Pho Pham (Signal Hill) — Restaurant in Calgary

Honestly, this place is elite. I'm hesitant to write this review for fear of my mother discovering that I may have found a place that is (almost) as equal in quality to her's, but it's just that good. As a child I have been raised to expect pho from restaurants to be average if not below average at best. That is, to expect to feel thirsty after drinking the soup being laden with MSG and jaw muscles sore after putting my molars to work to gnash through the sinews and threads of once fresh recently dethawed "meat". Pho Pham has set the bar and continues to smash through it every time I visit, which is more frequent than I would like to admit (the ones in my dreams not withstanding). The broth is aromatic, flavorful, slightly sweet, not too salty, and full of umami. The noodles are plentiful and cooked with just the right amount of bounce. However, the real superstar is the meat. I get the Pho Dac Biet. If anyone else gets Pho Dac Biet at other places, they usually know there's a hierarchy of how the meat tastes in quality (Steak Tripe Beef Balls Tendon Brisket). My fellow Dac Biet'ers rejoice, you will not have to force that dry, crumbly brisket down your throat at the end to appease your guilty conscience. At Pho Pham every piece of meat is worth the space in your stomach. Each bite is a journey. Each bite is a memory. Each bite is bliss.

As I am digging into my meal, I pause for a second and look at their wall mural detailing their origins. Indeed it is a tale of trials and tribulations paralleling the journeys of other Vietnamese boat people on their quest for a better life. To have resulted in the bowl that lies in front of me now is...truly remarkable and a testament to the triumphs that result from hard work, dedication, and perseverance. I wish nothing for the best for the Pham family in the continuation of their legacy and hope to be able enjoy their Pho for many more decades to come....

Service was slow this couple that sat down next to us got their appies before us and their food. Funny we waited to order for a long time I’m pretty patient especially when it’s busy but when you start to see the restaurant is practically empty when you get your food it’s awkward but I usually wait and ordering pho does not take long and I’ve tried many pho places we waited FOREVER here! before I finally asked someone for us to order honestly didn’t know she was our waiter considering how many times she walked passed. No drinks were offered so I had tap water. I had the beef pho sate peanut soup? I forget the name but it’s fan favourite apparently, it’s definitely an acquired taste sweet and thick kinda like the peanut sauce but spicy my husband is a sweet sauce kind of guy he didn’t like it too much. My husband got the steak pho another fan favourite he said it was better than mine so take that with what you will. Oh our appie it was pork salad rolls that was also not very good and we had no spoons well we had one even that my husband ended up grabbing one from another table. Anyway might try the chicken if I ever come back. My favourite pho place is closed on Sundays so I came here based on reviews yeah kind of regretting it. Tips are based on service don’t expect a tip when the service...

Having been a frequent visitor to this establishment due to my genuine love for pho, it pains me to note a recent decline in overall dining satisfaction. While past experiences had met expectations, today's encounter with dish #15 left much to be desired.

The presentation of sprouts and basil on my plate was notably subpar – visibly aged and discolored, suggesting a lapse in maintaining fresh ingredients. Drawing from my own background as a former restaurant owner, I couldn't help but wonder if the issue lies in a lack of knowledge regarding optimal storage or, perhaps, a degree of indifference.

Moving on to the pho itself, disappointment lingered. The texture leaned excessively soft, the taste failed to captivate, and the once-praised broth fell short of its former excellence. Even the meat, usually a highlight, was merely satisfactory. The collective decline in food quality is hard to overlook.

In offering this review, I stress the fundamental importance of maintaining freshness to ensure a positive dining experience. For a restaurant aspiring to cultivate and retain a loyal customer base, addressing these issues promptly is not just a recommendation but a necessity. The long-term viability of the establishment may...