The Pho Files: Tofu Pho at Phobulous

Tofu pho (the broth is beef). #yegfood #yegpho

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on May 29, 2017 at 11:45am PDT

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.

The Pho Files: Pho Ga at Pho Huong/Mama Pizza

I've been visiting Pho Huong (also known as Mama Pizza, located at 10531 107 Avenue) quite a bit in the last couple of weeks. I decided to stray from my rare steak/well-done brisket combo soup, and tried the pho ga (chicken pho). The chicken was fresh and plentiful, topped with crispy onions for additional flavour. The broth was rich and strong, with a definite salty taste that penetrated the noodles. If you like chicken soup and don't mine a salty broth, you will love this pho ga.

The Pho Files: Veggie Pho at Pho Delight

A weekend lunch at the Pho Delight side of the duel Friends and Neighbours (10838 82 Avenue) allowed me to indulge my curiosity about the place's vegetarian pho. This is not to be confused with the Buddha Pho, which is the same thing except spicy. This was definitely one of the heartiest vegetarian versions of pho I have ever had. It included lots of tofu for protein, as well as almost a garden's worth of carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms (just a few), kale (the first time I have ever seen it in pho), and brussels spouts. I was a bit leery when I noticed the latter, as I absolutely hate brussels sprouts. However, I bravely put one in my mouth and was surprised by a rich, almost roasted flavour with very little bitterness. That says something to me, that when I can enjoy an ingredient I normally hate then a dish is indeed very well done. There was also quite a bit of celery, which was superfluous as most of it sank to the bottom. The broth was also vegetarian yet rich and flavourful. The noodles were a bit difficult to retrieve at first because of all of the vegetables weighing them down, so as a result many of them broke before reaching my mouth. This is just a minor criticism. Vegan and vegetarian lovers of pho need to try this.

The Pho Files: Chicken Noodle Soup at Pho Delight

Post-rally chicken pho #yegfood #yegpho, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

It was a grey and rainy Saturday. I had just finished filming and photographing two rallies and needed some nourishment. After I got back to Whyte Avenue I heard for Pho Delight. I noticed Chicken Noodle Soup on the special menu, and decided to give it a try.

My bowl was filled with noodles and tender slices of white meat. The broth was chicken based, and very flavourful - it was a lot deeper and aromatic than other chicken pho broths I have had. All in all, it was an enjoyable soup and helped warm my day.

The Pho Files: Vegetable Pho at Pho Rice Pot

Vegetarian pho at Pho Rice Pot #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

After spending over an hour at a rally on a surprisingly chilly April day, a bowl of pho was in order to help me warm up.

We headed to Pho Rice Pot where I had a bowl of vegetable pho. It was a huge portion, like the other bowls of pho here, with many vegetables floating atop the plentiful noodles and vegetable broth.

Unlike other vegetarian phos I have had, there was no protein in this one (such as tofu cubes or fake meat). However, it was still very filling.