Pho Kita Steak & Ribs — Restaurant in Hillsboro

Found this place online while looking for steakhouses. A few things that stood out were that it was a Vietnamese place with a petite menu that not only served pho but also fusion steaks, they had Vietnamese sticky dumplings for appetizers, a lychee drink in their beverage options and good reviews from patrons who had visited this recently opened, less than a year old restaurant.

Needless to say i was very intrigued by Vietnamese flavorings on a steak and so decided to drop by, on a night when it wouldn't be too busy. It looked like a newly opened, well managed, locally owned, mom and pop place, and indeed it was. Chinh & Helen's (Level:Asian) hospitality was very heartwarming throughout. Even though we were at a restaurant, they made us feel at home. Just for the service and hospitality itself i would give the place 5 stars.

We began the evening ordering Vietnamese sticky dumplings and a glass of Lychee Dreams, which you may not find on the online drinks menu, but i assure you that Helen will be able to make you one if she is there, and she will serve it with pride. Compared to its Asian counterparts (be it Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese, Korean or Indian) these dumplings were quite unique. Served in the leaf wrapping (reminiscent of paturi) in which it is steamed, its heavy and dense nature imbues itself with its own gravitational field that immediately attracts the devourer, to peel off its leafy exterior and peer inside. As the outer layers are peeled, a light brownish white, chewy tapioca texture is revealed, which further gives way to a nutty, savory goodness-filled core, when bit into. Even without the light tangy and sweet sauce served on the side, this dumpling stands out on its own, yet the sauce balances out the savoriness without being overbearing. The Lychee Dreams had a perfect balance of Lychee flavor and alcohol, usually my wife says that most places in and around the Greater Portland area skimp on the alcohol content in their alcoholic drinks, but this place does not. She was very happy with the drink. I took a few sips, was very pleasantly surprised and concurred with her assessment. I could end on a happy note here itself but we had ordered some Pho with Eye round rare & brisket, and Kita's VN Fusion Steak as our entrees.

The pho, like their hospitality, was soulwarming. On this chilly night when my hands were feeling the sting from light winds, the pho was a panacea for my soul. For the bowl it came in, it was amazingly light, flavorful and filled with pieces of eye round rare and brisket apart from the noodles, bean sprouts, basil and scallions, some of which were served extra, on the side. A little bit of chili sauce (they will ask you if you would prefer one) added the appropriate amount of spicy heat to the dish that made it heavenly.

Next, the Fusion Steak, served by Chinh himself, was absolutely amazing. It had a perfect balance of sweet, salty, tangy and umami flavors. It came medium rare as ordered and had the perfect caramelization. Slightly crunchy and very flavorful on the outside with a delectable and juicy interior, that thick yet well rounded, cuboidal piece of meaty goodness won my heart. I cannot truly describe the fusion of flavors or its root causes in Vietnamese ingredients but i can say that after having that steak, i wished that all steaks were flavored in this way. To say that it was amazing would be an understatement. The vinaigrette salad that it came with sadly paled in comparison, it was nothing to write home about, but it was always doomed to be a wingman and take one for the team, and it did its job well.

We ended the evening with a Vietnamese Flan, which was quite light and sugary, reminiscent of a cotton candy in some ways.

Cannot wait to go back and try out their ribeye, ribs, drinks (Helen's nighttime coffee, Thai Iceland tea) and their ice cream sundae.

P.S: The ambiance was chill and the music was light. All the servers were nice. The toilets were clean and well maintained. It was good to see the chefs and co-owners be so involved in their...

