In YYC for a few days on business and staying in the far flung NE corner. I thought I was SOL as far as good food was concerned. So I was pleasantly surprise to find this place near the hotel. It being a colder than normal day and having been on the road the whole day, the idea of a hot bowl of Pho seemed like the perfect meal.
I ordered the Pho Tai with an extra serving of meat. Now, having never been to Vietnam, I don't know what 'authentic' is, but I like lighter broths that are spicier rather than 'meatier'.
That being my baseline expectation, Basil's offering was more meaty and fatty on the palate and underwhelmed me. I did not like that the one size offering (used to having a choice of Sml to Lrg bowls) and the beef was cut thicker than normal which lead to a lot of chewing and decreased my enjoyment.
Would I go back? Sure, if I stay in this corner of Calgary again, this is where I will end up, but I am not likely to recommend it to people.