You know that feeling you get when you walk through an entrance of a restaurant plastered with awards and plaques? Well most Viet restaurants in Orlando Viet town have back entrances where you can enter from. And Little Saigon’s back door entrance hallway was decorated with numerous awards. I expected a superiorly #FRESHasPHO bowl of pho…
My party of 6 ordered noodle soups all around the table. My friend and I got the pho dac biet, two ordered Bun Bo Hue, and the others ordered rice platter dishes. When I placed my order, I said the usual “Can I get an extra large order please?” My server responded, “Ok, but we don’t put meatballs in our pho dac biets.”
WHAAAAAAT?????!!!???? (in my head)
Me: “Ooooh, ok that’s fine. But the bowl will be big?”
Server: “Yes, lots of soup and lots of noodles.”
Lies. Pure lies. My bowl came out with disappointing portions of meat AND noodles. The picture above may be deceiving; if you look closely, you’ll see the meat and noodles look like it’s popping out…when really there’s just not much broth (THE BEST PART). The taste isn’t too bad tough, not as bland as other pho I’ve eaten before.
But apparently, I might just be crazy!!!!!! Because according to the same Orlando Sentinel Foodies Award that gave Saigon Flavors “Runner Up in Best Vietnamese”, gave Little Saigon the title…. Either I don’t know the true taste of pho (which may be because I am not Vietnamese) or I should be hired as the Orlando Sentinel’s next food critic. Terrible, terrible choices for Vietnamese restaurants.
Unfortunately (or may be not) I didn’t get to try more of the menu. But I did take a sip of my friend’s Bun Bo Hue, and it was probably the worst Bun Bo Hue I’ve ever had. I don’t mean to dog on this critically acclaimed Viet restaurant, but I certainly must have different taste than [many of] those who rave about it. I just can’t lie about my review though. However, I will probably make another visit in the future to give it a second chance. Probably.
