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| - Drove through Mesa to get to the Fiesta Bowl and really needed some pho. We walked into this unassuming spot in a strip mall and immediately thought, "Whoa, this is the nicest looking pho joint I've ever been to."
My (white) boyfriend ordered a lemon soda ("soda chanh") in Vietnamese, and the young waitress was so shocked that she giggled. "How did you learn to speak Vietnamese?" The service and the rest of our interaction with our waitress was very pleasant.
The soda chanh came out exactly the way it does in Vietnam - lime juice and sugar, with a bottle of sparkling Perrier to mix in yourself on the side. My eyes popped out of their sockets because every time I order it in the States (even in Houston), it's more like lemonade and already mixed up.
We ordered the Nha Trang rolls, which were cold rice paper wrapped rolls filled with veggies, sliced grilled pork ball, and bits of fried, crunchy spring roll wrapper. The latter was a nice, surprising touch; I love the soft+crunchy texture combination. The sauce it was served with wasn't your typical peanut sauce; I had never had it before even though I'm half Vietnamese and have actually been to Nha Trang. It was a yellowish, viscous sauce that had notes of chicken broth, chili pepper, and a little hoisin sauce, with bits of ground pork in it. Whatever it was, it was delicious. I couldn't stop dipping my chopstick ends into it to keep tasting it.
We also both ordered medium bowls (which, of course, are huge) of pho with flank, brisket, tendon, and meat balls. They were surprisingly generous with each meat item, and the tendon was soft and slippery, just the way I like it. The broth was outstanding. It was savory, light, smelled of all the herbs and spices I want to smell in a pho broth, with a chicken broth undertone.
Service? Exceeded expections; check.
Presentation? Exceeded expectations; check.
Broth? Outstanding; check.
Pho overall? Outstanding; check.
Nha Trang rolls & sauce? Outstanding; check.
Decor? Surprisingly, for a pho joint - wow. Check.
There's no other choice than to give Pho Ao Sen the full 5 stars.
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