Pho Com Tam 168 Vietnamese Cuisines — Restaurant in Toronto

Two days ago, in search of a cozy spot not far from downtown, my girlfriend and I embarked on an adventure to the enchanting East Side, exploring The Beaches and Leslieville. It was a day for culinary exploration, a day I intended to introduce my partner to the world of Vietnamese Pho, a cuisine close to my heart.

Now, Pho has been a faithful companion in my culinary journey, and I've mastered the art of ordering the house special, always sans cilantro. So, when the steaming bowl of Pho was placed in front of me, garnished generously with the herb I avoid like the plague, I felt a pang of disappointment. This time, however, I decided to communicate my preference clearly when placing the order, hoping for a flawless bowl of goodness.

In my earnest attempt to avoid confrontation, I kindly informed the older lady serving us about the cilantro mishap. To my surprise, she adamantly insisted that the greenery was not cilantro or parsley but a "long veggie." I argued that I didn't care about its botanical classification; I just didn't want it in my Pho. The denial of my taste buds' truth was frustrating.

After some back-and-forth, my Pho returned from the kitchen, the cilantro crisis seemingly resolved. But as I peered into the bowl, I noticed that the rare beef, meant to grace the top and be cooked as I descended, seemed somewhat scarce and resembled more of a meaty afterthought than the generous slices I'd received in the first bowl of pho.

I decided to address this issue with the man at the establishment, and to my relief, he showed understanding and empathy. However, every time he spoke to me, the older woman's attempts to deflect my concerns with excuses were relentless.

My frustration was compounded as I approached my seat. Despite the assurance that my bowl was now satisfactory, the older woman wouldn't cease her commentary. Exasperated, I warned her that if she continued, I would walk out. Without hesitation, she invited me to do so, and as I made my exit, she even insisted my girlfriend pay for the hardly-touched mango salad and coffee. I was taken aback by this audacious act, and the fact that she seemed content with my departure left me astounded. Such an experience left me not only dissatisfied but utterly baffled.

Fortunately, our day took a delightful turn as my girlfriend led me to a nearby Mexican restaurant in the area. It was here that we were greeted with not only exceptional service but also scrumptious, wallet-friendly fare.

The contrast couldn't have been starker. In this charming Mexican establishment, we were treated with warmth and professionalism. The staff went out of their way to ensure our experience was memorable, and the dishes served were nothing short of a gastronomic delight. It was a testament to the fact that a dining experience can be turned around with a touch of genuine hospitality and flavours that leave a...

Our family recently went back to Pho Com Tam 168 and as always the food was amazing. We ordered their signature House Special Beef Rice Noodle Soup (ie Pho PH01) as well as their Rare Beef Rice Noodle Soup (PH02) along with the mandatory small side dish of deep fried pork spring rolls (K08). Featured in the images are regular size bowls with fresh noodles ($14 + 50 cents each for fresh noodles* *more to follow on this, see below).

Time stands still when we eat these dishes because they always taste as you'd expect them to. The pho is rich, savory, and heartwarming with the classic Vietnamese aromatics. The pork spring rolls are crispy and have the perfect blend of pork, veggies, and vermicelli.

To be clear, the food, service or atmosphere, it's all 5 stars! However, it will be important for customers to be aware of the more subtle changes that I'm sure are driven by the pandemic.

When we used to go to Pho Com Tam 168, there was always the complimentary option to choose fresh noodles or dry noodles (that are cooked). Both are great but do have a slightly different mouth feel. If you decide to go with the fresh noodles, please know it's now an extra 50 cents (no longer complimentary). The restaurant also used to serve their noodle soups in small, medium and large. Small is no longer available. If you'd like a take-home container for your leftover, please know there will be a small charge for that as well.

Where I give Pho Com Tam 168 credit is that all of these new changes are clearly listed and displayed on the standing table menu. Just make sure to have a good read so you're clear on these new changes.

Overall, we would happily go back to Pho Com Tam 168. The food portions continue to be generous. We left with full...

I want to preface this that I always tip 15% as a baseline and often more depending on how I think the service is. My wife and I used to come here fairly regularly; however, one time my wife noticed our bill seemed higher than it ought to be. I was already about to top another 15% tip on top when she stopped me and asked the staff for the receipt. Lo and behold -there was an additional line item of +10% on the receipt. When we inquired, the waitress told us that this was the included tip and this their new policy going forward.

Afterward, my wife and I had an argument on whether that was really the tip, or they wanted to sneak in an additional 10% charge on unsuspecting customers. I vehemently defended this restaurant, saying that the staff must have forgotten to inform us because they were busy. I reasoned that, if their costs were going up, surely they could just be upfront about it and increase the prices on the menu.

A month goes by and we visit again, but this time we find no such 10% charge! I asked the waitress about their 10% included tip policy and she said there was never such a policy. Now the truth has come out, and my wife was right!

If you dine here, check your receipt carefully because who knows what they feel like charging on that day. I, for one, will not be returning because I just can’t trust them anymore. If they feel it’s okay to lie on the bill, then what else are...