The Pho Files: Satay Beef at Co Do Hue West (9524 163 Street)

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Catching up on some good blogging. Warmed up after a cold protest with satay beer soup, which was basically medium-cooked beef pho with hot sauce added to the broth. If you like a kick to your soup it’s great, or you can just add it yourself (same price either way). #yeg #yegfood #yegpho #satay #yegfoodie #nofilter

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 6, 2018 at 1:43pm PDT

Catching up on some good blogging. Warmed up after a cold protest with satay beer soup, which was basically medium-cooked beef pho with hot sauce added to the broth. If you like a kick to your soup it’s great, or you can just add it yourself (same price either way).

Vegging Out: Tofu and Spring Roll Vermicelli Bowl at Pho Ever

Tofu and spring roll vegan vermicelli bowl. Very generous portion served with soy sauce #yeg #yegfood #yegfoodie #nofilter #vietnamesefood #vermicelli #yegeats

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jul 28, 2018 at 9:48am PDT

Grilled Chicken on Fried Rice at Co Do Hue

Grilled chicken on fried rice. The rice was really simple, fried with egg and not too greasy. The portion of chicken was huge and deliciously grilled. #yeg #yegfoodie #yegeats #nofilter #vietnamesefood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jul 2, 2018 at 6:23pm PDT

Vegetarian Betel Leaf Wrap Vermicelli at An Chay

Betel leaf wrap vermicelli. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #nofilter #plantbased #anchay

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on May 16, 2018 at 3:28pm PDT

Vegging Out: Pho and Vermicelli at An Chay

Vegan pho. #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn #vegsn #plantbased

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Apr 19, 2018 at 2:05pm PDT

Vietnamese is one of my favourite kinds of cuisine and being a non-pork and seafood eater, vegan works well for me. An Chay (11203 Jasper Avenue) is spacious, bright, and has lots of comfortable seating. The menu features spring rolls, soups, and vermicelli bowls, with the twist of everything being plant-based. Tofu and soy is mostly used for the protein. I had a vegan pho and found the flavour profile of the broth to be excellent, with lots of noodles, soft tofu, lotus root, and different kinds of mushrooms.

Vegging out with a vegan vermicelli bowl. #yegfood #plantbased #vegan #yegeats #nomnom #vietnamesefood #

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Apr 27, 2018 at 2:48pm PDT

On a subsequent visit I ordered the three-colour vermicelli. The "pork" was very flavourful, and the mint leaves added a lot of refreshment to the dish. I almost never eat all of the salad part of the bowl, but this time I did. The "fish sauce" added a little heat but was not overpowering the way I find real fish sauce to be. Also, the spring rolls are crispy and fantastic.

Chicken Vermicelli at Spring Roll Kitchen

Yesterday's pre-conference chicken vermicelli. #yegfashion

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 3, 2017 at 7:06am PDT

I was in the Century Park area for a conference a couple of week ago, so went to Spring Roll Kitchen (2395 111 Street) when I got off the LRT for a quick lunch. I ordered the chicken vermicelli. The chicken was diced and did not have the deep, grilled flavour to which I am accustomed at other places. Also, some pineapple seemed to have made its way into the bowl. There was a lot of chicken though, and two large spring rolls that were sliced. It was good value, although I find the pho to be better.

The Pho Files: Chicken Pho at Pho Boy

Pho with chicken and mushrooms. I asked for chicken broth but am pretty sure it was beef. Also, onion cakes. #yegfood #yegpho

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Aug 4, 2017 at 12:51pm PDT

I was so excited about my first trip to Pho Boy a few weeks ago, that I went again and brought someone in tow. This time my "choose my own" pho had chicken and mushrooms as my toppings (you can get up to three), and I asked for chicken broth and all of the garnishes. My regular-sized bowl had a lot of chicken, but it was shredded so a lot of it settled at the bottom, only for me to retrieve it at the end of my meal. As well, I am almost positive I actually got the beef broth - it was far too dark to have been chicken. My lunch date was not happy with the amount of beef in his large bowl and found the broth to be bland. We also tried the green onion cakes. We enjoyed these, and loved the hot sauce/plum sauce combination that was served on the side. Because I did like my soup despite the wrong broth, I am willing to give this place another chance, but my lunch date is not.

The Pho Files: Pho Boy

Eating hot pho on a hot day. #yegfood #yegpho

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jul 8, 2017 at 1:20pm PDT

I stopped in for lunch at Pho Boy during the Art Walk. It is a lovely place with lots of indoor and outdoor seating. The service was fantastic. I found the menu to be unique, as you can choose your broth and up to three toppings. I had beef broth with steak, flank, and chicken. The broth was rich and deep, and there was plenty of meat and noodles for the regular-sized portion ($10 - reasonable). The chicken was especially good - very tender and fresh, not chewy at all. My only beef (pun intended) is that for the vegetarian choices, it would be nice to have a protein choice like tofu - not just vegetables.

