Pho Street: Vietnamese Street Food, Rất Ngon Nhé

Xin chào các bạn!

( Hello, friends!)

I’ve been missing out on some of my favourite vietnamese meat dishes like Cơm tấm (Vietnamese broken rice) and Bún thịt nướng (rice noodles with grilled meat) ever since I decided to become a vegetarian one year ago. But since the start of June this year, I’ve decided to incorporate some meat into my diet to see how my body reacts after simply sticking to a plant-based diet. Initially, I couldn’t quite stomach the sudden meat intake and had some mild stomachaches but somehow I felt more balanced and my recurring acne has stopped. I will share more on my next post on how the change in my diet affects my body but as for now, I really need to share this good news!

Vietnamese cuisine has always been somewhat close to my heart as it often brings back memories of those days when I did my language immersion program in Vietnam back in University back then. I can never forget how flavourful each dish is and how I love pairing those herbs and fish sauce with every Vietnamese dishes. And let’s not talk about those fresh spring rolls which are my favourite Vietnamese side dishes of all time. It’s way better than our Chinese popiah or spring roll.

Whenever my craving for Vietnamese food sets in, I would head over to Pho Hoa which was also recommended by my Vietnamese friends as they felt that the food there was similar to what was served back in Vietnam. But now, I have another option! And it’s even better because it’s closer to home which makes it more convenient and it’s as very delicious too!

Rất Ngon Nhé!

( very delicious!)

I was taken aback at Pho Street’s quality and standard of food as it’s only a humble eatery located at basement 2 of Westgate. In terms of food standard and presentation, it was way beyond my expectations. Another thing to cheer about was it’s affordable pricing and generous portions. I am not surprise if it decided to start off a restaurant franchise but as a consumer, I hope not because that would mean that the cost of the food would increase and also, I might need to queue up for seats!

To be really honest, if I weren’t blogging about food, I might not want to share this gem with you or it might be the next Nam Nam or Ilao Ilao and I might be fighting for seats with you the next time round…

I hope not.

(Keeping fingers crossed.)

Pho Street have been around since 2014 but since June this year, they have included new menu items which brings up the game to the next level. And if you are making a run to Pho Street after reading this post, do try the following dishes I’m about to recommend.

What to order? Make sure you get a drink, side dish and a main dish because the selection of beverages, sides dishes and main dishes are pretty good.

For beverages, the price is between $2 to $3 which is rather affordable. I would recommend Lemon Cooler with Peppermint and Basil if you are looking for a refreshing drink for this hot summer. It’s more western than Vietnamese of course but it’s a beautiful cocktail blend I must say.

If you would like to go for something more authentic, try their lemongrass drink, home-brewed Vietnamese herbal tea or Vietnamese coffee. I personally like the Vietnamese herbal tea alot as it is really soothing.

As for their sides which included several new Vietnamese street snacks, I would recommend the fresh summer rolls and crispy fried chicken mid-wings. I would have tried their mango salad if not for my not-so-big appetite.

That evening for dinner, Xue Ying and I tried their Lemon Cooler with Peppermint and Basil as well as their Passionfruit and Basil Mojito. It’s rather interesting for them to introduce coolers and mojitos into their menu but it is very apt especially in Singapore where it’s so hot and humid all the time. At the same time, it goes very well with the refreshing summer rolls that is served with their own dipping sauce with crushed peanuts.

It’s herbal taste is distinct and has this mild bitterness that fades away quickly. I would say that it’s quite similar to our Chinese Herbal Tea but it’s more pleasing in terms of taste. It really help to remove that ‘heatiness’ in your body as what those Chinese traditional practitioners would say.

This side dish has an interesting twist to it. The sesame rice crackers, imported from Vietnam, on its own are heavenly. And pairing it with the minced meat and spices dip would light up the eyes of the meat-lovers. The flavourful punch of the dip really sets the appetite going and it had made me anticipated for my main dish to come!

The picture showed one serving of each because we were afraid we couldn’t finish everything! It comes together with some shredded carrots which could be paired along with the meat.  The outstanding one here is their Crispy Fried Pork Rolls which I kinda know you guys would love it too.

Cripsy Fried Chicken Mid-Wings served with Caramelised Sweet Dip (3pcs)

$4.90

I had no idea why eating this would make me feel like dancing. It’s either I’ve never eaten fried chicken for a very long time or its too delicious especially with their spicy chili dip with black pepper. The crispy texture is perhaps what sets this plate of fried chicken apart from the other fried chicken I’ve tasted in my life. It’s not oily at all. Could this be air-fried?

If you haven’t eaten phở in Vietnam, then you haven’t really been in Vietnam.

Must-try main dishes: Pho Beef Combination and Dry Rice Vermicelli and Roasted Pork Chop and Spring Roll.

You will notice that their Pho doesn’t come with a heap of beansprouts and herbs because to be really honest, not people like me love their veggies. The dish itself has been tweaked to suit our local tastes without compromising on the authenticity of this traditional Vietnamese dish. It is a best of both worlds and I am in awe by how perfectly balanced this dish is. The rice noodles has a nice bite and the broth was exceptional.

I was hoping that I could try their Bánh mì or Vietnamese Sandwich next time after tasting their main courses which were scrumptious.

The dry rice vermicelli with roasted pork chop and spring roll is another good example of customized-Vietnamese dish for us locals.  I would have prefer it to have more herbs in it but without it, the noodles are well-seasoned with the spices and sauces.

Lastly, we get to try a Vietnamese dessert, Cream of Mung Bean with coconut sauce and crushed peanuts. This was something I’ve never really tried or heard before when I was in Vietnam though I know that Mung bean candies are commonly sold in Vietnam. This dessert, however, was interesting but it’s not something I would go for. Perhaps some coconut ice cream would be perfect.

311 New Upper Changi Road #B1-40 Singapore 467360

Mon – Thurs : 11.00am – 10.00pm (Last Order at 9.30pm)

Fri – Sun : 11.00am – 10.30pm (Last Order at 10.00pm)

3 Gateway Drive #B2-K6/K7 Singapore 608532

Tel: 64659909

Mon – Sun : 11:30am – 10:00pm (Last order at 9:30pm)

Visit their website (http://phostreet.com.sg/) or their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/PhoStreet) for more updates, latest news and promotions!