Pho Cafe Saigon (West Philadelphia)

Rating:

4248 Spruce St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 222-6800

As the only source of Pho within walking distance of my office in University City, this greasy spoon gets a free extra half star in its rating. In fact, I think it’s the only pho in the city west of the Schuylkill River (after moving here two years ago I was dumbfounded when I learned that it’s pronounced “skoo-gull” - go figure). What’s visible in the restaurant from a patron’s perspective hovers just on the sticky edge of sanitary. It’s a small restaurant, seating about 25, and I’m told that until recently it had a tattered “Grand Opening” banner festooned across its front wall for about 2 years. I went with a couple co-workers who were already familiar the place, and as we placed our order, the waitress sounded so profoundly bored I was worried she was going to stroll out into the traffic after leaving our table, just to put some excitement in her day.

Having said all that, the pho actually wasn’t bad. Fortunately, the numerous drops of oil floating on the surface of the pho (not something you normally see) didn’t seem to affect the flavor. The main thing they got right was the meat - it was of a decent quality and it wasn’t overcooked or undercooked. My only complaint with the meat was that they didn’t have lean brisket on the menu - if you wanted brisket, you had to go with the fat brisket :-(. The noodles and the extras (sprouts, basil, etc.) were all fine. But they failed to inspire where it counts the most: the broth. The broth is the hardest thing to get right with pho, and it’s the most important thing to get right. The broth wasn’t bad, but it was bland, lacking the complex flavor that defines a good bowl of pho.

For me the main attraction of Pho Cafe Saigon is that I can go there for lunch without disrupting my work day. But if you’re not limited to the University City area, then I’d say head down Washington Ave to Pho 75.