Stylish authentic design meets fresh vibrant Vietnamese street food is the story behind Pho's arrival on the Ealing food scene.
In the last 12 months there has been explosion of restaurant openings in Ealing town centre – which is great news for lovers of a variety of different cuisines – and the opening of Pho in New Broadway nails another colour to the international food mast.
There are no real frills to the Pho experience and it’s not a restaurant that you might linger in for a long lazy lunch or romantic evening – but what it does do is serve authentic Vietnamese street food with a big smile in a congenial setting.
Instantly recognisable by its distinctive bold red neon Pho symbol the long narrow restaurant has a good vibe about it, with the design by Neil Masters of CantorMasters sitting happily with the food its serves.
Exposed brick walls, distressed dark timber panelling and flooring and clever use of black bamboo pendant feature lighting create a warm neighbourhood feel while a striking original graffiti art mural of a Vietnamese street scene dominates one wall.
We settled into our compact wooden booth and joined the throng of shoppers taking a Saturday lunch time break from their pre- Christmas shopping in a welcome haven from the wild and blustery weather outside.
We kicked off with well-cooked fried baby squid (£6.75) bought to life with a warming salt and pepper and lime dip and then tucked into a large spring roll packed with flavoursome king prawn, crab and pork (£4.50). A traditional Vietnamese classic dipping sauce (nouc cham) with chill overtones lifted the roll into a real palate pleaser.
Fresh vibrant ingredients with crunch and texture were the star of a shredded chicken salad (£7.25) which mixed through with herbs, peppers and a chilli and ginger dressing left a clean taste in the mouth and hints of heat.
Two refreshing Saigon beers went down well before we tackled the main courses – service is quick and efficient and comes with a friendly smile – both classic to a country which is very proud of the food it serves.
Pho (pronounced fuh) is the Vietnamese national dish and in short is a rice noodle soup served with a side plate of fresh herbs. My partner Fiona’s king prawns, tofu and flash fried steak with garlic in a light aromatic beef broth (£10.75) did not disappoint, and gave off pleasing sweet and sour overtones and plenty of flavour.
My chicken curry with rice (£9.75) was another decent dish as the tender meat, mushrooms and vegetables, topped with crunchy nuts, mixed in well with a rich and creamy coconut based sauce for a distinctive plate of food.
We left Pho suitably full and satisfied and it is not hard to see why this expanding chain is already wooing customers in the short time since it opened its doors in Ealing – put simply it serves good authentic food at affordable prices with the minimum of fuss.
Adrian Seal eats at Pho , 22 New Broadway, Ealing W5 2XA - 020 3058 2778
