01/06 Pho Saigon (Orlando, Fl)

Resturant Name: Pho Saigon


City: Orlando, Florida
Visit Date: 01/01/12
Food Type: Asian (Vietnamese)
Meal: Lunch


Address: 5100 West Colonial Drive  Orlando, FL 32808-7604


Food Rating: 9/10
Environment Rating: 6/10
Service Rating: 7/10
Overall: 22/30 (Good)


tl;dr: Food's not bad but if you don't come during the off-hours, expect limited service, crowds/lines, NOISE, SO MUCH NOISE.


So on New Year's day, me and my mom drove down to Orlando to do some grocery shopping. This sorta expedition isn't very common for the family but there are a few ingredients and vegetables and what not that really can't be gotten except for in a large city. Which is of course to say that the Saint Augustine area doesn't have a high enough Asian sub-population to warrant it's own ethnic (Asian) neighborhoods and large groceries. 


Orlando of course is a different story. A sprawling city of the world's many ethnicities, it attracts individuals of all backgrounds (even more so because of it's close proximity to Kissimee and the many many tourist attractions that area is known for). 


So yeah we got into town about 1-ish and my mom had her sights on shopping at 1st Oriental Supermarket. Granted to be honest I really can't say I know any other real locations to shop at in the Orlando area, I kinda would have liked to just explore a bit and find some tasties. 


But back to the review. 


I've been to this restaurant one time previous. (Likewise with family). Last time we arrived rather late and was able to enjoy the quiet not so crowded version of the establishment. This time... yeah we weren't so lucky. There apparently were 2 parties of Koreans in the place and the server sat us right next to the larger of the two Koreanated tables. And though I personally have nothing against Koreans, I would have preferred to enjoy my noodles in relative quiet instead of with noise pollution sogging the background. 


Mom decided to go wash up before the meal and so while I sat there trying to tune out 3 or 4 different languages being simultaneously used, I got to examining the decorations. Pho Saigon is interesting, on the right wall there appears to be a dead water sculpture built along the whole of the wall. At one time it may have been meant to be filled with water, and even while dry, it's still something to look at. The tables function for their purposes and the chairs are comfortable. The random assortment of spices, seasonings and sauces could  be arranged nicer, but knowing the fact that large families of Asians frequent this location, I really can't fault them for what parties of people (especially those with children) do to the tables.

The Spring Rolls and Peanut Sauce

We ended up ordering some shrimp spring rolls and a large Pho Saigon. (I don't really remember how to do the special characters, so pardon to any Viet readers on the spelling of the above). 


The spring rolls pictured to the right were a lovely appetizer, Each rice paper circle is filled with boiled shrimp, napa cabbage hearts and rice noodles. Served with the accompanying peanut sauce, the combination is perfect for breaking one's fast before the ensuing deluge of savory pho. 


And though I would have liked a few more of them, I think to myself the ramifications of getting stuffed eating random tidbits before the main course arrives. 


I should probably contemplate the dipping sauce specifically. It has a sweet finish and a mild saltiness. If I had to guess, it must contain a bit of hoison sauce that's been blended with something that dulls the sweetness. And for presentation purposes it's topped with diced peanuts as an eye catcher. The particular choice of serving plates has a similar color to the actual sauce and for me personally, this trait adds to the appeal of the otherwise bland-colored spring rolls. 


But I digress. For after all the main reason we came to this restaurant was for the PHO! And while I'm still quite peeved that none of my spell checkers seem to know what pho is; I realize that many Americans are likely to not know what it is either. (I'd hope you did...)


Anyway... Pho is a delicious noodle soup and broth with various choices of meat and sauces to accompany it.  At the very base, Pho is a savory clear broth made by stewing beef bones for several hours on end. When cooked to the chef's specifications, the fat that's cooked out the bone marrow is skimmed off and the subsequent broth is ladled into a bowl with rice noodles. At this point, pho becomes anyone's game. For the choices of accompaniments and other stuff that go in it are almost endless. 

Tasty Tasty Pho

Pho Saigon (the dish we ordered) is the above broth and rice noodles with thin slices of beef skirt, tendon and Asian style meat balls (the meat is pulverized first to achieve a specific smooth texture). This restaurant differs from others in that they use whole pieces of scallions to add another level of savoriness to the broth. Also as to be expected there was a plate of green bean sprouts, thai basil, lime slices and jalapeno peppers to the diner's discretion.


Mom and I ended up splitting the ginormous bowl. Well it's really not that large in pho standards but we still ended up splitting the bowl. I personaly enjoy my pho with a dash of sugar, 3 or 4 squirts of sriracha, some fish sauce (as needed to add savoriness) and the juices of several limes. In the process, my broth becomes a fiery red color that has a lovely tart flavor. But to each his own and I must admit that at times this combination could be considered too strong for other individuals. 


I would have liked a second cup of water half way through my meal but our server seemed to have forgotten us and never really walked back around. However over all the restaurant was pretty good. I enjoyed the food there and even if the noise pollution was a bit much, my personal displeasure at one aspect won't allow me to feel negatively towards to whole. As such, I resolve to leave a rating of GOOD for this establishment. In the future though if I get a chance to go back, I'll make sure to visit during off hours.