO, I always get my food TO GO but I suggest you should dine out if you are a snob about atmosphere and clean walls.
and DON'T PARK in the front lot!! they have their own parking lot in the back! it's not THAT FAR. the front parking spaces belong to the people living in that god awful duplex. -
Review from Jan P.
11/7/2010 3 photos
Can we say utter deliciousness? The soup is thick with flavor, the meat is tender (I always get the brisket so that is usually softer than the more healthy eye of round but still heard no complaints from anyone else dining around me), they have sliced jalapenos, 2 types of chili sauce (rooster or sriracha and the Chinese style chili sauce with little peppers seeds in it), basil, cilantro, fresh bean sprouts, and... they have a full Vietnamese menu. Most pho places only specialize in pho, but this place has everything. They also have fish balls which are quite tasty (though fishier than most I have had) and very fresh.
But the pho... oh the pho... and I eat pho like 2 times a week. no joke. -
Review from Jennifer W.
Oakland, CA
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I stopped by here because I was in the area and was STAVING! First time here and I'm like "Why have I not been here before?" I got Pho with sliced beef and brisket (medium size) They have big portions and the soup was flavorful and steaming hot! I recently was reading their yelp reviews and everyone is talking about their Bun Bo Hue. I'm definitely a fan of that. Must definitely come back and try that. Their service was friendly. Don't expect fine decor in here, I think majority of the people come in here to eat and then their out.
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Review from feisty c.
Oakland, CA
3/11/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I am a fan of Bun Rieu here! Maybe because it's the ONLY place i know that makes it in Oakland!
Plus, my cousin and my boyfriend are a big fan of the Bun Bo Hue here! -
Review from Rose B.
Orange, CA
5/25/2011
Went up to Berkeley for my sister's graduation...she said I absolutely had to try the bun bo hue at Pho King. At first I laughed cause I thought she was joking (you will too if you say the name of the restaurant really fast)
Thus, we journeyed over to Oakland (yes the location is pretty scary, but hey, if we die, we might as well die happy and on a full stomach.
Took 7 people with us, little we know, half of them already went here twice in the past week...with that said, we ordered 7 large bowls of bun bo hue.
The bun bo hue is pretty good. We asked for the spicy sauce cause we all like a lot of it. The large is pretty big, but it beats the small bowl that is really small and probably good for kids or someone who has a small appetite. For all other people/animals, the large will be just fine. The bun is good, but then again, who could really screw up boiling bun? The stew itself is pretty good. It has that sweetness which you could tell they used fat to make it with, which is awesome.
The only reason it gets 4 stars is because we are from socal, and if you know socal, you know "Lien Hue" in garden grove and their bun bo hue is #1. -
Review from niko l.
Oakland, CA
1/31/2011
Taste really good to me.
I ordered chicken noodle soup and my frd ordered the beef noodle soup and it tastes fantastic.
The only bad thing is they closed at 7 thats way too early! -
Review from Lisa P.
Oakland, CA
7/8/2011
Two words..."PHOKING NASTY!"
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Review from Jeanette Y.
Oakland, CA
12/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
HELLA good BUN BO HUE! I can't even describe how good it is! I don't even live in the bay area right now. I'm out on the east coast, but every time I visit, I ALWAYS HAVE TO make one trip here. NOTHING beats pho king's bun bo hue. NO JOKE. If you've been to NY and tried their pho or bun bo hue, it's the biggest bowl of disappointment!
PHO KING is my favorite place to get my quick fix, before I return to NY.
BUN BO HUE extra spicy please!Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Tony P.
San Leandro, CA
9/28/2011
I have been coming here for as long as I remember and the only thing I can really say is that this place hands down makes some of the best pho in the bay area. If you don't really care about ambiance or any of that other stuff irrelevant to good food, come here for a great meal
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Review from Michelle S.
San Leandro, CA
1/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bun bo hue & bun rieu that's all you need to know. I've never ventured away from those two items because why mess with a good thing?
Pho can be found anywhere in Oakland, but good bun bo hue and bun rieu??? ONLY at Pho King! I've tried a few places in SJ and they did not compare to the savory & flavorful broth of Pho King.
My last visit, I ordered a small bowl of bun bo hue. The broth was lighter than usual so I was taken back a bit and was a little worried that the broth might be lacking in flavor. But looks are deceiving! It was not as spicy, but still full of flavor. I quickly remedied it with the red chili paste. It's loaded with pork hock, pork blood, thin slices of meat, etc.
Service-quick, casual, & not rude.
Decor-nothing fancy & small. Open view of the kitchen. I could see the cauldrons of yummy broth and the lady at the end slicing meat.
Parking-there's a tiny lot in the back, but there's also street parking. -
Review from Yeelo N.
12/14/2010
How can I not have written a review on my favorite Bun Rieu spot? Oh man, so awesome. I drool as I write this....
The BR here is exactly what you'd expect from any good noodle soup: tastes like it's been simmering for DAYS and every sip has rich deep flavor. Totally not one of those spots where the soup tastes like watered down tomato sauce.
The Rieu (meat cake thing) is also the best here. They only give you one piece in a small bowl so it's typically saved for the end. MmMmM MmMM good. Oh, and the other great thing about their BR: they give you quail eggs! This is the only place I know that does that!
