Pho the Brave
Written: Oct 02 '07 (Updated Oct 02 '07)
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Pros: Really good pho.
Cons: Horrible service. Dirty.
The Bottom Line: Pho Hoa Lao #2 is "pho" the brave - great pho, but service/cleanliness is scary.
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| megugrrrl's Full Review: Pho Hoa Lao No 2 |
When I'm feeling a little under the weather or hungover, I crave a nice bowl of pho. I have a few favorite spots in the East Bay for this Vietnamese noodle soup, and Pho Hoa Lao #2 is one of them.
Pho Hoa Lao #2
Being in Oakland's Chinatown it's usually busy during weekday lunches (Chinatown is in downtown Oakland) and during the weekends is packed with shoppers. This means that parking is next to impossible. Take BART or AC Transit if you can.
It's a good-sized restaurant, with maybe seating for 40 or so diners. The ambiance is worse than being non-existent because they sport some severely tacky decor. It's the dirtiest restaurant I frequent; it's frankly pretty gross. If there's no one waiting for a table, they don't bus them, so flies love to hang out at this place. Each table has a little caddy to carry sauces, bright green plastic chopsticks and dipping sauce plates and they all feel greasy - as a matter of fact, the whole restaurant feels like it has a film. Also, I would advise strongly to avoid using the bathroom here, or glancing into the kitchen on your way to the bathroom.
Oh, and while your food arrives in no time at all, the service is atrocious - disinterested and unmotivated - every time I've been served here, I've felt unwanted and like I'm interrupting their gossip magazine-reading time. Even worse, on both walls there are mirrors on the wall, just at eye level with someone standing next to the table. So guess where your server is looking entire time while you're ordering?
BUT I STILL EAT HERE!!!
The pho (which comes in three, yup three sizes, small, medium, or large) is really good here - the broth is standout delicious and dependable. I always get lucky #13 - rare steak and brisket. Small. $5. (The large is $6.50)
Pho 101
Pho where I go is a big bowl of vermicelli (rice) noodles in a (usually) clear yet flavorful beef broth with hints of anise and ginger, topped with different types of beef. Accompanying your bowl will be a plate of sprouts, lime, jalapenos and fresh herbs which you add to your pho bowl.
Most places offer the same toppings which you can get in any combination: rare steak, flank, brisket, meat balls, tendon, and tripe. The rare steak (cut so fine that it cooks in the broth right before your eyes) and the fatty brisket #13 is my favorite - tendon is too wobbly and tasteless for me. Tripe is just too weird.
Back to Pho Hoa Lao #2
The menu is dominated by pho and variations using the same ingredients (including bun - broth-less noodle plates, rice plates, chicken soups, egg noodle dishes and a handful of oily appetizers. Nothing's over $8. Everything's pretty good, but the pho is the star. (The pho broth is better than location #1 - off the 880 near International). The noodles are also consistently good, never overcooked.
You can also get Vietnamese drinks like iced coffee with condensed milk and sweet treat, three-color bean drinks which I like to get as a dessert.
With all that it lacks, is Pho Hao Lao #2 worth it? I'd say that if you're brave and patient, it's definitely worth a try. I don't think I'd take out of town guests here though.
My other favorite pho places are:
New Pagolac (International)
Cafe Le (Webster in Alameda)
Pho 84 (near Temple Tattoo on 17th)
Huynh (downtown Oakland)
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Best Suited For: Friends
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Epinions.com ID:
megugrrrl
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: Oakland
Reviews written: 150
Trusted by: 317 members
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