THE BEST PHO IN SYDNEY
If we could eat Pho everyday, we certainly would. For the past 4 months we have been travelling across Sydney to find Sydney's best Pho. From delicate to rich, fresh to hearty, the experience has been extraordinary. It has opened up our eyes and ignited our taste buds to the wonderful Vietnamese flavours of Pho. This is where our journey has taken us so far...
Number #1
Pho 54
Shop 2,
54 Park Road,
Cabramatta, NSW, 2166
Ph. (02) 9426 1992
Hours: 8am - 7pm, 7 Days
Narrowly coming in at first place to date is Pho 54. Pho 54 isn't the most aesthetically pleasing to the eye restaurant but boy, they do know how to make a fabulous Pho!
The Pho at Pho 54 has undoubtedly the perfect balance of flavours. Not too sweet and not too oily, the broth is smooth and flavoursome.
The servings are generous and the quality consistent. The food is hard to fault except that they do not offer Chicken Pho. They do however, offer a wide variety of Beef Pho including:
- Dac Biet: sliced eye fillet, flank, tendon, brisket & tripe ($9.50)
- Tai: sliced eye fillet ($8.50)
- Tai Nam: sliced eye fillet with flank ($8.50)
- Tai Nam Gau: sliced eye fillet, flank & brisket ($8.50)
- Tai Nam Sach: sliced eye fillet, flank & tripe ($8.50)
- Tai Nam Gan: sliced eye fillet, flank & tendon ($8.50)
- Tai Gan Sach: sliced eye fillet, tendon & tripe ($8.50)
- Tai Bo View: sliced eye fillet & beef balls ($8.50)
Fabulous Pho and very popular with the local Vietnamese community. Always busy which is a great sign, even out of meal hours! Definitely worth the long drive to Cabramatta for the best Pho in town!
Number #2
Vincent's Noodle House
Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club
Level 1, Church Street,
Lidcombe, NSW, 2141
Ph. (02) 9646 1700
Hours: Mon - Fri 10am - 9pm; Sat & Sun 9am - 9pm
Website: http://www.dooleys.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76&Itemid=144
The restaurant went through some much needed renovations in December 2010 and now looks like a restaurant rather than an old dingy function room. New chairs, table and decor has worked its magic to create a clean and inviting atmosphere which the restaurant was previously lacking.
The Pho is fresh, delicate and the serving sizes are very generous. One disappointment was that Chicken Pho was missing from the menu, with the next best alternative being the Crispy Chicken with Rice Noodle Soup. The upside being there are over 6 other Phos to choose from, our favourite being the Wagyu Rare Beef Pho which melts in you mouth at $15 per serve (only available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays).
The Pho has always been consistently pleasing and you don't feel rushed through your meal unlike a few of the other Pho restaurants we have visited.
Number #3
Thuy Huong Coffee Lounge
252 Illawarra Road,
Marrickville, NSW, 2204
Ph. (02) 9558 4022
Hours: 7am - 7pm, 7 Days
Website: N/A
Rightfully named as the typical Vietnamese hole-in-the-wall restaurant, Thuy Huong serves a delectable range of Pho. The Chicken Pho is outstanding. It is fresh and displays all of the right flavours of a genuine Chicken Pho.
The Rare Beef Pho is also a must. We found the broths to contain a little more lemon than their rivals which gave the broths a lighter, more refreshing taste. Even though they are little less generous on the noodles, you'll find yourself drinking up all of the delicious soup right to the last drop.
The restaurant is always busy and sometimes there is a short wait for a table. The tables are a little small and the restaurant isn't suitable for groups. The satay sauce is fabulous here and the usual condiments are always provided.
To be honest, it was a very close call choosing between Vincent's Noodle House and Thuy Huong for first place. The one thing that let this restaurant down was its cleanliness, decor and lack of bathroom facilities.
Even with its peculiarities, particularly the toiletries on display in the restaurant, Thug Huong does make great Pho and is definitely worth a visit.