Booked a reservation via Google about a week out and given when we showed up on the day of the reservation, we were told they had "turned off" taking reservations via Google except for call ins during the day. Too many people would cancel out/no shows. For call ins for reservations for the day of the call, they would do the best to have a table for you but no guarantees. Ok, having gotten that out of the way, My family and I arrived around 5:30pm, Saturday, and the hostess/waitress explained the situation and got us in just shy of 6pm pretty much keeping us on time for the reservation that I had made a week out. Kudos to them as they were very busy. She had explained since the Yelp ratings came out calling them one of the best Steak houses in the US they have been very busy. The food and drink that we ordered was just... sublime. We were in awe. A week before we were at Fogo De Chao and this simply was just Next-Next level good. If you get this far in the review and want to stop, just head over and get a table or on the list and having yourself a food experience you will remember and pine to return to dine again as soon as possible.

The restaurant is family owned and run and they all fit together like puzzle pieces operating in concert. Mom was the mixologist, Dad is the head chef, the daughter was the hostess/waitress and I think the others were the son and daughter also busing tables or waiting on them. We ordered drinks were were masterfully made by the Mom. She also answered questions about how most of their items were gluten free, including the marinade for the steaks, but of course some items were not and they could not guarantee no cross contamination. Luckily, my wife and daughter are only gluten intolerant. We ordered the salad rolls and the steamed spicy dumplings - OH SO GOOD! Onto the main event, we ordered the Waygu steak with fries as a side, Kita’s Fusion Lemongrass Steak Bites Salad and Kita’s Fusion Steak Bites Rice. We shared all of it and dined family style. The tenderness and flavors of the steak were just... amazing. So much so, my family were just silent in their dining as they were savoring each and every bite. As I had said before, the experience was sublime.

The chef stopped by our table and asked how things were and we told him we were beyond pleased with the food and service. He was kind and explained to us they use aged steaks and the Waygu was grade A3, which was just amazing in it's tenderness and taste as were the steak bites. IT WAS ALL JUST GO GO GOOD... make that GREAT!

We will be back for special occasions and also to give the Pho as try. I can only imagine that if the steak is so amazing that their Pho has too be next level too! So, more to explore! Thank you to the family who runs Pho Kita! You should be proud of your achievement of making it as one of the best Steak Houses of 2024 in the US as rated by Yelp! Well...

This is going to be long but I have so much to say about this place! I want to give this small local family owned place that has LEGIT AMAZING food, it's proper spotlight!

It's a cute place with cool decor, a nice vibe and being in such an unassuming spot, you wouldn't expect it, but it's just outrageous what they've accomplished here. The flavors at this place... My husband and I the first time we went, started eating and then simultaneously stopped and just stared at each other before we both voiced our disbelief. We truly felt this food tasted white table cloth and three dollar sign good.

These are high end flavors here. The prices are not cheap but they are exactly right in line with other pho places. However they could charge much more for what they are serving. I hate to say that because obviously I don't want prices to go up. But, again the flavors are so much more elevated than other pho places (Kita has steak & ribs too -although I haven't had a full steak yet the steak bites were delicious and tender) you can taste the quality and passion they put into their food and they are sweetest owners!

I tried one of their house crafted cocktails (something with basil in it) it was insanely good. They also make the best thai tea we've had anywhere which they make themselves as well so it has a good tea flavor without being syrupy and cloying.

I have to say, they make the best pho in our area for sure! Great flavor, perfect noodles (that don't turn mushy like some). Try the chili oil, they make their own! The Vietnamese steam dumplings are delicious and are a rare find, with a unique delicious and spicy flavor. The Pho Kita's Tofu pho is out of this world too. The tofu comes along side the pho, and the sauce it's cooked with is so yummy! Now for THE RIBS!! 🤤 I've never liked pork ribs because they all taste the same, but not these. These are special. Last time we went we decided to try them (the time before, I smelled them being made and asked what smelled so amazing and it was the ribs). The house made sauce is freaking scrumptious and the ribs themselves are unlike any other pork ribs. They aren't smoked to death and dry like others. They are tender, meaty, and yup, you guessed it, they make them in house! You do have to cut the ribs yourself but maybe that's how most places do it? I don't know.

My family doesn't always agree on food at restaurants, but we all agree on this one! Go! Show this hidden...