ottawa foodies

When you first walk into 36 Pho Viet, you'll notice that it doesn't look like your typical pho restaurant. Decked in sleek dark furniture, the restaurant's ambience is a step-up from its counterparts.

However, while it differs in appearance, the food here tastes very similar to other pho restaurants. The only differences lie in the portion sizes (which are a tad smaller) and the prices (which are a tad steeper although still inexpensive). To their defense though, they are one of few pho restaurants in the area so perhaps the prices are competitive.

Along with the furnishing, the quick and personable service adds to the classy ambience of the restaurant. Overall, it's a decent pho restaurant and a good option for an inexpensive (first?) date. I'll most likely be back, if not just for the lack of choices in the area.

Sunday lunch with a subset of my family, we tried the salad rolls and spring rolls, both of which were very well made, good quality, but relatively flavourless. The Bún chả Hà Nội (including the giant bowl of meat pictured here) was spectacular as usual.

I tasted some of my son's hoành thánh (won ton) soup and I think this might be the best won ton soup in town. I'll go back and have a proper bowl myself before I post detailed comments and a pic...

Service was friendly and attentive too.

We went here for dinner last night: salad rolls with shrimp and a couple of different bowls of pho. The stock is really tasty, the saté sauce is homemade. The dumplings in the soup were homemade. The peanut sauce, homemade. Everything is from scratch here except for the sriracha and the hoisin sauce, essentially. The service was super friendly and they obviously take a lot of pride in the food they serve. Will definitely return.

We went here for lunch today. i ordered the shrimp tempura but what I thought I was getting and what I got was not the same thing. I expected a light, crunchy batter on the shrimp, what I got was dried bread crumb coated shrimp. This appetizer was not worth the $9. My husband had the hot and sour soup which was quite good although a bit on the salty side. For our main courses, he had their vermicelli pork special (#44) which he enjoyed, especially once he added some chilis. I had General Tao chicken which lacked any heat (chili wise) but was otherwise a tasty dish. I give them full marks for using very fresh vegetables in the dish and a nice assortment to boot. in summary, we weren't as wowed as others seemed to have been and I can't say I'd rush back. It is, however, decent food at a decent price point.

Such a nice interior, and much more empty than it should be! I was told that the younger crowd that frequent the restaurant will show up later in the afternoon on a Sunday because they were out clubbing the night before. Right on! Whatever it takes.

Glad to see the below posts.
Have been back twice since my original post and it's been consistently great.

Only a couple of hours of after feasting my eyes on FF's recent picture of his Bún chả Hà Nội, I just had to go get one for myself.

And yes, a grilled pork lovers dream. I too got the take-out version and served it up in a heated up bowl. Adding the fresh basil and mint leaves made it kinda of a restaurant experience at home.

@36 Pho is doing a Pan Asian menu from a Viet Nam home base. Seeing General Tsao's chicken spelled out in Vietnamese looks funny.

Dining room is spacious and modern looking. Not a tacky picture of downtown Hanoi or a rice patty insight. But then again, the prices are slightly higher than those Mom and Pop, down to earth, Pho shops in Chinatown.

Sorry no pic ... waaaay to eager and hungry. Besides ... FF's pic sucked me ... and hopefully others as well.

It's right beside the Swiss Chalet.

I've tried it here as well and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food. Very fresh veggies.

Fresh Foodie Okay I now have to try this place! Apparently they are on Merivale but may I ask how far down? The google map on their facebook page points to a location just south of Meadowlands. Would that happen to be in the same mall as Swiss Chalet and Karara? I used to complain about the lack of decent eateries on Merivale but I see my choice is now expanding-;)

Wow! I ordered the Bún chả Hà Nội (Hanoi-style grilled pork with vermicelli) as takeout. This came in two parts: a clamshell takeout container containing cucumber, lettuce, mint, and vermicelli, and a lidded ~500 mL styrofoam cup loaded with warm meat, veggies, and tasty sauce.

The meat was of two kinds: thin sheets of tender grilled pork, and 4 or 5 little flattened pork meatballs laced with a black-pepper dominated seasoning.

The flavour of the meats and the positively drinkable thin sauce elevated this dish to wonderful levels. Highly recommended. Especially if you love meat.

I can't wait to return and try the soup!

Food quality continues to be stellar here. Tasty and rich broth, generous hunks of tender-fatty beef, perfect rice noodles. Service was congenial too.

I was the only customer in here at 12:15pm on a Sunday, and I lamented to the server that the throngs of people walking by his restaurant to go to Swiss Chalet are all idiots. He tactfully replied that a quarter chicken dinner with fries for $8.95 is very cheap. True enough, but look at the goodness that can be had for just a couple bucks more!

[Note: I dressed up the bowl with the supplied bean sprouts and basil.]

Like the other offerings here, the phở proved to be well above average. I opted for the "everything" house special phở đặc biệt with rare beef, flank, tripe, and meatballs. Absolutely top notch!

Grilled pork and spring roll on vermicelli

Grilled chicken and shrimps on vermicelli. Delicious sauce and fresh vegetables. This remains one of my favourite Vietnamese restaurants in Ottawa. I wish I lived closer!

Got the delicious Bún chả Hà Nội, which included grilled sliced pork and pork meatballs served in a mild yet tasty sauce. This place has kind service and nice decor as well.