Pho Anh Vu Vaughan — Restaurant in Vaughan

Food: 4 Stars Service: 4 Stars Ambience: 4 Stars Value: 4 Stars Overall: 4 Stars

I visited the third franchise location of Pho Anh Vu, having enjoyed their pho at other locations and eager to see how this location would measure up. The size of this branch is noticeably smaller than their Unionville location but similar in size to the Richmond Hill location, which was expected and didn't detract from the experience.

For my meal, I ordered the Rare Beef and Beef Balls Rice Noodle Soup (Large), a favourite of mine, while my mom chose the Grilled Chicken and Grilled Pork Chop on Broken Rice. The soup base of my dish was refreshing and flavourful, much like what I had experienced at their Unionville branch. The rare beef was fresh and plentiful, adding a rich texture to the dish. The noodles were also of good quality, maintaining a nice bounce and firmness without becoming soggy, which can sometimes be an issue in other pho places.

However, my mom's dish had a couple of drawbacks. The rice was a bit too wet, bordering on soggy, which made the texture less enjoyable. Additionally, the grilled pork chop was seasoned a bit too heavily with salt, which overpowered the natural flavours of the meat. This contrast between dishes was a bit disappointing, as consistency in quality is something I value.

The service was decent, with the staff being friendly and attentive, which added to the overall positive experience. The atmosphere of the restaurant was clean and open, with a setup that allows customers to see how the soup is prepared. This transparency in their cooking process is a nice touch and adds to the dining experience. It was also evident that they manage a high volume of Uber Eats and take-out orders, indicating that the business is doing well and is popular among locals.

One aspect that could use improvement is the payment process. Like at their other locations, customers are required to go to the cash register to pay for their meals. This setup can be somewhat inconvenient, especially as there is no clear system for indicating where customers were seated, leading to confusion and the need to point out our table to the cashier. This could be streamlined for a smoother customer experience.

Overall, Pho Anh Vu's third location offers a generally positive dining experience with some room for improvement. The quality of the pho remains a highlight, though consistency across dishes and a more customer-friendly payment process would enhance the overall experience. Nonetheless, it's a good spot for a tasty bowl of pho, and I would recommend it to others, especially those familiar with their other...

This place is truly a hidden gem. It’s the definition of an efficient well oiled machine. This restaurant is relatively quick with food being served and constantly packed yet you’re never waiting too long. It is like everyone understands to eat as quick as possible and get out so that others can enjoy. Quick friendly service. The place is designed so that you can watch your pho being made by its chef. The interior decorating has a cool feel about it. The tables are set up close for you to eat whether you’re eating beside strangers or not but it’s spacious enough.

Ordered the Gỏi cuốn fresh spring rolls with the pork and shrimp and it was accompanied by the tuong cham (peanut butter sauce). The fresh rolls were a decent size and as it is described very fresh tasting. They did skimp out on the meat filling. The peanut sauce wasn’t bad, the texture was a little runny and loose but the taste of hoisin was very strong and I felt the only peanut butter taste were from the chunks of peanuts.

The absolute star of the show was the Pho Dac Biet (Special Rice Noodle Soup) Ordered the large and it was huge. This soup was special one of my favourite Pho soups I have tried in a long time. The dish itself looked beautiful the basil and sprouts add ons were fresh looking and tasting. Inside there was tripe, sausage, beef, rare beef and they weren’t tight about the amount of meat inside as a matter of fact I was shocked by the amount it had. The broth itself was rich and you could tell was truly beef broth. It was delicious and the broth was clear aswell . It was if The broth had little sparkles of diamonds everywhere because of the perfect fat content and collagen in this broth. The noodles were cooked al dente which is always something I pray for. They had bite to it and a nice springy bounce lol. There wasn’t even too much salt. I swear it was like this bowl kept replenishing itself with noodles, meat and broth. It just never ended and I’m not complaining I’m truly grateful. This is a must try and a definite repeat. I even got a glass of cold tea which was...

I've been to this restaurant many times because the food is good, and I usually tip well. However, I have an issue with the portion of the noodles. My wife and I have visited more than 30 times, and I always order a large size noodles for myself, which is usually more than enough. But once, I received a significantly smaller portion for the same large size. I assumed they had decided to reduce the portion, so I planned to order the extra-large next time.

When I asked the lady at the register, who I believe is the owner, if they had cut down the portion, she seemed to think I was trying to cheat over noodles and became very defensive, praising their franchise and staff. I was simply sharing my experience politely, not asking for anything more. I paid the bill without complaint, and she told me that if I had any portion issues in the future, they would offer me more noodles.

That incident was a few months ago, and I hadn't had any issues since—until today. Following her advice, I asked for extra noodles to share, but when we received the bill, there was an additional charge. When we politely inquired about it, the lady instantly went into a fighting mode again, suggesting we could write a bad review, and praised their trained chef and brand. We were shocked as we had barely said anything, and she dominated the conversation like last time.

My question is: after over 30 visits, does she think I can't tell when the portion is off? I order the same dish every time! It's obvious that they have inconsistent portions, and the owner can't seem to listen to customers. She removed the extra charge, but not respectfully.

I'm writing this long review because my wife and I felt disrespected throughout the process, especially as loyal customers. The lady should learn how to handle customers; not everyone is trying to cheat them out of noodles. Don't get me wrong, the food is great, but don't expect respect if you want to "complain" about...