Pho No. 1 - The Sequel

Almost but not quite at Pho No.1 on Taikang - By Hien Huynh, Aug 19, 08

When I heard about this new branch of Pho No. 1 opening up for business on Taikang Lu, I was a little apprehensive since the other branch in Gubei did not live up to expectations. However being such a Pho tragic, I had to pay it a visit all the same; the Pho quest must go on. Of course, I was keeping my hopes down to avoid disappointment...

The first thing that strikes you about Pho No.1's expansion is its size. I was expecting a small joint given the location on Taikang Lu, but there was ample space to accommodate walk-ins and we got a table with no hassle. Perhaps it was the sheer size, as well, that prevented the restaurant from exuding that delicious scent of basil and Pho broth in the air.

I know it's not Vietnam but hey... a guy's gotta dream...

What the restaurant did exude, however, was the familiar tackiness in d��cor that your find in foreign food restaurants in China. The menu was pretty much the same as its sister venue, with Vietnamese spring rolls (deep fried and fresh), Vietnamese curry, various steam snacks, deserts, and coffee. With half a page dedicated to Pho variations rather then just a few lines, my hopes began to rise again. A few of the Pho dishes on offer are unique to Shanghai, and perhaps this was evidence of real experience with the dish in the kitchen.

My dreams were quickly quashed though, as they brought out the chilies and basil. Yes, you guessed it: there was not enough basil. And the chilies were more like capsicum. My excitement plummeted, and there was only room for improvement for the rest of the meal.

We tried a few other dishes besides the Pho, to get a better all-round perspective. The steam rolls was okay but nothing great, the banh xeo (a Vietnamese crepe) was a big let down -- it should be light, thin, and crispy, and not hard and thick like a taco. For 58rmb that's just wrong, and that's not even mentioning some of the weird ingredients that came with it that shouldn't have.

But back to the Pho: as far as portions go, the bowl was ample, and should be enough to satisfy a big eater. It comes in both large and the small sizes, however, so big thumbs up for that.

As for the taste... if you could have seen my face, I wouldn't have to try and describe it. Suffice to say it was simply disappointing. Most of the flavors were there, but I would say the body of the dish wasn't.

But on the plus side, the coffee was very, very good.