If you know me, you know that soup is literally my favorite food. While this is likely influenced by the fact that I lived my whole life in Alberta, a province that spends most of the year with snow on the ground or a chill in the air, I will happily eat soup any day of the year, (even in the dead of summer). One of my favorite forms of soup is Pho, or Vietnamese noodle soup. And my new favorite place to get it? Pho Boy Vietnamese Kitchen.
Located on Whyte Avenue, Pho Boy describes themselves as a “family-owned, authentic Vietnamese street cuisine”. Having heard rave reviews since I first moved to Edmonton, my partner and I finally decided to give them a try one night in August. While we expected the quality to maybe be a bit subpar (read: mushy or cold) because we opted for take out, we were both blown away with the food we received.
To start, we got an order of green onion pancakes and veggie legend rolls; both of which were fantastic. But the veggie spring rolls were especially great, and as my husband put it “some of the best spring rolls I’ve ever had” (which is saying a lot!). They were crisp, flavorful, and more than satisfied both myself, a long time vegetarian, and my husband (a die-hard meat-eater).
As for mains, we both ordered Pho, which was also delicious! My partner opted for the Dragon Special with spicy beef satay broth and I ordered my own custom Pho, with vegan spicy satay broth, fried tofu, mushrooms, and broccoli. The texture of the noodles was great, not mushy at all, despite being delivered to us, and the flavours of broth and quality of ingredients were superb. I will admit, however, that while delicious, perhaps the satay broth was a bit too spicy for me. Next time, I would probably opt for the regular vegan broth and add any desired spice on my own with the provided sauces. If you’re not much for spice, I would recommend you do the same.
If you ever find yourself with a craving for some great Vietnamese food, I would highly recommend you give Pho Boy a try! I am sure I will be frequenting them again and again, especially as the weather gets chillier and my cravings for soup kick into their full strength.