Pho Anh Vu — Restaurant in Richmond Hill

As a preface to this review: at the time of writing this review, the Restaurant has been open about a week; take with a grain of salt as all restaurants have kinks to iron out in their first month. I went once for take out, and twice for dine in.

Food (5 stars): tried the standard pho dac biet, shrimp fresh rolls, BBH and BBH Dac Biet. All portion sizes were very generous. Even a small bowl of pho has significantly more protein that expected.

The noodle they use for pho is wider and flatter than the standard dry pho noodle so keep in mind if that is your preference. The quality of the proteins is probably the one of the best i've had from most of the local pho places in the GTA. Broth is not overly salty and has good aromatics. No complaints.

Shrimp Fresh rolls: pretty standard; nothing sets them apart, but would order again

BBH and BBH Dac Biet: best items I've had so far. I dont think i'd order the regular BBH again as the variety of the proteins was quite narrow; mostly beef with a large piece of pork blood jellow and a viet sausage. The soup broth is a good mix of sour and spicy and aromatic. Raw cabbage and beansprouts were fresh and the Dac biet also comes with pork hock, and a hand made crab ball (cake) which was excellent.

Service (2 stars for now): this is where there's probably some growing pains. While every staff we interacted with was friendly and approachable, there's definitely lots of opportunity here. Familiarity with the menu was clearly an issue with alot of the staff. Our order was entered incorrectly (instead of fresh roles, they came out with some spicy shrimp salad). After lots of debate between the owner and server, they ended up removing the untouched plate but forgot to enter our freshrolls in place; resulting on a few follow ups with the staff and what was supposed to be an appetizer, arriving well after everyone finished their meal.

I visited again the following day and ordered a small pho and BBH. After about 15 minutes, another table sat down beside us and ordered shortly after. For whatever reason, that table got their order fulfilled almost immediately after ordering, while we waited for 2 bowls of noodles. We followed up with 2 servers and got 1 bowl, and it wasnt until the owner walked by and noticed I was sitting idle that she asked if i was waiting for anything. All in all, took ~30 minutes for food (which would be forgivable if the table beside us didnt arrive well after us and get their food ahead of us).

Pricepoint: ($$) yes, pho should be cheap comfort food so seeing a small bowl of pho for $16 might be gawdy. However, the ingredients are a step up from most places, the portions are definitely more generous, and the flavours are great. There's also the novelty of speciality items harder to find such as stone pot pho and bone marrow pho. Its a fair price for what you're getting. If you go to le pho down hwy7 which is a fair competitor, then you're spending in a similar range.

Additional notes: If you get take out, they pre heat alot of soup and portion into containers which sit on a shelf until they're ready to fulfill the order. The noodles (pho or bbh) are pot into a regular plastic folding takeout container (not a bowl with a lid). This is less than optimal as; soup is not heated to order (so if you're going back to work where without a microwave, you cant heat it if you dont have a separate noodle bowl available, eating soup noodles out of a folding container (more of a deep plate, than a bowl) is really cumbersome and can be messy.

Conclusion: This restaurant will do really well in this area. The food is delicious and the staff/owner/management seems engaged and friendly enough; just give it a few weeks (months) and the service will catch up. The parking lot is also pretty small for how busy the plaza is. And the drivers who frequent the plaza are on...

If you’re looking for a place that serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine, look no further. I can say with full confidence that my recent experience at this restaurant was nothing short of extraordinary. The moment I stepped through the door, the aromas hit me, transporting me back to a life-changing moment—a vacation in Vietnam that I’ll never forget. It was on that very trip where I met my wife. We sat side by side on a little street in Hoi An, sharing a steaming bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and gold. Today, sitting in this restaurant and tasting their food brought that cherished memory rushing back, as if I was right there once again, in the heart of Vietnam.

I started with the spring rolls, which were a perfect balance of crispy and fresh. Each bite was a textural delight, and the dipping sauce had that unmistakable tang of fish sauce and lime that I remembered so well. I could almost feel the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese street vendors around me. For my main course, I ordered a bowl of pho, and let me tell you—it was divine. The broth was rich and fragrant, simmered to perfection, with layers of flavor that danced on my palate. The noodles were perfectly cooked, and the thin slices of beef melted in my mouth. A squeeze of lime and a handful of fresh herbs on top brought the dish to life. It was like the essence of Vietnam in a bowl. I swear, with each spoonful, I was transported back to that sunset moment when my wife and I first connected over a simple but magical bowl of soup.

The ambiance of the restaurant also added to the experience. It wasn’t just about the food—it was the feeling. Soft music played in the background, and the décor had subtle touches of Vietnam, making me feel nostalgic. The friendly staff only enhanced the experience, treating us with kindness and attention to every detail. It felt like they were not just serving a meal but sharing a part of their culture and heritage.

One of the highlights of the night was when I noticed another couple sitting across the room, clearly enjoying their meal as much as we were. It made me smile, knowing that this place has the power to create memories just like the ones I hold so dear. Whether you’ve been to Vietnam or not, dining here feels like a journey—a chance to experience a piece of that beautiful country right here in your own city.

I can’t recommend this place enough. Whether you’re here for a quick meal or a special occasion, you’re in for a treat. The flavors, the atmosphere, the hospitality—everything comes together to create a truly magical experience. It’s not just food; it’s a reminder of the beauty of life, love, and the simple joys we often overlook. If you’re lucky, you might even make memories here that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life—just like I did in Vietnam.

Do yourself a favor and visit this restaurant. Trust me, it’s worth every penny. Whether you’re a fan of Vietnamese cuisine or trying it for the first time, this is the place to go. I'll definitely be back, and every time I do, I know it will bring me right back to those moments in Vietnam, sitting beside my wife, watching the sun go down and savoring the flavors of life in a bowl of noodle soup.

5 stars,...

First of all I want to say is it would be great if they can provide Chicken broth for Non-Beef eater customers even though I understand that Beef stock is most authentic broth for Pho. So pple don’t eat beef (like me) can also enjoy a bowl of Pho in cold days. Secondly, if they can bring bill to customer’s table or a wireless tap machine would be very helpful too because it can avoid the line up in front of the busy traffic area (the room is tight and servers are walking around with hot soup) Beside those 2 opinions, I enjoyed my food very much. I had Grilled Pork & Spring Rolls Vermicelli(#48), my husband had the Pork Chop & Chicken Broken Rice (#43) and hot coffee. The portion was good and the price is reasonable.

*** Update Oct 2023 I can here again and found that they finally have a non-beef broth pho!! I remembered I asked about the same dish (#59) on my first visit and I was told that the Fish cake pho is beef broth too. But this time the server told me that it’s fish broth (I’m sure he speaks proper English, and so it’s clear that it’s fish broth not beef) But it’s cooked with a lot fennel, I am not a big fan of fennel even though I know it’s good for stomach. So the aroma was a bit troubled me at first, but once I tasted the soup, it’s SO GOOD!!! I guess because it was also cooked with tomatoes so the tomato balanced out the stronger flavor from the fennel. The whole soup was so enjoyable and I’m very satisfied with my hot soup on the chill day. The Fried Chicken Wings (#10) were really good too!!

Last tips is, please come here early otherwise there is always long line up...