I have nothing but love for Pho Hien Vuong. It brings together so many things I love in a restaurant, Viet food, lightning fast service, a reflective price point, a refined and knowledgeable kitchen, pleasant staff and a raucous atmosphere. I'll also throw in the neon sign out the front is just terrific.
Anyone familiar with Sunnybank dining knows that Market Square is one of the most brutal places you can establish a restaurant. The turnover is extraordinary. If you walk past a place that is quiet on a busy night there is only a 50/50 you'll ever walk past that restaurant again. The turnover is high, the quality is unrelenting and the competition is fierce. If you don't like a place don't bother going back, there's too much choice to waste time hoping for an incremental improvement.
Places you think will be fine are gone the next time you go and places that look perfectly ordinary will present some of the most extraordinary food you'll likely get in Brisbane.
That is all by way of background explanation to the feat Pho Hien Vuong has achieved in just surviving. PHV joins the other petit dames of Taste Gallery, Little Hong Kong, Little Singapore, Hakataya Ramen and 'that place Sam likes that he can't remember the name of but it was the first time he tried bubble tea and dry soup and it's still there' in fending off countless competitors and churning out hundreds of thousands of consistently great dishes.
There's no secret to what makes great pho. It's the bones in the broth, the noodles, the herbs, the meat and the balance. What makes the difference between bad pho, good pho and great pho? No idea, but I know it when I taste it and this great pho. Balanced, rich but clean, generous serve of beef and that deep sits in the bottom of your stomach like a hot water bottle comfort that only the best pho achieves.
It comes in a huge range of varieties including all the greatest hits of raw beef, cooked beef and beef ball plus some 'authentic but i'm fine not to' additions including intestine and fresh blood.
Serves come in three sizes regular (huge), large (ridiculous) and extra large (bathtub). They range in price from about $10 - $13, so go nuts.
There are other great things on the menu, their bun salad is equally impressive, but more my mum's thing than mine so you're better asking her. They also do claypots and hotpots etc, but again, not really my thing. Plus there are all the good entrees including spring rolls, ricepaper rolls, won ton etc.
Prices are cheap. Like really, really cheap. Tea is free and they are just the nicest people. Cash only, so bear that in mind. There are ATMs in both Burlington and the 711.
This is pho the way it is meant to be enjoyed, as an egalitarian satisfying meal. I love this place, I love this place so much. read more