Let me not mince words: Pho Phuong is fantastic.
Food is fresh and yummy. Service is quick. Space is open and clean.
Ok, it IS a little off the beaten path, but it is always a must go for me when a trip to Dufferin Mall is planned. I have been going back for years, even after having moved out of the neighbourhood over 6 years ago and living much much closer to all the other pho places lining Spadina.
As with most Vietnamese places, the menu is extensive with a lot of choices and variations. But I have settled on two dishes I haven't wavered from in years: the shrimp and pork salad rolls (approx. $5) and the bbq pork vermicelli (approx. $7). I've been to many Vietnamese places in the city, but I don't think I have had a better salad roll anywhere else. The bbq pork is seasoned just right and is not in chop form... in other words, no need for a knife and cutting around the bone!
Whenever anyone asks me to recommend a pho place, Pho Phuong and Mimi (Gerard St.) are the two I always mention. The epitome of cheap and cheerful! But also very delicious.