Pho 5 Star Vietnamese Cuisine — Restaurant in Whitehorse

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

Reviewed by: [Micheal Wylie]

My recent experience at Pho 5 Star Vietnamese Cuisine in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, regrettably falls short of the expectations set by its name, warranting a two-star rating for several notable reasons.

Quality of Food: ★★☆☆☆

While the menu promises authentic Vietnamese cuisine, the execution left much to be desired. The dishes I ordered lacked the depth of flavor and freshness typically associated with Vietnamese cuisine. The pho broth, in particular, was underwhelming, with a noticeable absence of the complex flavors that define this beloved dish.

Portion Sizes: ★★☆☆☆

The portion sizes were disappointingly small compared to what is typically expected from a Vietnamese restaurant. This left me feeling unsatisfied and craving more substance in my meal.

Service and Waiting Time: ★★☆☆☆

The service at Pho 5 Star was unremarkable, with waitstaff appearing indifferent to customer needs. Additionally, the waiting time for the food was longer than anticipated, which dampened the overall dining experience.

Ambiance and Cleanliness: ★★★☆☆

The restaurant's ambiance and cleanliness were decent but not exceptional. While it provided a basic and clean dining environment, it lacked the cozy and inviting atmosphere that can enhance the enjoyment of Vietnamese cuisine.

Value for Money: ★★☆☆☆

Given the quality of the food and portion sizes, I found the prices to be relatively high, which did not align with the overall dining experience.

Conclusion:

Pho 5 Star Vietnamese Cuisine in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, does not live up to the expectations set by its name. While the restaurant has potential, the quality of the food, portion sizes, service, and value for money are areas that require significant improvement. A two-star rating reflects the disappointments encountered during my visit, and I hope to see improvements that align with the standards of authentic Vietnamese cuisine...

I ate here this past weekend and will not return.

I feel "experienced' with eating at Viet restaurants, how to order, fair expectations, what's normally included, size, etc.

I was really disappointed eating here. Unfortunately. I adore Viet food and wanted this to be my go-to place however...

Portion is small. Not sort of small, but maybe even small to very small. See pictures.

I had salad rolls and vermicelli pork.

I received two shrimp salad rolls that even added together would have been smaller than one roll at another restaurant. It was unbelievable to me at $9.00. I would say they were a bit bigger than my thumb. Also, they only contained noodle, shrimp, lettuce. Where is the carrots, cucumber, sprouts, cilantro or mint?

Vermicelli dish again was small. Served in a shallow bowl and not deep like traditionally served. Had a thin bed of lettuce and a couple of sprouts. And noodles. On top, one skewer of pork than was closer to being shaved pork than BBQ pork that is thicker. And one spring roll.

Taste overall was bland. It really lacked of carrots, cucumber, cilantro or even mint. (Imagine just the taste or lack of taste in sprouts, rice noodles, and lettuce.)

Anyhow. That's my review. Both dishes needed to be almost twice in size and most definitely needed more ingredients.

I will try another...

I've had a lot of Phõ in my time, even had it from a cart in Vietnam which I doubt was very clean or hygenic. But I am addicted to this awesome soup and have to try it everywhere I can.

Well this place was a huge mistake. Staff were unfriendly, couldn't get our orders right and then tried to serve me someone else's food. When I told the guy that's not what I ordered he started yelling and slammed the food down. I don't care if you're having a bad day, or you work in a Vietnamese restaurant where nobody is Vietnamese, in the Yukon of all places. Learn to behave yourself. Be professional.

And here's a tip, anytime you mention tips or say something about not getting one, you're getting nothing.

As for the food, the soup was bland and tasted like dollar store chicken stock watered down. The vermicelli noodles looked like they came from a pack of Mr. Noodles and tasted like soggy cardboard. The meat was mostly fat and what looked like dog food scraps they got on sale from a refinery.

I wouldn't feed this to prisoners and I'm pretty sure they eat better than...