May 25th, 2010 by Janny
Nestled in the heart of the Junction is Pho Huong – one of the newer establishments and only Vietnamese restaurant in the neighbourhood. The Junction enjoys a wealth of various cuisines from Italian to Indian to Thai that there was no doubt that a Vietnamese restaurant was bound to flourish along with the neighbourhood. Pho Huong has become hub for locals to grab a bite and enjoy a hearty bowl of the increasingly popular Pho. What sets Pho Huong apart from many of the local Vietnamese restaurants is the clean interior design – so spotless it practically sparkles. With a large glass window at the front, dark sleek wood accents and a wealth of pot lights in the store, the ambiance is very warm and inviting. Although being the only Vietnamese restaurant on the strip of Dundas, it does not fail to please.
Like any other traditional Vietnamese restaurant, shortly upon arrival we’re greeted with a warm pot of Jasmine tea as we sift through the usual extensive menu. I opt for the Lemongrass Chicken on Rice ($7.50) as well as a Mango Milkshake ($3.50). Curious as to the ubiquitous Passion fruit drink ad in almost every Vietnamese restaurant we visit, my brother decides to try his luck with it. Shortly after we scribble down our orders (which is a common practice in Vietnamese restaurants from verbal orders), our drinks arrive in style.
The passion fruit drink is more transparent than the ad leads to believe but still refreshing and pleasantly sweet and tangy. On my side, the mango milkshake was one of the best and smoothest I’ve had anywhere, it served as a perfect companion to my lunch even on a brisk fall day like today.
Not too long after I’ve indulged in a few sips of the milkshake, my lemongrass chicken and rice arrives, steaming and fresh. The dish arrives stylishly plated with the rice formed in a perfect mound alongside a generous amount of chicken garnished with a few strands of green onion. The chicken was well-seasoned but served to be a little dry where my mango shake came to assistance in between the last few bites. The only improvement I would have made would be an extra side or sauce to add a little contrast and colour to the dish which seemed to be lacking in both areas.
All-in-all a lovely establishment and cute little place definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. Pho Huong is also licensed if you enjoy a refreshing beer with your meal, an addition to the evening/night crowd that the Junction is trying to bring to life after it had been dry for almost a century up until a decade ago – the last area to lift the prohibition. Wonderful service, great food and a welcoming atmosphere, not to mention (again) the great decor!
Pho Huong
394 Pacific Ave.
(647) 430-3909
Delivery Available (min $25)
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November 20th, 2009 by Bill Killorn
Review Series: Chinatown Challenge
Just around the corner from the Dragon City Mall in the heart of Toronto’s Chinatown is a small Vietnamese restaurant called Pho Pasteur. Despite its size the restaurant is hard to miss; the front of the business is plastered with red, white and blue signs that shout out to any passerby that Pho Pasteur exists, it is a pho restaurant and it is open 24 hours. Out of all of the Vietnamese restaurants I have visited as part of the Chinatown Challenge series I was most excited for this one. Pho Pasteur was highly recommended to me by both the founder of this blog and my Vietnamese girlfriend’s father. Needless to say I was expecting a great bowl of pho as I strolled into the restaurant.
Pho Pasteur as seen on Google
November 11th, 2009 by kateD
Review Series: Best Vermicelli On The West Side
For anyone following this series, I’m sure the obvious question has been, but what does she think of The Golden Turtle? No other Vietnamese restaurant I know of inspires more vehement debate; it is the most hyped and written about Viet resto in Toronto. People Love it or Hate it, but for better or worse Rua Vang (aka the Golden Turtle) is the standard against which all other Vietnamese restos are judged. Knowing this, I’ve held out against writing about it until now, simply because the stakes are so high.
A quiet moment on busy Ossington.
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Tags: bun, golden turtle, noodle, rua vang, vermicelli
October 29th, 2009 by kateD
Review Series: Best Vermicelli On The West Side
The corner of College and Dufferin is an unlikely location for a miniature Viet-town, yet a number of Vietnamese businesses and shops cluster together here in an otherwise distinctly Portuguese neighbourhood. No fewer than 3 Vietnamese restaurants co-exist on a single block. Faced with such an array of options, how is one to decide? On road-trips my dad always picked a roadside diner based on the number of transport trucks parked out front (truckers being the experts on roadside cuisine), so following the same theory, I decide to try the resto with the largest number of Vietnamese customers inside. And the winner is: Pho Linh.
Simple but modern exterior of Pho Linh on College.
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Tags: bun, chicken, lemongrass, vermicelli, vermicelli combo
October 27th, 2009 by Bill Killorn
Review Series: Chinatown Challenge
When I started investigating the various Pho restaurants in Chinatown for this review series I was worried about how I was going to be able to keep every post unique and interesting, it seemed challenging to me to write about the same dish without repeating myself. However, now that we are at the halfway point of this series I have learned that every restaurant, no matter how similar they may appear, offers something that is uniquely their own. Whether it be the size of the noodles, the decor of the dining room or the quality of service, each restaurant shines in its own way. This week I visited Pho 88 located at 270 Spadina and had a dining experience unlike any other I have had in this series.
The windows of Pho 88 are always filled with happy customers
Tags: Chinatown Challenge, pho, pho 88, special beef noodle soup
October 23rd, 2009 by kateD
Review Series: Best Vermicelli On The West Side
After 4 weeks of tasting bun in Toronto’s west-end Vietnamese restaurants, I thought I had hit my stride. Though quality, freshness and style varied to some degree in each place I visited, the formula was basically the same. I knew what to expect. Then I wandered into Canh Buom and got thrown a curve ball.
Outside Canh Buom on College.
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Tags: bun, Bun Cha Hanoi, vermicelli, vermicelli combo
Jennifer: What a great list!
Steve: Best pho I have ever had is here, I prefer the one that is pho ye yong or something. It is a special cut of...
bridget sookma.: i love this site of wines and pictures and info on other restaurants
Asha: This place is so tasty, and such great value. The avocado shake is really good but very filling.