I usually tend to stay within a one kilometer radius of my office for lunch, but last week my coworkers and I decided to venture to Whyte Avenue to try Pho Boy (10037b 82 Ave NW), one of the newest restaurants to hit the Vietnamese food scene. Inside the kid friendly restaurant is covered custom artwork and dragon lights on the ceiling, giving the restaurant a cool, unique feel.
The menu is simple and focused with well-developed flavors. Included on the menu is “Pho You” which gives you the option to build your own pho bowl. An option that you do not find at many pho places.
Banh Khot (Half order- $4, Full Order- $7)
These sizzling rice poppers are made with shrimp, pork and coconut. Served with a dipping sauce.
Green Onion Cake ($6)
A pho staple, crispy and delicious. That’s all you need to know.
Pho Boy Dragon Special (Regular-$10, Large-$12, Jumbo-$14)
Thin rice noodles served in beef broth with beef steak, flank, tripe, chicken, tendon and the house made dragon balls. Garnished with cilantro, scallions and yellow onion.
We all know that it is the broth that makes or breaks the soup. Being a self-proclaimed pho connoisseur, I thought this broth made the soup. It was well-balanced, flavorful and delicious, with a good ratio of noodles to broth and meat. But don’t take my word for it, take my coworkers who is Vietnamese and extra critical of all restaurant pho. Not only did she agree with me, she went as far to say that it was one of the more authentic soups she has had in the city.
Being a new restaurant the service was a little slow, but over the Christmas and New Year break they took the time to hire a bunch of new staff and work out all of the kinks. For the impatient kids there are two coloring tables set up. For the impatient adults there is a street fighter arcade game that is free to play. They also offer phone lockers complete with charging cables that you can lock your phones up in to recharge (if you’ve been to any restaurant in Vancouver, you know what I’m talking about).
Sincerely,
Chrissy
What do you think?