Phở Trần Vũ — Restaurant in Mountain View

Spendy but understandable given the amount of rent they probably pay to be in this square. No high chairs, but we had our own umbrella stroller. Parents may want to think ahead if bringing their toddler.

The food here is pricey and it's just average in taste. Menus and water were brought over prior to us ordering. A waitress came by within 5 minutes of us sitting down to take our order. My wife ordered an item on the menu by stating the name of the dish first and then the number. When the waitress repeated back it sounded like it was off but we didn't confirm. We felt that if she did say the number incorrectly at least she'd know the selection by name. I ordered the Pho with rare steak in beef soup.

It turns out that the waitress did write down the wrong number. She wrote it based on number and didn't check the actual name for accuracy. The grilled chicken was just average, a bit on the overcooked side. The rare steak in my soup was already well done. The soup wasn't scalding hot, this could only mean that the steak was sitting in the soup long enough for it to completely cook through. The steak actually tasted over done. Usually when I order rare, the steak comes out pink in the center as it's still cooking in the soup.

The restaurant is still very new. I tried ordering a smoothie listed on their menu but they only had the basic drinks at the bottom of the last page, which consisted of only orange juice, coconut juice and Thai's tea (Thai ice tea). We both ordered Thai's tea. The drink was served in a medium sized to go plastic cup filled with 75% ice and the rest drink.

Overall it was an expensive lunch that could be achieved for half the price at another Vietnamese restaurant. The menu is extensive but they need to get the basics...

Pho Tran Vu is conveniently located in the mall next to Mountain View Costco. After shopping, we wanted to eat nearby. There are a couple fast food chains but We are not in the mood. So Pho Tran Vu became the only choice. Besides, we love pho.

It was after lunch time. There were no other customers so we were seated immediately. All seatings are outdoors, perhaps for COVID precaution, perhaps because of the time.

My daughter ordered a congé with pork internal organs and blood. I ordered the house special pho. Food came quickly, but I was very disappointed with the pho.

The soup did not have the stewed flavor that I was accustomed to. Beef was a bit too tough to chew. The noodles were not chewy enough and I was not even sure if it was the kind of rice variety so typical at pho places. As indicated, one of meats was ox tail. It had the right tenderness, but even that lacked flavor because of the soup.

I also ordered a hot Vietnamese coffee, the kind with condensed milk drip atop the cup. The waitress probably mistook hot for cold, which was fine with me. But it came in soda glass, no drip. A premixed sweetened water was really not what I wanted.

The congé was better, especially considering that not many Bay Area places serve pork blood. (And it wasn’t overcooked.) Still, it wasn’t very flavorful as can be expected from listed: pork heart, liver, and ground pork, in addition to pork blood.

In short, pho is mediocre at Pho Tran Vu despite exotic ingredients. (Despite the name, this is more of a full-menu Vietnamese restaurant than a pho place. Maybe this is why?) And the specialty coffee is, eh,...

Title: Disappointing Experience with Cold Soup, Unprofessional Service

Rating: 1 star Disappointing Experience with Cold Soup, Unprofessional Service.

My recent visit to Pho Tran Vu was quite disappointing due to several issues we encountered during our dining experience. Our soup arrived cold, while we noticed other guests enjoying their steaming hot soup. The boiled eggs I ordered arrived significantly later than the soup. To make matters worse, our server failed to handle a lipstick-stained cup with grace, opting to examine our lips rather than providing a clean cup.

Additionally, as my friends are from Colombia, we couldn't help but notice an unwelcoming tone from our servers. This discomfort was heightened by the absence of drink refills and a delayed check, despite finishing our meal a while earlier.

Our dissatisfaction continued when we observed the inadequate seafood portion in our soup. Finally, our server’s ripped glove, and their continued use of it while handling utensils and other items, left us questioning the establishment's hygiene and safety standards.

Overall, this experience significantly dampened our enjoyment of the meal and left us feeling disappointed with Pho Tran Vu. It would be hard for me to recommend this establishment until these issues...