While running errands in the University area, lunch was required, and I stopped in to Phobulous for the first time in ages. I was definitely in the mood for soup, but not for lots of meat, if that makes any sense. So, I went for the tofu pho, which included a plentiful number of fried tofu cubes in a beef broth with loads of rice noodles. Obviously, this was not a purely vegetarian dish, but I did not mind. The tofu picked up the flavour of the broth and also absorbed a lot of it, which forced me to be careful when I bit into each piece, as there would be an explosion of piping hot broth in my mouth. The broth was indeed piping hot and remained so for most of the meal. It also had a deep flavour, if not a little too bitter to my taste, possibly due to an abundance of fish sauce. Next time, I might go for one of the non-soup dishes instead.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
The Pho Files: Tofu Pho at Phobulous
Braised Beef Skillet at Montana's
A friend was celebrating a milestone birthday a short while ago, and I offered to take him out for lunch - and even let him pick the place. He was in a steak frame of mind, so we went to Montana's in the South Edmonton Common area. I was in more of a lunch frame of mind and had the braised beef skillet. It was a perfect, lunch-sized portion of tender chunks of beef in a mushroom and wine sauce, arranged around a large scoop of mashed potatoes, served in a skillet with a piece of corn bread. The portion was not huge (especially for a $15 price tag), but it was an excellent comfort food combination.
Sweet Caroline Pizza at The Needle Vinyl Tavern
I went to the Needle Vinyl Tavern last week to catch some tunes by John Guliak, a singer/songwriter whose work I really enjoy. Being as the performance was over the supper hour, I ordered one of the pizzas on the menu. I love barbecue chicken pizza, so opted for the Sweet Caroline. The pizza was about 12 inches - quite large for one person - and loaded with cheese, chicken, cooked onion, cilantro, and red sauce. A delicious combination, but oh my goodness, the spice level was quite high (at least, as far as my tastebuds went). I could only get through a few pieces before the fire got to me. Fortunately, I was dining with a friend who enjoyed sharing.
Just Desserts: Mars Bar Square at Block 1912
It was a rare Saturday afternoon off and to myself, so I headed to Block 1912 for coffee and dessert. I had a Mars Bar Square, which surprised me with its crispy lightness. It was a Rice Crispy square made to taste like a Mars bar, and it really did. The rice bits had been covered in a sweet coating resembling caramel and nougat, and the top was drizzled with chocolate and caramel. Very sweet, but not too heavy. To drink I had a Vietnamese coffee, which is more like a sweet iced latte here. The tiny bit of condensed milk sinks to the bottom, with lots of milk on top and fresh espresso (as opposed to the slow drip over condensed milk like you get in Vietnamese restaurants).
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