I seriously think this restaurant has changed hands in owners. When they first opened (before I started yelping) it was a true-and-true Vietnamese restaurant. Now, the establishment, food quality, and service is a far cry from what it used to be. Pho Xe Lua is a big name in Vietnamese Cuisine and sadly this place no longer reflects the brand. Instead it is operated by Mandarin speaking Chinese workers.
ENVIRONMENT:
- washrooms are dirty, no ventilation at all, smelly, and worse of all the faucet was broken! No running water!!!
- tables and chairs were icky. I don't think they wipe down the place with a clean rag.
- baby booster seats were also icky, and the retention straps are terribly inadequate and difficult to use. I'm glad I brought my own portable high-chair for my kid.
FOOD:
- overly salted! The broth in the pho was very salty and oily, particularly due to the fresh noodles which are oily so they don't stick.
- the fresh noodles were still clumped in a cake shape, from the fridge I assume. Not good for presentation and it cools down the soup.
- I was very thirsty after the meal. I had to drink copious amounts of water about an hour later because of the high sodium levels.
- milk shakes are watered down and had an unpleasant freezer-ice taste.
SERVICE:
- speed was okay, but attitude was rude.
VERDICT:
We will never go back.