Number #4
Enmore Delicious Roll
207 Enmore Road,
Enmore, NSW, 2042
Ph. (02) 9557 9032
Hours: Mon - Sat 7am - 7pm; Sun & Public Holidays 8am - 5pm
Website: N/A
What a surprise. This place completely blew our socks off! Yes, they do sell Pork Rolls and they are fabulous, but did you also know that Enmore Delicious Roll make an equally delicious Pho?
First, you'll have to excuse the fluro green bowls and chopsticks but once you overcome this, you can't deny that the Pho here is very good.
At $8.50, this Pho is certainly worth every penny. The servings are very generous and the broth is perfectly balanced. The flavour is strong but not overpowering. The right amount of toppings are added and are very fresh. This place has a fast turn over of pork rolls and Pho so you can expect fresh ingredients. The service is very friendly and the restaurant is very popular with the locals so be sure to get in early to grab a seat.
This restaurant is a great contender and only narrowly misses out on being in the top 3.
Number #5
Pho Tau Bay
12/117 John Street,
Cabramatta, NSW, 2166
Ph. (02) 9726 4583
Hours: Mon - Fri 7.30am - 6.30pm; Sat & Sun 7.30am - 7.30pm
Having recently been voted as the Best Pho in Sydney by fellow blogger Noodlies, we thought this was definitely worth a visit. At first we had a little difficulty in finding the restaurant on John Street. It is part of a commercial unit block on John Street, however the front door to the restaurant is around the corner on Hill Street.
After a short five minute wait with many of the local regulars, we were allocated a table to share with another couple. The restaurant was small and crammed with tables. This is a place you come to eat, not talk and leave once the last drop of soup has been consumed.
Us, The 2 Little Piggies decided to settle for the Rare Beef Pho and the Beef Tendon Pho. The Phos were very authentic and nothing fancy. The broth was hearty, not light and a little oily compared to their competitors. The meat in both Phos were of an average quality and thickness.
The couple opposite us went the full hog with large sized Beef Balls, Tendons and Tripe Phos. We opted for the medium sized Phos and it was almost too much food for us which we thought would never be possible. Too much Pho? Never!
The broth at Pho Tau Bay is definitely unique. You can really taste the flavours from the bones which have been stewing for hours on end. This makes for a richer and heartier broth different to other Phos in Sydney. Would we visit again, yes, but I'd suggest a cool winters day for our next visit.
Number #6
Pho Viet
11-15 John Street,
Cabramatta, NSW, 2166
Ph. (02) 9728 6657
Hours: 8am - 9pm, 7 Days
After we heard this was a regular haunt of Luke Nguyen's, we knew we were in for a treat. First impressions, the restaurant is very lively and somewhat Americanized in its decor but above all, it is clean and very family friendly.
The prices were reasonable with a Beef Pho at $9, Special Beef Pho $11 and a Chicken Pho $10. The service was outstanding and the side of bean sprouts and herbs was overly generous. But let's get down to business!
The Pho's broth was hearty and exhibited strong flavours from the beef stock. While this was tasty, it somewhat took centre stage and smothered the other delicate flavours of the broth. The broth was visibly oily however this did not distort the flavour nor the enjoyment of eating this noodle soup.
The Special Beef Pho was also very enjoyable with notably the tripe being very clean and thinly sliced. Viet Pho obviously take great precision in food preparation and cleanliness, and is a credit to their popularity. Certainly worth a visit if you're in the area.
Number #7
Pho Pasteur
409 George Street,
Haymarket, NSW, 2000
Ph. (02) 9212 5622
Hours: 10am - 9pm, 7 Days
Having visited Pho Pasteur in Parramatta, we decided to see if its sister restaurant in the heart of the city could live up to the impressive Beef Pho from Parramatta. It certainly did.
The Beef Pho was fresh, light, and displayed the perfect balance of flavours. The beef and onion toppings were generous and the proportion of noodles to broth were spot on.
The Chicken Pho, whilst not my favourite, was still better than Parramatta. The chicken was a lot tastier and the broth exhibited more of its natural flavours.
