Hu'o'ng Vietnamese Restaurant

1270 MORSE ROAD
COLUMBUS, OHIO 43229

Oh Oh Oh! Our pho quest has ended! This is about to become the most boring blog ever, because WE FOUND THE BEST PHO ON THE PLANET! I am so serious. I was talking about coming back before I even finished my first bite. Fortunately, now that I am moving to Jersey/Philly I will have a new adventure of a "Philly Pho Quest", because the search is over for Columbus!

So, for all of my 4 followers, I mean 3 followers out there, I just want you to know that this place is absolutely HEAVENLY! Liss had the beef - WONDERFUL! Ryan and I both had chicken - FABULOUS! And THEN.... We saw something on someones table. And we asked what it was. It's actually called "Bun Heo Hay Bo Nuong Cha Gio", aka, number 15. Get the number 15! It is flipping the yummiest food ever. There is lettuce and cukes and carrots and vietnamese cabbage all looking pretty like a fancy french-fry, with noodles on top, then beef, and some sort of peanuty topping, with crushed egg rolls to finish it off. We shared it of course, and STILL had leftovers. Everything was served in HUGE bowls, with fresh garnishes and excellent service! This was redeeming pho for Ryan by the way. He had some really bad pho the first time he ever tried it, so if this hadn't been spectacular, he probably would have never eaten it again.

Prices were: $6.65 for the chicken (Pho Ga) and 7.65 for the beef (Pho Bo), three completely yummy egg rolls for $2.95, and that completely wonderful concoction called #15 cost $9. It was worth every penny! Houng's is the only place where I will take anyone to try Pho for the first time. I am taking my husband there. I am taking my daughter Jen there. I am taking my adopted daughters Ashley and Amanda there. I am taking my friends Barb and Lori there. Anyone else want to come?

Here's their blogspot: http://huongvr.blogspot.com/

Overall Grade: FIVE STARS, A+, Can't get better than this!

Fortune Cookie: "You are talented with your hands"

Lac Viet Restaurant

September 9, 2010

Lac Viet Restaurant
1506 Bethel Road
Columbus, OH 43220

Hmmmm, no. This restaurant is the second location of the Lac Viet at the North Market. It's a nice location but unlike it's parent location, it's not the best. Let's take it from the top: No plate of garnishes, no water, no spoons (not that we need them, but other people do), no napkins, and no real service. Liss had beef for $8,which she added meatballs to, and I had the chicken for $7. Melissa stated the "meatballs were a little sketchy", meaning, there were things in them that looked weird. We shared some really crispy spring rolls ($2.50) which tasted fine but were over done, and of course the pho... with no garnishes. That's right, no bean sprouts, no onions, no basil, no lime, no peppers. I'm thinking... no returning. The broth and noodles were good, but really, there is more to Pho than broth and noodles. Maybe they're experiencing some growing pains. We may wait 6 months or so and give it a second shot. I'll blog about it if I do.

Overall Grade D-

Sunflower Chinese Restaurant

January 20, 2010

Sunflower Chinese Restaurant

7370 Sawmill Road

Columbus, Ohio

Really, there is a good reason we ended up at a Chinese restaurant for Vietnamese food. We had an errand to run on that end of town, on Sawmill, so we thought we'd Google "Asian Cuisine" instead of Pho to see what we came up with. After all, Lotus Leaf was not on my pho radar through any traditional pho search. We found Sunflower, which was barely 1/2 mile from our destination, browsed the menu online and found our "noodles, Vietnamese style".

I have to hand it to the Chinese: At least they attempted to make a decent bowl of the stuff. Even though it was sub-par (per Melissa, as in "thanks for the sub-par pho mom"), the pho at Sunflower was STILL better than Mi Li.

