John的4星評語:
Pho is all the rage now and there's nothing wrong with that. It's a good, flavorful soup and it's easy to see why it has so many fans.
However, one of the ways I judge a Vietnamese restaurant is by the quality of its bun bo hue. Most non-Asians have probably never heard of this gem from Hue, the central Vietnam town that formerly served as the imperial capital of the Nguyen dynasty.
The namesake broth of Portland's Bun Bo Hue restaurant is so flavorful just slurping on it would be highly satisfying all by itself. It is a tantalizing mixture made from oxtail, beef shank bones, pork bones and lemongrass.
The bun bo hue at Pho Le, while good, had a flavor more reminiscent of pho. It didn't have the strong taste of lemongrass that is essential to good bun bo hue.
That said, all of the ingredients seemed high quality and the staff was very friendly. There must have been a fairly extensive remodeling of the space in a strip mall on Broadway. It looked sleek and modern.
I returned another day for pho and it was phenomenal. The best I've tasted in Boise and it ranks up with the best in Portland, where they are crazy for pho. The broth was very flavorful and I really enjoyed that.
My server even came by and asked if I would like some extra broth, after seeing me happily slurping what came with the bowl. I gladly accepted. Pho is nothing without good broth and theirs is excellent.
One thing I don't like is the gimmicky names. Maybe it's easier for non-Asians to order Pho-Tastic, Pho-Sure and Pho-Nominal, but I'd rather respect the culture by ordering Pho tai nam gau, pho with round steak, flank and fatty brisket.
Besides, using the gimmicky names mean you have to continue pronouncing pho incorrectly, rather than "fuh," as it's really pronounced.
I do like that they have a small pitcher of nuoc mam, the pungent fish sauce essential to Vietnamese cuisine, on the tables. Not many places do that and I appreciate being to add an additional amount of the sauce to my soup.