Madame Pho Derry — Restaurant in Ireland

We’re in Derry for an Irish family wedding. We’ve been here almost two weeks and were looking for something “different” to eat and to get away from the normal fair of fish and chips, Derry curries, and potatoes any way you would like. We found the place! The starter, sweet chili tofu, as they say in Ireland, “was cracker!” Served with a Siricha Mayo, providing some of the sweetness and the Thai Bird chilis that dressed the crunchy, but tender fried tofu provided the spice. A must try, even if you’re not a vegan/vegetarian. The family ordered a variety of dishes. The vegan pho was exceptional, with depth of flavor that could surpass their non vegan counter parts. You can taste the ginger, star anise, onions, and other spices in their broth. The veggie, crunchy, spring rolls were “meaty” stuffed with a hearty and earthy mushroom and noodle. The broccoli, crispy tofu, and eggplant rice plate was amazing. The eggplant was tender, but “meaty” and full of smoky flavor. And if you drizzle the curry broth/sauce they provide over the rice, you will be pleasantly surprised. In the same category, I ordered the BBQ prawn and BBQ pork neck. It may sound off putting, but don’t let the name deter you. YUM! The vegan fried Bao Bun with crispy tofu was exceptional. A slight trend away from the traditional soft and chewy bao, the crispiness of the bun was on point. Finally, the family ordered an array of alcoholic drinks which I was allowed to sample were fresh, citrusy, sweet, and fruity. As told by staff, who were friendly and welcoming, we’ve only been open for a few months. We are still sampling and trying new items for the menu, but it is my belief that if they continue with their current trend of serving amazing Vietnamese cuisine, Derry style, you and all who come to enjoy the great walled city of Derry and Madame Pho, will leave smiling, content, and with ...

We recently moved to Derry and, being big fans of Vietnamese food, decided to look around for a good spot. We came across this restaurant and visited tonight. The atmosphere was fantastic! It was lively and busy for a Wednesday evening, especially considering the rest of the city was very quiet.

We were greeted by a large man at the front and seated at a table I wasn’t comfortable with. When I asked to move to the table next to it, I was told it was reserved to be joined with another table for a larger group. However, about 10 minutes later, another couple came in and were seated at that exact table. That felt quite disrespectful and left a poor first impression.

The rest of the food service was fast however!

For starters, we ordered the summer rolls. They didn’t look like the golden-brown rolls pictured on the menu, but I wasn’t disappointed as the taste was excellent.

The mains, however, were outstanding. I ordered the caramelised meat dish, which was absolutely delicious and unlike anything I’ve seen on Vietnamese menus during years of dining elsewhere. My wife had the pho, which she loved, though it turned out a bit spicy, but that was down to her adding chillies!

Overall, I’d recommend this restaurant. The only thing that let it down was the service we received by the large man at the front bar. If it hadn’t been for the poor service at the start, we would have happily given 5 stars. Hopefully, on our next visit, if the service improves (like being seated where we ask) then it might well deserve the full 5. We’ll...

We got a takeaway from here. Ordered online and was told to collect in 25 minutes. We arrived early about 10 minutes from the time of order and the food was sitting ready to collect. So glad we did not allow the full 25 minutes as it would have been just sitting there. I would rather if the restaurant did not give a time for collection and to arrive as soon as possible and wait for the food if necessary. I ordered the duck rice plate. When we got home and unpacked the food we realised that the coconut curry sauce was missing from this dish. I rang the restaurant to ask about this and they said that it is packed separately and should have been in the bag with the food. They did say to come in a collect it but it would have been a 15 minute drive in and a 15 minute drive out so I didn't bother. I was very disappointed though as I paid 15 pound for the dish and got, dry rice, duck and a fried egg. We had ordered some small plates too luckily. The cauliflower wings were very good and a big portion. The summer rolls were...