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| - This is my seventh time and the pho is not bad. I give it a 3.5 The first time I ordered a rare beef pho the broth was warm -- alarming because the beef is suppose to cook in the broth. I guess blue is the new rare?
After this episode, I came back to find my favourite: Large #25 (The House Special). Yes indeed, all the fixings are represented: tripe, beef balls, flank, and other parts of a cow, and in mass quantities too! (including excessive amounts of rice noodle). So, for the price, you get more (calories) in a bowl. But, the only problem with too much stuffing is that it takes away from the broth--it's a soup right? As a result, too many rice noodles absorb all the broth--like a superabsorbant polymer dinosaur toy---growing 3 times its size (okay, a bit of an exaggeration)
The engorged and swollen noodles feel dense, and breaks apart, losing its texture and flavour. So a tip when ordering a large #25, have some noodles placed on the side and ask for "extra hot broth".
The broth is flavourful (maybe even more flavourful than Pho Pasteur's broth), but is sometimes served a bit warm (maybe due to the amount noodles) If Saigon Palace can get a bowl of pho that is super-hot and balanced then this is a hands down 4.5 star.
Side note: I love coming to a restaurant where I'm greeted with a welcoming and warm smile. The "grandma" at Saigon always gives me a smile and wave when I come in. it reminds me when I was young and would go over to my grandma's to get spoiled with congee-love ;) priceless!
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