We found the small sizes at $9 each were large enough for us 2 Little Piggies. They also offer large sized Beef & Chicken Phos at $11 each. Other varieties included Special Beef Pho ($10/$11), Special Chicken Pho ($10/$11), Grilled Pork with Rice Noodle Soup ($10.50/$11), Deep Fried Chicken with Rice Noodle Soup ($10.50/$11) and Grilled Beef with Rice Noodle Soup ($10.50/$11).
The good Pho on offer here makes up for the restaurant's decor and certain lack of cleanliness. All meals come with a side of slight anxiety. The experience here is best described as trying to eat a delicious meal on a freeway in peak hour traffic. The place is loud, the waiters are constantly running around and yelling at one another.
Overall, the Pho was delicious. If you are looking for a restaurant to relax and enjoy your meal, this is certainly not the place to be. Our advice, b.y.o. ipod.
Number #8
Pho Pasteur
137 Church Street,
Parramatta, NSW, 2150
Ph. (02) 9635 0782
Hours: 10am - 9pm, 7 Days
After hearing great reviews about Pho Pasteur across the Internet, we decided to find out what all of the fuss was about and to put our taste buds to the test. Our first test though was trying to work out why there were two Pho Pasteur restaurants in Parramatta. Apparently they are both part of the same chain of restaurants also found in Bankstown and in the city.
We opted for the original Pho Pasteur restaurant on Church Street seeing as though the Westfield restaurant was disappointingly empty dead on lunch time.
The usual range of Phos were available: Raw Beef, Cooked Beef, Beef Balls, Tripe and Chicken Pho. They also had a Stewed Beef Pho and a Spicy Pork & Beef Pho. The regular sized Pho was $10.50 while for a mere $1 more, you could up size to a large. We did notice however, that the larger size consisted of more noodles not more broth.
The Raw Beef Pho was superb. It was light, fresh, clear and very smooth. I could drink this broth straight, no noodles required. They seemed to be more generous with the onion garnish here than their competitors however we did notice that satay sauce was missing from the table. This was easily rectified with a call to the waiter.
The Chicken Pho however was very disappointing. The chicken tasted like a roasted chook, it didn't seem authentic at all. The broth did not taste light and fresh as did its counterpart. There was a great difference between the qualities of the two Phos which made it very hard to believe that they came from the same kitchen.
The experience here was a little hit and miss. If you do find yourself at Pho Pasteur on Church Street, we'd recommend ordering a Pho with beef broth and giving the Chicken Pho a miss.
Number #9
Pho An Resturant
27 Greenfield Parade,
Bankstown, NSW, 2200
Ph. (02) 9796 7826
Hours: 7am - 9pm, 7 Days
Website: www.anrestaurant.com
A good Vietnamese friend of ours who is quite the foodie himself recommended this place so we knew we would be in good hands. The restaurant is quite the cafeteria style restaurant with its rows of shared tables and busy vibe.
After a very short 3 minute wait we were escorted to our table and a waiter stood by eagerly ready to take our order. The house specialty and the only dish on the menu of course was Pho Noodle Soup. The prices were reasonable, around $12 for a medium and $13 for a large.
Us 2 Little Piggies opted for the medium sized Chicken and Rare Beef Phos. In no less than 5 minutes our order arrived with bean sprouts, lemon and herbs. All condiments were available on the tables however the satay sauce was unusually kept on a table near the entrance where we helped ourselves as we didn't want to distract the waiters who were madly running around seating people and taking orders.
I couldn't help but feel that this is not a place to loiter about but rather a place for serious Pho eating. The Rare Beef Pho we found to be packed with plenty of noodles,the soup was very delicate and the rare beef lean and of the perfect thickness.
The Chicken Pho however I found to be a little disappointing. I expected the broth to be fresh and light however I couldn't help but compare it to an instant chicken noodle broth. The broth had a tad artificial taste to it but the sliced chicken on top was cooked to perfection.
Would we come again? I think yes and next time we might be a little more adventurous and try the Beef Pho with brisket, tendons or even tripe. If you are in a hurry and craving some serious Pho, this is definitely the place to be! Must bring a big appetite!
