Going to Chatswood on a Saturday for lunch is already not a very clever idea due to the ludicrous amount of people all trying to squeeze into the commercial area. After spending twice as much time on the road as necessary we were very lucky to quickly find some parking in Chatswood Chase. Tossing between some food places we finally settled on Vietnamese which meant going to de_Pho in Lemon Grove. As soon as we entered the building the heard the hustle and bustle of a packed restaurant and a line of waiting customers as expected.
de_Pho has been a popular place to dine for a while now and for good reason too. The food is tasty, healthy and cheap. I must admit that it is not as tasty or cheap as the Vietnamese food you can get out west like at Flemington or Cabramatta but for a place like this to exist in the North Shore is a gift to us.
Rainbow Drink. Whoever invented this drink is a genius! The mixture of colours, textures and flavours turn this drink into an absolute delight that cools you down in summer but still irresistible in winter-time. It is a combination of mung bean, red bean, green jelly, coconut milk and ice.
Pho is the traditional rice-noodle soup dish of Veitnam. The broth is the vital part of this dish and the quality of the broth determines whether this is a good or bad pho. I think the one at de_Pho has good flavour to it and the beef and garnishes (coriander, basil and bean sprouts) are very fresh which add to the flavour.
Spring roll Vermicelli
The pho maybe be tasty but wait till to you try their vermicelli with spring rolls. There is a range of different topping for the vermicelli dishes and they are all good selections but I personally go for the spring rolls or the 3-flavoured vermicelli (pork chop, shredded pork and egg). For the vermicelli, a small bowl of fish sauce is also given and this is usually poured all over the noodle and then mixed.
When de_Pho first started becoming popular, their vermicelli started off with generous servings of veges and garnishes but sadly as time went on they have sneaked in more noodle and less veges/garnishes but it is still very tasty! A extra nice touch is the fried garlic which adds a nice crunch to the dish.
Crispy skin Chicken
I am not sure if this is a traditional Vietnamese dish as I did not see any at the restaurants when I went to Vietnam for a few days but this is another highlight of the meal. The crispy exterior and the tender interior is just a magical combination.
This place is a must try for all North-Shoreans who have not ventured into the west in search of Vietnamese food.
de_Pho
Shop 21 Lemon Grove Shopping Centre
427-441 Victoria Ave, Chatswood
Mon - Fri 1030am - 600pm
Thurs 1030am - 800pm
Sat 1030am - 400pm
Ph: 9904 8870
FFichiban
Saturday, August 23, 2008
de_Pho - Chatswood, Sydney
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2 comments:
I agree that the portions have gradually decreased over time at this place...this almost seems common practice in most eateries :(
I have a feeling that the 'big'-sized beef pho is now the standard size as this is the one I normally order (even though it costs a bit more) though it's not as filling as it use to be. The normal-sized pho is pretty poor in terms of amount you get.
Bun is one of my favourite Vietnamese dishes, especially with the spring rolls on top. I actually think I prefer it to Pho. The crispy chicken looks great too. It's good that there's somewhere on the North Shore where you can get a Vietnamese fix :)
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