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: Vegan Pho at XO Bistro

Vegan pho #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Apr 20, 2017 at 12:33pm PDT

I visited XO Bistro on the advice of my brother, who says the vegan pho is excellent. It was. What made the soup was the broth, which is a true vegan broth but has much more flavour than other ones I have encountered. I ordered the small size, which was ample enough for lunch and slightly more expensive than Chinatown (not a surprise, given the location and upscale interior). I especially liked the tofu, which was fried but firm. Definitely deserving of a repeat visit.

The Pho Files: Beef Satay Soup at Hoang Long Fresh Market

After picketing outside for over an hour, I need this. #yegfood #yegpho

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 25, 2017 at 12:35pm PST

I was between events/meetings and needed a bowl of soup after my previous engagement had me outside in the cold for over an hour. So, I ventured into Hoang Long Fresh Market for the first time. The place was very modern and fancy, albeit empty on a Saturday afternoon. I certainly did not mind having the place to myself, and ordered a beef satay soup. I've never had beef satay soup before, so I can honestly say this is the best I have ever had, but it truly was great. The broth was rich and flavourful without being too spicy. There was an abundance of beef, noodles, and cooked carrots, topped with lettuce, red cabbage, and peanuts. Really great flavour. Although it is slightly pricier than other Vietnamese eateries I frequent, I love the look of the place and will be back.

Beef Vermicelli at Saigon Taste

Grilled beef vermicelli #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 23, 2016 at 12:33pm PDT

When I first had pho at Saigon Taste, I was underwhelmed because I found the broth to be bland. So, when I ended up there again a short while later, I went for a vermicelli bowl instead. What a difference! The meat was tender and flavourful and the portion was quite large. I added a couple of veggie spring rolls for two delicious colours in my bowl.

The Pho Files: Saigon Taste

Pho! Medium rare beef. #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Aug 25, 2016 at 10:53am PDT

Although I have passed it many times on my journeys back and forth from downtown, I never set foot in Saigon Taste until a few weeks ago when I was in the area for a while. I found the place clean and bright, with good service, and started off with an onion cake. How was it? It was an onion cake. It didn't really stand out to me one way or the other. The soup was a good portion of meat and noodles (I always try the Pho Tai first whenever I try out a new pho place), but the broth was rather one-note. It wasn't bad, just bland. I would come here again if I was in the area, and perhaps try one of the vermicelli bowls instead.

The Pho File: Spring Roll Kitchen

I am in the deep southeast and found pho! #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Aug 29, 2016 at 3:47pm PDT

A meeting brought me to the Century Park area a few weeks ago, and I wanted to grab some supper first. I discovered Spring Roll Kitchen (2395 111 Street) not too far from the LRT station. The place was extremely large and spacious, and decorated very tastefully. My bowl of Pho Tai was huge, with a broth that had some depth to its flavour. The vegetarian spring rolls were among the best I have ever had: large, crispy, and filled with different kinds of vegetables. If I am ever back in this neck of the woods I would try Spring Roll Kitchen again.

Grilled Chicken and Rice at Maki Maki

I have been visiting Maki Maki for pho on a regular basis lately, but wanted to try something different on a lunch stop there this week. Most of the vermicelli bowls had pork, which is a no-no for me, but I noticed grilled chicken and steamed rice with vegetables. The chicken was incredible, with a deep grilled flavour infused with lemongrass. The rice was plain but plentiful, and did well with the soy sauce on the table. The vegetables were just a few cut pieces of fresh tomato and cucumber, and was more like a garnish. The chicken was definitely the star of the plate, and I hope Maki Maki can make a vermicelli bowl with it.

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.

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.

Chicken on Rice at Nha Trang

I am usually willing to give a place a second chance, so even though I was not blown away by my pho last week at Nha Trang, when having supper here was convenient this week, I decided to try something different. My chicken on rice was a large, thick, boneless thigh that tasted a little bit grilled but really did not have much flavour. Plus, the skin was not crispy at all - it was thick and gummy, and I had to peel most of it away, which was not pleasant. The portion was rice was huge though. My spring rolls were cold on the inside. In fairness, they originally brought me ones filled with pork - I had specifically asked for the vegetarian ones - and the replacements were brought out rather quickly, so perhaps they were not in the fryer long enough. However, I also had to take an important phone call during this time so if they were hot, even for a fleeting while, that time had passed by the time I got to them. Still, I am underwhelmed.

The Pho Files: Well-Done Beef at V Sandwiches

Desperate for pho on Whyte Avenue last week, I noticed that V Sandwiches sells more than just banh mi. I had a bowl of the well-done beef, which was steaming hot and quite large. The beef and noodles were plentiful, and the broth was quite rich and meaty albeit with a sour taste likely from fish sauce. I can see myself coming here quite often during the winter.

The Pho Files: Pho Tai at Nha Trang

I have been spending a lot of time in the Kingsway area lately, and finally stopped in to Nha Trang which seems like it has been there forever across the street from the Royal Alex. First, I ordered onion cakes, which were excellent: chewy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and well-seasoned. Next, came my medium order of Phi Tai - pho with rare sliced steak. The portion was definitely adequate, it was steaming hot, and full of meat and noodles. The broth was a little more one-note than I like, however. It tasted strongly from anise, and little else. Although I certainly would come back here in the future, it would not be my first choice with Chinatown being so close by.