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| - I had my fair share of pho in Charlotte, and Ben Thanh's was the best and the most consistent. Vietnam Grille, on South Boulevard, comes a close second, but they've had their share of off days -- as far as I can remember I have never had a bad experience at Ben Thanh.
In fact, if I had to be limited to, say, only five or so restaurants I could visit upon re-visiting Charlotte, I would definitely include Ben Thanh. I went to college in Pittsburgh, and although there was a truck that served pho right outside my university, it was mediocre, had odd-quality meat, and was missing something; the couple other Vietnamese places I sampled in Pittsburgh were equally lacking. I would find myself looking forward to school breaks just so I could get a bite of pho here before returning to Pittsburgh.
Their pho is subtle and flavorful without being overly bland. One of the beauties of pho, though, is the plethora of ways you can modify it after it arrives at the table. before the soup arrives, you will get a plate filled with bean sprouts, basil, and hot peppers, among many other vegetables and herbs. The hoisin sauce and sriracha sauce are other good additions to the soup if you are looking for more of a kick.
I cannot speak for anything but the pho -- after all, that's why I come here in the first place! My dad is not a pho fan, and he prefers Vietnam Grille for Vietnamese food -- whereas Ben Thanh focuses on the soup, Vietnam Grille has a much more balanced selection of Vietnamese dishes.
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