Pho Bac
Bún Bò Huế at Pho Bac
Spring Rolls at Pho Bac
Bánh Cuốn at Pho Bac
Foods from Pho Bac
Comments

2016 Mar 25
I love the spring rolls here! Different from your average spring rolls, these ones are fried with rice paper so that they have a crispy outside and a chewy inside. Love it! I especially like the value of them; at $6 (the average price of spring rolls in the area), you get two extra large spring rolls!

That being said, the pho was pretty average. It wasn't as hot as I would have liked (the bowl I had was a little more than lukewarm) and I wish there was a little more variety in the meat. Not bad though.

Overall, this is a quaint little shop. You can tell that it's family-run by the decorations on the wall. It's really quite cozy. Service is quick and friendly too!

Would I go again? Definitely - if I were in the area and craving pho.

2009 Apr 17
Every Tuesday night after class, we have a Vietnamese soup. This time we went to Pho Bac. I must admit, they have the most delicious spring rolls in this town! They are so big; it's a meal in itself. The soups were very tasty too. They are probably the least expansive Vietnamese place around. My only problem/concern is the hygiene and probably the reason I will not return. The place is very dirty and not well kept. I wish they would clean up their act, as this would be our #1 spot for Pho.



1

2015 Jul 9
Very awesome! These are the authentic bubbly-crispy rice paper chả giò, loaded with pork and chewy cellophane vermicelli. You get two massive rolls for $6, served on a small bed of lettuce and rice vermicelli. Top notch!

2009 Feb 23
I have had spring rolls at various restaurant locations in Ottawa. In my opinion, Pho Bac make the best I've ever tasted. The rolls are also quite big. The fish sauce is so tasty that if there is a little bit left at the end of my meal..I drink it.

I found the prices very reasonable. To date, I would only have one complaint, but it is not about their food. They should spend a few dollars and renovate..not much ambiance.









2015 Jul 5
I've been wanting to try bánh cuốn for a while. I came here for a solo dinner at 5:45 on a Sunday and only one other table was occupied. I opted for the 27. bánh cuốn nhân thịt ($6).

Now this was delicious! Satisfying folds of rice paper, interspersed with a nicely seasoned filling of ground pork, black fungus, and onions. Topped with fried onions and served with bean sprouts, fish sauce, and chopped chilis. Very awesome! The lady struggled a bit to explain in English that normally only Vietnamese people order this.

The bánh cuốn could serve as a very light meal, but I was hungry and ordered a small bowl of phở as well. I found the phở to be okay but a little bland. Others have described it as "less sweet and without MSG... downright perfect" so I guess it depends on your taste. I like MSG. I'm already looking forward to my next visit. Gotta try their spring rolls now! :-)





2015 Jul 9
I asked for phở bò Huế because I don't love the thick vermicelli used in bún bò Huế and they happily accommodated my wish.

The soup ($7.25 for Small) arrived piping hot, with some rare beef poking out of the broth, and accompanied by a massive plate of bean sprouts, basil, mint, and lime.

The soup wasn't bad, but it didn't have anywhere near the depth of flavour I've had elsewhere. In fact, it was thinner and clearer and more sour... very much like a Thai tom yum soup. This could be a regional variation, or maybe they prepared a different broth because of my request for bánh phở. Who knows! In any case, if you want a lighter, simpler version of Huế soup then check this out.

One of the awesome things about this grungy little place is that they seem to always supply a condiment dish full of chopped bird's eye chili peppers. Right on!