Every time I'm in Oakland, I want to hit this place up. It's kinda small and a pretty old hole-in-the-wall so it can get busy, but well worth the wait. -
Review from T L.
San Francisco, CA
8/1/2011
Cool hole in the wall but I don't see anything different from any other Pho place. The broth was not to my liking, to much of the licorice flavor. Also us going to the bad side of Oakland is really not worth it for me.
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Review from Nai S.
Bay Area
9/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really wanted to like this place but it didn't work out for me. We order the bun rieu, pho and spring rolls. I only liked the spring rolls. I must admit this place is pretty cheap but I probably won't be back if I had a choice.
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Review from Taylor Y.
Oakland, CA
1/5/2011
Bun bo hue, bun bo hue, bun bo hue. Super tasting soup, chewy noodles, kick ass chili spices on the table, strange chili concoction they give you on the side, and really weird meat stuff in the soup...namely, a pork knuckely thing, pork cake, pork blood, YES, pork blood (which I did try and it tasted a little like sucking a cut from your finger...LOL), and nice slices of beef.
XL bowl out the door for $9. Wear your elastic wasteband pants when you go. :) -
Review from Nehal N.
Updated - 12/7/2010
STILL the best Viet place in the Bay! Came here on a thunderstorm night after a depressing Cal football loss, into the depths of E 14th Oakland...but man did I come out Happy & FULL!!
AGAIN got the Bun Bo Hue, with everything!, full of all the great meat fixins I've come to rely on: including a special favorite...coagulated pigs blood (MMMmmmmm). Throw in that spicy red goodness that is the broth and you've got a perfect meal on a stormy cold day....or really ANY day. Also shared a Pho which is, as always, a phenomenal staple. Though I've started to rely on my Bun Bo Hue to get me my fix, as its a perfect flavor to tingle those taste buds.
AGAIN I also got the Pink vermicelli, coconut, and milk dessert and threw me right back into Saigon with the cooling dessert that is probably one of my favorite desserts of all time...so simple...soo GOOD! Throw in a few bucks at the end of your massive meal, and stuff down this dessert...or for that matter any of the desserts...they're all refreshing and tasty!
It was PhoKing good (I couldn't resist)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/10/2010
Honestly one of the best Vietnamese places I've had outside Vietnam! My girlfriend took me here,… Read more »
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Review from Ley T.
San Leandro, CA
9/5/2011
What can I say? I love pho king!
The bun rieu is amazing, it has quail eggs, a meatball, egg, tomato, pork blood, and yummy soup. I just love it so much! I love the litle quail eggs! I've never been to another place that gives you so much stuff in one bowl! And it is only seven dollars for all this!
But keep in mind the food is very flavorful...so you might want to bring a water bottle in your purse just in case your tongue is feeling a little dry after...
The best bun rieu I have ever tried! -
Review from Ryan C.
10/24/2010
Ordered chicken, got pork! I did see they have a vegetarian noodle thing on the menu (after I ordered) so maybe I'll get that next time. So I ordered the "chicken and egg roll" and I got "pork and egg roll". I only got one egg roll and a lot of pork, but probably would have liked 2 egg rolls and less pork...
The "tea" that we got was just water, which we thought was a little odd, but whatever.
Parking is terrible around here, so it's best if you ride your bike. -
Review from Amy N.
San Francisco, CA
2/11/2011
I work down the street from here, so if anyone knows about the pho here, it'll be me and my staff. First off, everyone here is really friendly and about feeding this hungry community. I work for a non-profit in Oakland, and this restaurant has been wonderful with donating funds and services to our cause. Kudos to them!
Aside from that, King is a great restaurant. I've tried most of their dishes there, and my personal favorite would have to be bun rieu (for real!). It's done in the traditional Bac (Northern Vietnamese) style, with well-flavored broth, and tons of shrimp and crab meat paste. They have the right amount of tomatoes in the soup, and the taste is good enough that you don't really need any condiments. It's my favorite place in Northern California to order this dish. Most other items are typical of Vietnamese restaurants, so if you want to try something different, go for Bun Rieu. -
Review from Susan C.
BF: What do you want for lunch?
Susan: Noodles!
BF: No parking in China Town because it's Saturday lunch time, lets go to Pho King and get Bun Bo Hue.
*Susan thinks to herself* F*ck*ng Bunny Boba Huh?
Susan: Sure!
Ok, so I'm a bit lost in a Vietnamese restaurant if I'm not ordering pho, vermicelli bowls, or premade spring rolls...but I'm getting better! And being a pretty adventurous person, I was just as happy to let the BF order for me ^_^
I'm glad I did! This hole in the wall is amazing! The staff was super efficient and friendly. Though I think people are nicer when you are hauling along an adorable 4 year-old.
The atmosphere is like entering a eatery in South East Asia. Greasy floor and all.
My food was delicious! The broth was not too spicy but flavorful and devine! It is filled with fresh veggies, tender meats, and thick rice noodles. I proceeded to scarf down as much as I could, a large was only $0.50 more than a small, but next time I'm gonna have to get a small!
Though I have to admit that it's hard for me to eat a cube of blood. I've tried it but I have a phobia of blood, so eating it is just a bit scary for me....
P.S. Get the homemade soymilk! It's super sweet, clean and so much better than Silk!Listed in: My ROTD
