This article was written by Yasmeen Altaji, class of 2019.
Healthy, quick and light are just a few attributes that can make today’s restaurants wildly popular, especially among a health-conscious demographic always on a crunch for time. If you fall into this category, you’ll fall into Pho Brothers with ease (and an appetite).
The Vietnamese dining destination flaunts a casual ambience and excellent food, though it’s named for its signature pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup made with broth, vegetables, herbs and usually some type of meat, typically left to cook for six hours.
Pho Brothers’ location on University Drive makes for a convenient after-school outing where I ventured with a group of my peers.
We started off with a plate of portobello asparagus fries (portobello mushrooms and asparagus in a tempura batter) for $8.00. The thick-cut earthy mushrooms and fresh asparagus coated in the light batter made for a satisfying starter and perfect small dish for sharing.
Junior Gavin Grnja ordered shrimp pho at $12.00, which he described as having “a really rich broth that brought a lot of flavor to the table.” He particularly enjoyed the element of freshness that the raw vegetables brought out in the hot soup.
Junior Khami Auerbach also joined us, but her favorite part wasn’t her main dish. Along with her meal, she ordered coconut bubble tea, which she claims is “the best boba [she’s] ever tasted.”
“The texture and flavor of the boba was perfect. It wasn’t too smooth or too chunky, there was just enough flavor. I enjoyed the entire drink to the last drop, and I believe it was worth every cent I spent on it,” Auerbach said. The restaurant has a variety of flavors of boba tea as well as a selection of boba smoothies (fruit blends with tapioca pearls, or boba, included) at $6.00 each
I ordered a shrimp banh-mi, a Vietnamese sandwich typically consisting of a protein and pickled vegetables on a baguette, ready to be customized with fix-ins (Sriracha, hoisin and soy sauce) available on each table.
As far as prices go, the ones you’ll find at Pho Brothers are worth the noteworthy quality, generous quantity and sheer freshness of the food. Menu prices range from $5.00 for some appetizers to just under $20.00 for a select few main dishes.
If you’re looking for a light bite of ethnic cuisine, Pho Brothers is the place for you. “I’d definitely go back,” Grnja said. At a restaurant with a convenient location and a versatile cuisine that can suit the whole table’s fancy, I don’t doubt you’ll say the same thing.