Number #10
Dalat Vietnamese and Thai Restaurant
125 Belmore Road,
Randwick, NSW, 2031
Ph. (02) 9326 3688
Hours: Lunch 11am - 4.30pm, Dinner 5pm - 9.30pm, 7 Days
Website: http://www.dalatrestaurant.com.au/
It was great to finally find a decent Pho restaurant in the Eastern Suburbs. This restaurant, while serving Thai food as well as Vietnamese food, does do an above average Pho. The only challenge is to try and find it on the menu!
Yes, Pho does exist at this restaurant but for some very odd reason, we couldn't find it on the dinner menu. Perhaps because it is actually considered a breakfast meal... That didn't matter as they were still more than happy to serve us Pho for Dinner.
The restaurant certainly had a lot more ambience and better service than we've experienced in other Pho restaurants. Overall we found the Pho to be above average however lacking a certain "wow" factor. Nevertheless, worth a visit if you are looking for Pho in the Eastern Suburbs.
Number #11
Nhat Tan
310 Illawara Road,
Marrickville, NSW, 2204
Ph. (02) 9558 9106
Hours: 9am - 9pm, 7 Days
A surprisingly quiet restaurant in Marrickville, Nhat Tan serves an above average Pho. The restaurant is simple and certainly not flash. It does look to still be in its original 1970s condition and could do with a good clean and a lick of new paint, but we're here for more important things, the Pho!
The Pho is cheap at $8.00 for the Beef Pho, Chicken Pho and Combination Beef Pho. They also have an interesting selection of Pho including a Duck Mushroom Noodle Soup ($10) and a Wonton Noodle Soup ($10).
The chicken in the Chicken Pho was disappointingly fatty. The broth was nice but it fell somewhat short of being great. The broth was slightly oily and was not full bodied.
The Beef Pho was also a little short on its full bodied flavour. The meat was a poor quality beef but the garnishes were generous. Also generous were the serving sizes. In all, an above average Pho.
Number #12
Viet's Pho
Tower Square,
155 Miller Street,
North Sydney, 2060
Ph. (02) 9966 1582
Hours: Lunch Mon - Fri
Part of a food court in Tower Square, Viet's Pho serves an average rated Pho.
This restaurant is located in a business hub so it can get rather busy during lunchtime. With this in mind, there is also limited seating inside so you may need to consider takeaway as a plan B. The good news is, the service is very fast.
Meals are served at the kitchen counter and you are able to serve yourself with as much lemon, basil, bean shoots and condiments as you please. A great idea we wish other Pho restaurants would adopt!
The Rare Beef Pho, while a little expensive at $12, was very delicate and had the perfect proportion of noodles to broth. The broth was slightly weak but contained very little oil.
The Chicken Pho ($12) was very good and was served with a large portion of tasty, juicy chicken on top. The flavour again was very delicate and could have done with a little more punch to the broth. Other varieties on offer included Cooked Beef Pho ($12) and Combination Pho (raw beef, cooked beef & meat ball, $13).
In all, a nice Pho. We'd rate this as an average experience. Sadly as it is located in North Sydney, the restaurant is only open for lunch, Monday - Friday.
Number #13
Pho Nam Viet
142 Rowe Street,
Eastwood, NSW, 2122
Ph. (02) 9874 0929
Hours: Mon 11am - 5pm, Tue - Sat 11am - 9pm, Sun 11am - 8.30pm
Amongst the Korean, Chinese and Japanese restaurants which line Rowe street in Eastwood lies one Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Nam Viet. Admittedly, the restaurant isn't anything to look at but it does do an average rated Pho.
Reasonably priced at $8.50 for the Rare Beef Pho and $9.50 for the Combination Beef Pho, who couldn't complain! Both broths were light and exhibited all of the right flavours.
The downside was that while the flavours were there, they simply weren't strong enough. The broth tasted diluted and this is how ultimately it earned itself an average Pho rating. Had the flavours been stronger, this restaurant would be in our top 10.
