SHADE-O-METER RATING
4 OUTTA 5 WERKS: “SHE GAVE GOOD FACE – SHE SERVED IT”
What’s “What The Pho?” It’s a Vietnamese restaurant in Wilton Manors. According to the website, it’s owned by a family member of Miami-Dade’s Miss Saigon Bistro chain. This is the owner’s first solo venture. How was the maître d’? Great. She was friendly and casual. What was the décor like? Industrial, but with evocations of jungles and Buddhist imagery. What was the seating like? There were a few seats at the bar. The rest of the seating was either traditional tables or high-top ones.
What was the atmosphere like? Considering that it was a Friday night at about 10:00 p.m., it was fairly crowded. What was the crowd like? It was about two-thirds gay. How’s the cruising? None really. When was happy hour? No happy hour. Does that make it a “sad” hour? What libations were ordered? They don’t serve liquor. They only have beer, wine and sake. However, they do have saketinis. They offer hot and cold sake. We ordered wine ($10) and hot sake ($10.95; and yes, quality sake should not be consumed hot).
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Were they served timely? Yes. How were they? Nothing special. The sake and wine was average. Considering this, they’re overpriced. What was on the menu? As the name implies, the emphasis is on the pho. Pho is a noodle soup that consists of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and usually beef or chicken. They do offer a vegetarian version. There’s also a “Huey” special (named after the owner) that’s apparently popular.
What was ordered? For appetizers, we ordered the crispy spring rolls ($7.95 for two) and the crispy seafood spring rolls ($8.95 for four). For entrées, we ordered vegetarian pho ($13.95), spicy pork pho ($16.95) and chicken fried rice ($11.95). Was the food served timely? Yes.
How was the food? The crispy springs rolls had chicken and crab in them, and they were served with a fish-based “nuoc cham” dipping sauce. The fish-flavor in the sauce was subtle, and the balance of the competing elements in it was correct. However, the rolls themselves could have used more crab. The dish was also served with another undisclosed sauce. Perhaps soy sauce? The crispy seafood spring rolls were also served with the same nuoc cham sauce. Of the two dishes, the seafood spring rolls were better. Regarding the entrées, the pho was served with an over-flowing side of bean sprouts, basil, lime, and jalapeño peppers. Both dishes were excellent. The meat in the pork pho was in delicate strips. The tofu in the vegetarian pho is fresh and soft. The fried rice was okay, but there was a slightly glutinous consistency.
How was the service? Personable. What stands out about the place? The service and the pho. What could be improved? The food could use an element of surprise or hints of the exotic. Increase the caliber of the drinks, or reduce the prices. What was surprising? That toilet paper rolls were displayed outside of the bathrooms.
What The Pho? is located at 2033 Wilton Drive, in Wilton Manors, Florida. It’s open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday. Dinner is served daily. Consult the website for exact closing times, which range from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
