Bong Lua Vietnamese Restaurant 禾花 — Restaurant in Toronto

Bún riêu (crab noodle) is very good, but probably only item that's good on the menu along with banh dap bo, which is not available at most viet places... Bo la lop way too salty not edible. Spring roll was to the salty side too. Tasteless pho broth like little salt with hot water, but decent amount of toppings Banh xeo is not available all the time.

New server doesn't know the menu at all and wouldn't care, good luck.

Seating: Very small and close seating. Was there for lunch today, we were seated at a tight table of two, and next table for 4 was only occupied by one person who just finished ordering. Ok...

Ordering: New server seems clueless when having to take order. Apparently they fired all the previous servers, which were very helpful and great when we were there last time. She pulled out her pen and note pad but not too sure what to write. I think she just hope everybody orders their #100 pho, which we tried before but didn't enjoy their tasteless broth. This time we ordered bun with bo la lop. She kept saying beef, we kept telling her it's beef rolled in herbs 香葉牛肉卷. So we pointed it out to her on the menu so she can write it down correctly. Yet when it comes, it's beef, not the one rolled on herbs. She wanted to force us to take it but we refused. My mom is senior and barely dine out nowadays, we wanted to get her what she wanted. She kept saying we wanted beef balls then, we kept telling her it's beef roll in herb. Then she came with the menu to verify again, and we pointed it on the menu to her again. After a while, we were sent a totally different dish, banh dap. Omg. Worst server ever tbh, simply doesn't care. Then looks like the owner came and we told him what we ordered, simple and quick. And he told the server it's a menu item.

Food: So finally the right food came. But the bo la lop was so salty that's not edible. There's no way anyone would make the food so salty. I believe kitchen was upset with us and did that on purpose because their server took the order wrong, twice. We didn't order wrong, it's your server that did not know the menu and kept telling kitchen the wrong order, not us. Not fixing the issue, but make it worst. So not only a bad server but ridiculous kitchen with sick mind set, feeding a senior with exceeding amount of sodium. And of course they didn't come check if the food was ok at all, as they all know the beef roll came inedible. That's disgusting mind...

Bong Lua is a Vietnamese restaurant that left a lasting impression on me. During my visit, I had the pleasure of indulging in their Pho soup and garlic chicken wings, while my companion enjoyed their seafood fried rice. We also paired our meals with refreshing glasses of coke. Here's why Bong Lua made our dining experience truly delightful.

The star of my meal was the Pho soup. The rich and aromatic broth was filled with tender slices of beef, complemented by a medley of fresh herbs and spices. Each spoonful was a burst of comforting flavors, making it a perfect choice for a satisfying meal.

The garlic chicken wings were another highlight of our dining experience. The wings had a crispy exterior, giving way to juicy and flavorful chicken meat. The garlic seasoning added a delightful kick, creating a harmonious balance of savory goodness. These wings were a definite hit.

My companion opted for the seafood fried rice, which turned out to be a great choice. The dish was packed with plump shrimp and succulent squid, mingling perfectly with the well-cooked rice. The flavors of the seafood shone through, making each bite a delightful journey of tastes.

To accompany our meal, we enjoyed glasses of coke, which provided a refreshing and fizzy contrast to the bold flavors of the dishes. The carbonation and sweetness of the coke enhanced the overall dining experience.

Throughout our visit, the service at Bong Lua was attentive and friendly. The staff made sure we felt welcome and attended to our needs promptly, adding to the positive experience.

In conclusion, Bong Lua is a Vietnamese restaurant that knows how to satisfy the taste buds. From the flavorful Pho soup to the delectable garlic chicken wings, each dish showcased the restaurant's dedication to quality and authenticity. The seafood fried rice was also a winner. Paired with glasses of coke, our dining experience was truly memorable. I highly recommend Bong Lua for anyone seeking a delightful Vietnamese...

A genuine family run Vietnamese restaurant with classic pho and more.

Yes, pho is available and good. But they also do interesting twists such as a crab noodle soup (they call it sweet and sour but tomato is the base) and a lamb curry noodle soup which are also delicious.

The crab soup is lighter with thinner noodles and rich crab flavour which is nice for hot weather. The lamb curry soup with its mildly spicy broth with thicker noodles and warming protein satisfies during the cold months.

I also like their satay style pad thai which comes with an interesting mix of proteins that come together for big flavours. There is always sriracha red chili sauce and hoisin sauce at your table to dress up your dishes if you like.

These dishes and more are created with care so sometimes they can come out a bit slowly when the small, simply decorated restaurant is fully seated (which also means there is often a wait at the door for a spot during busy hours). But that's a trade off I can live with at a family place, especially for the reasonable prices they charge (which I always pay by credit card).

Parking for the little strip mall where Bong Lua is located can also get full at peak times since there a number of restaurants here and the location is well away from the subway lines.

So to best enjoy Bong Lua I highly recommend that you arrive well before peak dinner hours, keeping in mind that excessive in house and take out orders can adversely affect service times and food.

If you like pho but want to try something more, then give Bong Lau a chance.

Update March 2019: The protein for the curry soup is goat now, still hearty and enjoyable. The satay pad thai was not the same as before, this time having the same sweet red base as the regular pad thai. Maybe they mixed up...