Number #14
Pho 236
236 King Street,
Newtown, NSW, 2042
Ph. (02) 9550 2480
Hours: 11.30am - 10pm, 7 Days
If you are looking for a no frills, basic Pho restaurant, look no further than Pho 236 in Newtown.
This hole-in-the-wall restaurant serves an average Pho at only $7.80. Don't come here for the ambiance or service because you won't get any. If you are looking for a cheap and decent feed in Newtown, this restaurant is worth a visit.
The Chicken Pho was surprisingly good, if not, better than the Beef Pho and was served with extra vegetables on top. The chicken was succulent, the vegetables perfectly cooked and the broth quite tasty.
Overall the experience was average, neither great nor bad. If you are in the area and looking for a cheap meal, we'd recommend Pho 236.
Number #15
Annie's Vietnanese Noodle
Shop 10/103 - 111 Crows Nest Plaza,
Cnr Willoughby Road & Atchinson Street,
Crows Nest, NSW, 2065
Ph. (02) 9439 9388
Hours: 10.30am - 10.30pm (9.30pm kitchen closes)
This is one of those places that you never hear of but come to find by simply stumbling upon it. Annie's Vietnamese Noodle restaurant is a small, quiet and quaint little restaurant, tucked away at the rear of a shopping mall in Crows Nest. Unfortunately being next to a nail parlour does give way to the occasional whiff of acetone.
The restaurant is clean, simple and the service is very friendly. The Rare Beef Pho and Chicken Phos sell for $10.00 each.
The meat served in the Rare Beef Pho was lean and very fresh. The use of a decent cut of meat was very impressive.
Similarly with the Chicken Pho, the chicken was perfectly cooked and retained its flavour. The serving sizes of both Phos were reasonable however the toppings were a little scant. The flavours were very light and somewhat too delicate. The broth simply wasn't strong enough and it allowed the flavours of the bean sprouts and rice noodles to take over. In all, an average Pho which could do with some improvement.
Number #16
Pho Sam Vietnamese Noodle House
14 Oxford Street,
Epping, NSW, 2121
Ph. (02) 9869 0499
Hours: 11am - 9.30pm, 7 days
Pho Sam unfortunately, serve what we have rated as a below average Pho.
The Rare Beef Pho ($9) was served warm, not hot and the broth was very weak. This dish came down to being too watery and lacked flavour. The serving of accompanying bean shoots, basil and lemon were also a little stingy. Rather a disappointment but nothing compared to the Chicken Pho.
The Crispy Skin Chicken Noodle Soup ($9) was certainly not Pho. This dish was best described as a Chinese chicken soup with rice noodles. The only good thing about this dish was the crispy skin chicken. Again, the broth was watery and not hot. Put simply, the broth tasted like chicken stock.
Overall, the experience at Pho Sams was quite disappointing. Not enjoying both dishes and struggling to get through them, we left half of our meal behind.
Last Place - Awarded The Wooden Spoon!
PHD Vietnamese Restaurant - Formerly known as Pho Bac Hai Duong
308 Illawarra Road,
Marrickville, NSW, 2204
Ph. (02) 9559 1637
Hours: 10am - 10pm, 7 Days
After reading so many great reviews about this place, I had very high hopes for this restaurant. PHD is the same restaurant as the former Pho Bac Hai Duong. The differences being a slight name change and a new location, only a couple of doors down.
To say we were disappointed would be a slight understatement. Both the Chicken and Beef Phos were far too oily. Although cheap at $8.50 for the regular sized Phos, the broths were rich and very heavy, quite the opposite to our other Pho experiences.
The Chicken Pho was served with the fatty skin still on which wasn't very pleasant.
The oil present in both broths was definitely the major fault in these dishes. The broth definitely needed more refining before serving. While heavy and rich Phos can be delicious like the one served at Pho Tau Bay, an oily broth can be a disaster. To make it worse, once the broth started to cool down, the oiliness was accentuated.
Unfortunately we didn't enjoy eating the Pho from PHD and have since found that they were served penalty notices from the Council with regards to cleanliness in late 2010.
TELL US WHERE TO GO: THE2LITTLEPIGGIES@LIVE.COM.AU
