Pho Hoa - A Healthy Choice

Just down a quiet street off of busy Highway 50 across the street from the Fashion Square Mall lies a wonderful place called Pho Hoa. It’s a wonderful combination of classy yet affordable, and a restaurant you want to eat both lunch and dinner there. Trust me … I do both. Often. In fact, my friends randomly instant message me to go out for a “Pho Run” at Pho Hoa.

To put it simply, Pho Hoa has a little something for everyone. Whether you want pad thai, vegetarian options, a little appetizer, or a huge steaming bowl of pho, you can get it at Pho Hoa. I had no idea, but Pho Hoa is a chain restaurant. I didn’t discover this until I went to look up their address to create this blog post. They only have two locations in Florida, but other Pho Hoa restaurants live in Western Canada, Asia, the Philippines, Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore.

The restaurant itself isn’t large, but it’s very cozy with warm, rich wood tones. The tables are set at a distance from each other, so even when the restaurant is full you still have a feeling of intimacy. You’re not shouting over loud music or other people’s conversations to hear your tablemates. There is a separate dining area in the front of the restaurant which gives a view of the street (and the back of a shopping center), and there is also a small bar in the main dining area. I’ve never seen anyone outside of staff anywhere near the dining area bar, though. It’s not a “party” area and doesn’t disturb the restaurant patrons. The staff is amazing. You’re greeted right as you walk in, and they’re always friendly and nice. I hit lunch there so often, my friends and I are welcomed warmly and the staff remembers what we like (I’m reminded to add boba to my beverages when I forget that option!). The menu never fails to disappoint. To be honest, living in Central Florida doesn’t offer the coolest of weather, and there are times when I go to Pho Hoa not wanting any pho. It’s just too soul-suckingly HOT out there. Pho Hoa has a wide range of appetizers, from standard fried summer rolls and delicious cool spring rolls to roasted quail, grilled mint or onion beef, Vietnames pancake, lettuce wraps, and more.

[fried summer rolls]

[spring rolls]

If you’re interested in lighter fare, they have shrimp, chicken, or lotus rootlet salads which serve as a whole meal. My vegetarian buddies delight in the rice plates, which can be served with vegetables, tofu, or with a variety of meats (julienned/grilled pork, Vietnamese meatloaf, seafood, and more). Rice can be either steamed or fried. Another option is getting a vermicelli (thin pasta) plate OR bowl. The bowls come with your choice of meat or tofu, and are garnished with peanuts, scallions, mint, shredded lettuce, julienned cucumbers, bean sprouts, and pickled carrots. The plates are similar, and you make your own rolls by cooking the rice wraps in hot water. You can add shrimp, meatballs (pork or shrimp), tofu, and a variety of pork to your plate or bowl. Don’t forget to check out their stir-fried noodle dishes - you can choose your meat (beef, chicken, shrimp, seafood, or tofu) and either crispy egg or rice noodles or soft egg noodles.

[stir rried beef with soft egg noodles]

Their chef specials include stir-fried beef with curry or lemongrass, wok-seared flank steak, iron pot braised pork ribs or shrimp or fish, and chicken. There are at least ten selections in their vegetarian dishes (Chay) as well. I have had the pad thai, and wasn’t incredibly impressed, but it was definitely good. That’s been the only dish that hasn’t made me want to do cartwheels.

[my Pad Thai - pretty decent]

NOW … drum roll … the PHO. Before eating at Pho Hoa, I hadn’t ever tried pho before. I’d had Japanese Udon soup, and loved it with all of my heart. How would pho compare? Oh, it does. I will also have to say that I’ve eaten pho at a number of different Vietnamese places, and haven’t been as satisfied with their offerings as I am with Pho Hoa’s.

[phoooooooooooo!]

You choose between two bowl sizes of pho - regular and large. Add extra meat for just a few dollars extra, and it’s worth it (but not needed). The pho ingredients are broken down into three sections: Pho for Beginners Just the Regular The Adventurer’s Choice The Beginner’s selection includes normal rice noodles, and meats like eye round steak, brisket, or meatballs (or any combination). The “regular” selection includes a few more items, such as fatty flank (my absolute favorite!) and tendon. The adventurous selection includes the “fun” stuff, as my daughter calls it, with tripe and crunchy flank. I’ve had the tripe, but usually stay with the regular selection. Basically, the meat is cooked to a nice medium doneness, and you’re given a separate plate of mint and sprouts to add to your bowl. I find that the regular bowl pretty much fills me up (but not too much). My guy friends will go LARGE and their eyes happily roll back up in their heads afterward. You can also order a completely vegetarian pho, as my veggiesaur friends do.

[vegetarian option pho]

Pho Hoa also offers desserts (try their red bean puddings), boba tea smoothies, and fresh fruit smoothies. The next time you’re on Colonial and are looking for a quiet place to eat with great staff and amazing food, head to Pho Hoa. I can’t wait for it to get cooler here, and I’ll definitely be stopping by more often to warm myself with some hot, fatty flank!