Pho Saigon — Restaurant in Memphis

We were visiting Memphis, and we wanted to try out Pho Luong, since Vietnam Restaurant was so good. However, Vietnam Restaurant was dirty and hot due to a lackof a good A/C. When we arrived at Pho Luong, they were closed, so we quickly decided to go to Pho Saigon. The pictures for Pho Saigon looked good and the food looked authentic.

When we started ordering, we quickly learned they weren't so authentic. The server didn't know any Vietnamese, which makes us think Vietnamese customers probably don't dine there. And the server didn't know the ingredients of the dishes, and she looked as if she really didn't want to be there. Maybe we should have just stuck with simple Pho at that point? However, we continued to show pictures based on what was stated on the menu. We wanted to confirmed whether they included some key ingredients that make the dish taste good. The server acknowledged they have the ingredients, so we ordered.

Once the dishes did come, we noticed the fish sauce was awful. Being from a family that runs restaurants, good fish sauce is what adds to the flavor of the food. We didn't know what we ended up.

They didn't finish mixing the powder for the Thai ice tea, so I finished stirring for them. At least finish stirring those instant powder for me.

Next, the shrimp salad didn't include the lotus leaves. We told the server we wouldn't have ordered this then. The server felt bad so she offered rice. Huh? It's like ordering a cheeseburger, but we got a hamburger without cheese. So the server ends up offering us mashed potatoes.

The Bun Bo Hue was watered down. It's like ordering Coke, and getting half Coke, half water mix.

Lastly, we had to pay up at the register, which is a bit odd. So food truck owners love to show you a screen with your total and the suggested tip amount. This pressures the customer to tip. I really didn't want to tip because we didn't get service and the food was bad. I noticed that the suggested tip is after the tax instead of before the tax. Shame on them.

I guess the best thing is the size of the dishes were huge, but that would be the only reason...

I recently ordered the meat and brisket pho as a take out. The people were very friendly at the restaurant. The amount of food that came with the pho was generous. The additional ingredients were fresh and good but missing the Thai basil (beanstalks, onions with cilantro, lime, hoisin sauce). The main reason for the 3 stars for the food is the broth. I couldn't taste some of the condiments or spices that you find in the best of pho's. There was no hint of fish sauce or star anise, coriander, or clove. I couldn't fully sense the umami you get from slow cooking the broth for hours and splitting the bone for the marrow to infuse the flavor. Nevertheless, I would recommend this pho because the meat itself was flavorful that came with the soup, and in general I enjoyed the meal.

The one star reduction on the service has to do with the lack of clarity around the price - what is shown in the menu photo vs the online menu vs what is charged in reality (plus tip [remember the days when take out was just take out?]).

In short, if you have 20 bucks to spend on a satisfying meal, I would recommend Pho Saigon.

If Pho Saigon reads this - don't be...

Only 1 of 5 employees in the dining room were wearing a mask, so if the pandemic is a concern for you, maybe hold off on this place.

As for the Pho ... It was just clear broth! I asked the server, and someone came over to explain that Vietnamese Pho is just bone broth. I could not have been more shocked if I was told that an Indian curry was just tomato sauce. Yes, that's a base ingredient, but then spices. are. added. The pho I've had for the past 15 years, up until this point, has been not just plain broth, but broth prepared with whole spices, like star anise, coriander, cardamom, and/or cinnamon. It's a complex yet delicate flavor, then topped with cilantro, basil, or mint, it becomes a real party in your mouth! To be fair, they did provide the expected toppings.

I felt sorry for everyone who had the broth here and thought that's as good as it gets. Yes, the broth is fresh and clear, but the Spice Road was a thing for a reason. Get yourself some flavor elsewhere! However, the pho here would be great for a pre-colonoscopy cleanse where only clear, bland liquids...