Spoke to my son on the phone yesterday and he told me that he and his brother went for Pho…read moreyesterday. So I jumped on Yelp to look for the nearest highly rated pho restaurant in came across Photastic.
The yelp directions brought me to a parking space right in front of the restaurant. We arrived around 8 PM, an hour before closing. We were greeted immediately and sat in a nice table, which was clean and well equipped for a pho meal.
Menus and water were brought immediately along with a warm greeting from the waitress. Immediately, I noticed that I had interacted with two members of the staff at each admin, gracious and welcoming. I found the discontinued through the entire meal with other people, stopping by to make sure that everything was perfect and being enjoyed by us.
I went to the restroom to wash and noted it to be immaculate. This is usually one of the best signs that a restaurant pays attention to detail and I am always happy to see that they are meticulous.
Our order was taken and we were served very quickly. First out was the condiments/toppings. The peanut based sauce for the spring rolls and the vegetables for the pho. We began with Gỏi Cuốn, Vietnamese spring rolls. Traditionally these are fresh shrimp, vermicelli noodles, and lettuce wrapped in thin, translucent rice paper served cold with a savory dipping sauce, often a peanut-based sauce and here they are customized with delicious fresh herbs and vegetables, as well as pork. Personally, I do not like it as much with pork, but had not noticed that it was made this way on the menu when I ordered and next time, I'll ask if it is available without the pork. I will say, however, that is hands-down, the very best Gỏi Cuốn I have ever eaten.
My wife and I both ordered pho. She chose the chicken while I opted for the steak and meatball. We found all of the meats very chewy in texture, but they were extremely tasty. The portions were huge and the broth was delicious. The flavorful soups with fresh noodles and ingredients were both spectacular. Portions are excellent. I like mine spicy and the perfect condiments were available right on the table.
The Matcha latte Boba tea was quite good as well.
Prices were in line with other local restaurants which will somewhat high are right, where I expect them to be locally.
The overall experience was great. I did notice that somebody walked in about a minute before the post to closing time and was turned away. While, I find this to be unusual in local family owned restaurants, it is certainly not unreasonable. So if you're a late eater, check the hours before arriving.
This was my first visit in this restaurant has moved right onto my list of favorite comfort foods nearby my home. If you like pho, I highly recommend you try it.
