So Pho (JEM) — Restaurant in Jurong East

I write this review with a heavy heart.

I was never a fan of Vietnamese food, one reason being the unexplained quaint rawness of their Rice Roll that literally turns my palete off 🤮

Then one fine day my partner suggested we try a restaurant called SoPho. I was resistant so she had to entice me there by footing the bill 😁

The first time we were served by Manager Razizy. It was a really funny experience coz his humble attitude and service makes me feel like family. I was pleasantly moved. We had Fried Rice & Drip Coffee. The food and service created a memorable experience.

Sometime later my partner and I decided to visit another SoPho outlet. This time we were welcomed by Manager Fung De Long. We ordered Beef Pho & Fried Calamari. Both were very nice! But then the unthinkable happened... De Long offered us a plate of the (dreaded) Rice Roll out of hospitality. You should have seen my face 😭😨🤮!#@*!

I stared at my partner who gleefully gulped down the free snack. She claimed that it was nice, and I should give it a try. I said "Ok if it tastes funny I might never come back again." And so I took the leap of fate and bit into half of a Roll. I munched it for quite a while, trying to find the weird taste. Before long I realize I was thoroughly enjoying the sensation as well as the taste. The dreaded taste wasn't there!

I then asked De Long how they prepared it. He replied that the kitchen painstakingly removed the black lining inside each prawn which might have contributed to the dreaded taste. Wow, I'm sold. I'm now able to accept Rice Roll again 🤗

I shall end this review with a converted...

Ordered basil beef rice but turns out, unlike the photo showing minced meat in their menu, to be sliced beef instead. Before the China male waiter De Long could put down the plate on our table I stopped him and told him this is not my order and asked why the variance from the menu photo and actual. He blatantly ignored my question, and repeatedly and forcefully stated that since I have ordered I cannot reject, no choice. I told him I intentionally ordered minced meat for my 7yo and 1.5yo to share. How are they going to chew through sliced beef... Slaps forehead I have no issues about taking in the served food but my concern is not addressed. The photo in the menu is misleading. I am also turned off by how he did not even try to help the situation. I have to service myself and suggest the packing and reordering to him. Slaps forehead I did end up packing the sliced beef basil rice and ordering another plate of minced chicken basil rice. We were there to break our fast for Ramadan, but the waiter's lack of empathy and competency in his service skills took an unfortunate turn of our impression this visit. And oh, I found a short thin strand of hair in the minced chicken basil rice but I did not want to put myself through their (lack of) service again so I let this roll. We usually visit So Pho for their fresh rolls and beef soup noodles. But maybe not this...

We were dining at So Pho Jem outlet on 24 Jan around evening time. Being assigned the seat was quick, 21A. The printed receipt was initially put on the wrong table along with one of our drinks by a server in red. Then one of our pho orders was also placed on the other table next to us by another server in red. The table next to us had came in later than us and none of them had ordered any soup pho but they had started mixing the beef into the broth and checking with each other if it was any of their orders since the server had just left the bowl without checking even when they were all confused. I raised it up to her that my order had not come yet and only then she looked at the receipts of both tables and realized that bowl on the order was actually suppose to be mine. She disappeared into the kitchen for a while and brought a bowl out to me. I could tell it was the same bowl she had brought in as the garnish at the top of the soup was alr mixed in with some of the noodles and the beef slices were not placed neatly and pink anymore. Was a bit shocked by it but since I already waited so long, I did not want to wait any longer for another bowl of pho. Understand that it was busy but... its still quite shocking to have been served the same bowl of pho that was placed and touched by another...