The Pho Files: Vietnamese Beef Stew at Delicious Pho

Vietnamese beef stew #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Mar 21, 2016 at 1:44pm PDT

A meeting right across the street from the 124 Street location of Delicious Pho made the restaurant the perfect place for lunch. I tried the beef stew with cooked carrots and rice noodles. The broth was aromatic to perfection, as were the carrots perfectly cooked. The chunks of beef were smaller and leaner than in other versions of the stew, which made for easier eating. All in all, a definite win.

Braised Beef Stew at Vi's for Pies

I haven't been to Via for Pies (13408 Stony Plain Road) in ages, so jumped at the opportunity to go there with my family this week. I had one of the daily specials, which was braised beef stew on egg noodles. The stew had a sweet taste in a rich, tomato sauce, with many chunks of beef, all of which were braised to fork-tenderness. The few chunks of cooked carrots reminded me that I was eating stew and not an overly thick meat pasta sauce. The egg noodles were perfectly al dente and overall I found this to be wonderful comfort food.

The Pho Files: Beef Stew at La Pagode

I have been to La Pagode (17020 90 Avenue) a couple of times this past week as I have been in the area, and tried the beef stew with rice noodles. La Pagode is owned by the same people who own Pagolac in Chinatown and the south side, and has the same great menu. The stew was packed with thick chunks of brisket and loads of noodles, in a slightly spicy broth. Definitely a great choice for lunch on a cold day.

The Pho Files: Vietnamese Beef Stew

Vietnamese Beef Stew, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

As the sun began to hide and the wind and snow started to kick up, taking a co-worker for pho seemed like a great idea. We went to the Pho Hoa located on 97 Street and 106 Avenue.

I went for the beef stew with noodles, my first time trying it here. Even though it was a small portion, there was a lot of beef, and the carrots were cooked to perfection. The broth, while different in colour than I have had elsewhere (usually it is more orange), was very aromatic with spices and seasonings. A great mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

Pub Night: Guinness Beef Stew

Guinness beef stew pie at Canadian Brewhouse, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I did not actually intend to have supper in a pub this evening, but The Canadian Brewhouse was directly across the street from where I had to attend an event. I decided on a pint of Strongbow and the Guinness beef stew, which was served in a deep bowl with a pie crust on top, cleverly branded with the word Guinness and decorated with a Canadian flag on a toothpick. The stew was full of large chunks of sirloin and potato (including the skins), in a rich Guinness broth. This is one of the best pub pies I have had, including ones from "English" and "Irish" themed places.