This pho was a little weird. For starters, they started with a beef broth base. It was good, but not quite the traditional broth we're used to. They did use rice noodles, but they used the wide ones. There were a few bean sprouts, and both types of onions already in the broth. The biggest problem was the beef. It was thinly sliced and plentiful, but not thinly sliced enough to finish "cooking" as it is supposed to do, therefore, we never were able to eat the beef. The plate of garnishes was almost complete, just lacking the basil. The bowls were HUGE, and cost just $7.99.

We had Chinese egg rolls for an appetizer, but there was an extensive Chinese menu to choose from. OH, and I must mention the smell when you first walk in the door.... There are fish tanks there in the front room. Fish tanks smell fishy. Pee-You! I think it goes without saying: the fish is fresh. The restaurant itself doesn't stink, but it wasn't exactly a good impression.

Overall grade: D

Fortune Cookie: Your spirit of adventure leads you down an exciting new path.

Lotus Leaf

January 13, 2010

Lotus Leaf
1595 Georgesville Square Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43228

Today Melissa and I went to the Lotus Leaf for the second time. This was our 'number one' for quite some time, except we could never remember the name. We just kept referring to it as 'the one in Grove City'. Today, the Lotus Leaf was not number one. In fact it probably didn't rank in second place either.

A bowl of Pho cost $6.25. I had the Pho Ga (chicken), which was great. The chicken was in the shape of chunky slices.... Not chunks, but not thinly sliced either (see photo). I rank the Pho Ga that I had tonight second behind Bamboo Cafe. Melissa had the Pho Bo (beef). Her beef was dry and tough tonight, but it wasn't that way the first time we went there, so we're going to have to give this place a third shot someday. Melissa is ranking it third for now. Lotus Leaf uses nice large slices of onion in the broth rather than diced green onion that most places use. This is good for the onion haters because they can easily just pick them out. The bean sprouts were a little on the "old" side today. Certainly not as fresh as they could have been, but certainly not gross and slimy. Totally acceptable, but I gotta tell it like it was.

We also had an order of Crab Rangoon. It was pretty much the standard that you'd find anywhere. Lotus Leaf has some nice selections on their menu besides the Pho, including some Thai and a few vegetarian entrees.

Grade A-

Fortune Cookie: There is no substitute for good manners, except, maybe fast reflexes.

Bamboo Cafe

December 29, 2009

Bamboo Cafe
774 Bethel Rd

The pho was just fabulous! This is possibly the best so far. A bowl cost $8, and the deep fried vietnamese egg rolls (the finger sized ones) came 4 to a serving and cost $4.

Melissa had the beef (pho bo), I had the chicken (pho ga). This chicken was thinly sliced, the way the beef is done, and not in chunks like many other restaurants.

Nice decor and a decent menu. They also have some Thai selections.

LOVED IT! Five stars!

Lac Viet

September 25, 2009

Lac Viet

Located in The North Market

59 Spruce St

The pho was delicious! Melissa had beef (pho bo), I had the chicken (pho ga). The chicken was tender, and in chunks, not sliced. I've had better, so at this point I am ranking Lac Viet in second place. I tasted the beef, and it was very, very good. The atmosphere was busy and fun.

Lac Viet has some history in Columbus! Here's a link to a link to their origins: http://www.shortnorth.com/LacVietMarket.html

Overall good experience. I'm giving them 4 1/2 stars.

Mi Li Cafe

July 27, 2009

Mi Li Cafe

5858 Columbus Square

Mi Li was... really bad. The worst part about it is that it was actually recommended by someone as having the BEST and most AUTHENTIC Vietnamese food.

We both had the beef pho....we'll call it that anyway. Picture a bear skin rug. You know, the back, the arms, the legs, the back of the head.... Now picture a rat skin rug, except it would be the layer just under the fur.... Melissa held up that piece of unidentifiable...whatever, and that was the end of it. Even the noodles were substandard. The place was a dive, the atmosphere was less than welcoming, and the staff looked at us like we were invading their territory. It's ok with me, I won't make that mistake again.

Overall grade: AWFUL. ZERO stars.