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

I have walked by Pho 88 dozens of times since I moved to Toronto, it stuck out in my mind because the windows are always filled with tables of people enjoying Vietnamese soups. For one reason or another I have never ventured in, so I was excited this week to go in and give it a try.  As I entered Pho 88 a hostess greeted me, escorted me to my seat and gave me  a menu. After locating the pho on the menu I searched around the table for a pen and paper to mark off my selection, but, to my surprise I could not find one. Instead a waitress came over and took down my order. While this may seem like a rather unspectacular event I have never been to a Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown that operated this way. The waitress in a very friendly manner came over, struck up a conversation and offered suggestions before taking my order. The service continued to impress me when my pho was brought out by another employee of the restaurant who again struck up conversation and returned every so often to check how I was doing. The quality of service at Pho 88 far surpassed any I have ever received at any restaurant in Chinatown, I was beyond impressed.

Equally as impressive as the service was the decor of the restaurant. Deep dark browns, and solid grays and blacks set the tone for a modern and sophisticated dining room. The brown leather chairs and dark granite tables bring an elegance that is highlighted by large circular sculptures on the walls that are reminiscent of the number 88.  Standing out in this environment is a brightly colored Buddha statue that welcomes you as you enter the seemingly small but surprisingly large dining room. The back of the restaurant is decorated by a large, gold, sandy mural that illuminates the dinning room. The service coupled with this environment made me love this restaurant before I even sampled the food. Not even the hip hop remix of Avril Levine’s ‘Skater Boy’ that was playing in the background could ruin my dining experience. 

Pho Dac Biet at Pho 88

The pho kept up with the pace the rest of the restaurant was setting. Dark, sweet beef broth sprinkled with pepper was the first taste that hit my lips. As I started eating I was surprised to see no cilantro or onions in the pho, although it was packed with scallions. The long rice noodles were thicker than they are at most places which is great for those of us who love the slurping. While the pho dac biet did not have beef balls the quality of beef in the soup was impressive. The tendons still packed quite a bit of meat on them and there was not very many fatty pieces lurking under the broth either. The rare beef was cut a little thick so it did not melt in your mouth as it does in some places but, it was delicious none the less. The most abundant meat in the pho was the well done beef which is great when you want to be filled up. Overall this was an incredibly pleasant experience and I would recommend this place strongly to anyone who loves pho.

Pho 88
270 Spadina Avenue
416-746-8646

When looking for a place to eat in Toronto’s Chinatown it is easy to become overwhelmed by the options. There are a lot of factors at play when you are deciding on a restaurant. Sure you want delicious food at an affordable price but, you also want a nice environment to sit and enjoy that food in. Restaurant decor and ambiance are essential parts of enjoying your dining experience. Therefore, in the Chinatown Challenge Review Series attention is not only given to the quality of the pho but the atmosphere of the restaurant as well. Decor played a large part in my dining experience this week as I tried the Pho Dac Biet at Pho Ai My.

Pho Ai My - One of the most beautifully decorated restaurants in Chinatown

Pho Ai My is a beautifully decorated restaurant. The small dining room is blanketed in white, radiating a clean and modern feel. On your left as you walk in is a white brick wall that stretches the length of the restaurant. Opposite the brick wall are floor to ceiling windows that wrap around the front of the room. The use of white when combined with the large windows opens up the restaurant and creates a relaxing dining environment. The sleek white chairs and dark brown tables give the room a streamlined and crisp look that is highlighted by a giant chandelier, which hovers over the center of the restaurant. 

Overall Ai My blew me away with its style. It presents itself as a restaurant where you want to have a leisurely lunch, one where you sit back and enjoy the atmosphere as well as the delicious food. The ambience of the restaurant was capped off by an excellent selection of R&B music that played softly in the background. Before I even tasted the food it became clear that this was like no other Vietnamese restaurant I have been to in Chinatown.

pho!

On to the pho. Despite having pho in the name of the restaurant it took me a while to locate pho on the menu as it was stashed away at the back. In fact, Pho Dac Biet is the very last item on the menu. The pho was brought out to me in a white bowl that matched the look of the dining room. The pho itself smelled intoxicating and my first bite of the well done beef broke apart as it hit my lips. The pho was delicious, crisp and fresh. The broth was light but still packed a lot of flavor. This was one of the first bowls of pho I have had where I didn’t feel compelled to use hoisin sauce.

The well done beef was delectable and the tripe was soft but, the best part about this pho were the beef balls and the rare beef. The beef balls were easily the best I have had in any pho and seemed to be comprised of high quality beef. Soft and chewy they soaked up the juices from the pho and released them in your mouth as you bit down on them. The rare beef, my favorite part of any pho, was the most abundant meat in the whole bowl. Cut thinly the rare beef almost melted in the hot pho. The noodles of the pho were thin and tasty however, they were not as abundant as other ingredients. Packing the soup with sprouts made up for the lack of noodles. Overall, this was one of the most pleasant experiences I have had yet at a Vietnamese restaurant in the Chinatown Challenge. I can’t wait to go back to sample the rest of their dishes.

Pho Ai My
221 Spadina Ave
(416) 849-3631