Review: Pho Hoa(Dining)

Reviewed: Pho Hoa
City: International Franchise · Type of Cusine: Vietnamese / Pho ·

Description: Pho Hoa is the largest Vietnamese restaurant chain in North America with locations in almost every city where Asians densely populate.
Review Title: It's Basically McPho, but Good Enough in a Pinch
My Rating: It's OK
My Opinion: I've stopped at a Pho Hoa once on the East Coast and a few times here in the Bay Area. I went there for the first time in years last week. It's the same as I remember it. It's basically McPho. It's ok if you're really in the mood for a bowl, but aren't anywhere near a real joint. It's inexpensive like most Pho restaurants, usually a tad cleaner, but not quite as flavorful as my preferred places.

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ditto to Sheldon's review, there are too many other better Pho joints in the South Bay than Pho Hoa, I only went there because of the buy 1 get 1 coupons which I have not come across in the mail for a while now

So where are the better Pho places since you are not crazy about Pho Hoa. I thought it was pretty good, especially the one on Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd/Prospect. I was less than impressed with the Pho place on Tully that fronts the Lion Center. Expensive and nothing to it.

Can't wait for your recommendations. My favorite soup place in general is Tung Kee on Story Rd. All the goodies in the combination.

Hi Joe,

There were some recommendations in this old thread:
http://www.socialwave.net/topics/1556/?hl=vietnamese

My current favorite is Sunrise Noodle House in Sunnyvale. It's somewhat nearby the Mercado Center. I haven't actually been there in a while since it's a bit far away. I hope they're still in business.

My all time favorite of favorite Pho places closed down a couple of years ago and in its place went a Taqueria. That was Quoc Te' in Sunnyvale.

Tung Kee's better than Pho Hoa, in my book and they're always very clean, but the ingredients taste a bit on the low end. Still, I do like Tung Kee. I just have to be in the right mood for it. It's not high quality stuff, but it really hits the spot sometimes. Mary won't touch TK, so I have to slip in on my own.

For Pho I love Pho Nam 844 W El Camino Real, Sunnyvale.

For noodle soup I love China Chen 400 S 3rd St San Jose.

For broken rice I love Com Tam Dat Thanh 1055 Tully Rd Ste A
San Jose

I agree with Sheldon -- Pho Hoa is McPho. It's decent when it's late at night and it's the only Vietnamese place open but it's not great, and always my last choice. I prefer Khanh's on Winchester near Stevens Creek (across from Santana Row). No one does vermicelli as consistently fresh as they do. We used to go there on a weekly basis, and I even had my birthday dinner there last year.

I also LOVE the wonton noodle soup at Hand Pull Noodle House, 505 W Capitol Expy in San Jose. It's not Vietnamese but the handpull noodles are to die for, and I can't find them anywhere else. It's a bit out of the way for us though so we rarely go.

I work in Mt. View and the only places nearby are Pho Nam on El Camino near Mary (better than Pho Hoa but not as good as Khanh's) and some place off San Antonio and El Camino. I can't remember what it's called, but it's on the Los Altos side of El Camino and in the same strip mall with a big green sign that includes a sushi place (across the street from Chef Chu's). I've only been there once and it was decent, but no Khanh's.

I tried Tung Kee once several years ago. The fact that I've never felt the need to go back should speak for itself.

Oh, the thing that my boyfriend and I HATE about Pho Hoa is that they put a couple of items on their menu that are NOT AVAILABLE at any of the locations here. I used to eat there a lot several years ago before I knew better, and I always used to order the rice dish with the square egg thingie. Of course, that is usually the only dish I want to order but I CANNOT. The vermicelli is good when it's fresh but half the time I've ordered it there, it wasn't fresh. I guess with the cheap price, you can't ask for good customer service since the concept is foreign to some Asian restaurants. But Pho Hoa is the one of the few places where they just bring out your food and leave it on the table randomly, instead of trying to match the food with its owner. They never come by to see if you need anything else. One time, a waitress dropped a tray and spilled water all over some poor female customer. She didn't even say sorry. At other places, they would probably comp part of or all of the meal.

For egg rolls, you can't beat King Egg Roll in East SJ. But I never go out that way which is just as well because I don't need to be eating a ton of fried foods anyway.

QUOTE (mobyfan @ Feb 25 2007, 12:42 AM)

I agree with Sheldon -- Pho Hoa is McPho. It's decent when it's late at night and it's the only Vietnamese place open but it's not great, and always my last choice. I prefer Khanh's on Winchester near Stevens Creek (across from Santana Row). No one does vermicelli as consistently fresh as they do. We used to go there on a weekly basis, and I even had my birthday dinner there last year. I also LOVE the wonton noodle soup at Hand Pull Noodle House, 505 W Capitol Expy in San Jose. It's not Vietnamese but the handpull noodles are to die for, and I can't find them anywhere else. It's a bit out of the way for us though so we rarely go. I work in Mt. View and the only places nearby are Pho Nam on El Camino near Mary (better than Pho Hoa but not as good as Khanh's) and some place off San Antonio and El Camino. I can't remember what it's called, but it's on the Los Altos side of El Camino and in the same strip mall with a big green sign that includes a sushi place (across the street from Chef Chu's). I've only been there once and it was decent, but no Khanh's. I tried Tung Kee once several years ago. The fact that I've never felt the need to go back should speak for itself. Oh, the thing that my boyfriend and I HATE about Pho Hoa is that they put a couple of items on their menu that are NOT AVAILABLE at any of the locations here. I used to eat there a lot several years ago before I knew better, and I always used to order the rice dish with the square egg thingie. Of course, that is usually the only dish I want to order but I CANNOT. The vermicelli is good when it's fresh but half the time I've ordered it there, it wasn't fresh. I guess with the cheap price, you can't ask for good customer service since the concept is foreign to some Asian restaurants. But Pho Hoa is the one of the few places where they just bring out your food and leave it on the table randomly, instead of trying to match the food with its owner. They never come by to see if you need anything else. One time, a waitress dropped a tray and spilled water all over some poor female customer. She didn't even say sorry. At other places, they would probably comp part of or all of the meal. For egg rolls, you can't beat King Egg Roll in East SJ. But I never go out that way which is just as well because I don't need to be eating a ton of fried foods anyway.

I like Khanh's as well. I believe the place you are talking about on San Antonio and El Camino is called PHO VI HOA. THis place is good too.