Pho Thinh — Restaurant in Spokane

I'm visiting Spokane from Salem, OR, and we are used to being disappointed in pho everywhere we go outside of our favorite place back home. In fact, after traveling the country and trying countless places, I've mostly given up finding a place better than we have in Salem. However, a friend that lives here in Spokane said that we HAD to try Pho Thinh and we trust her judgement. So, reluctantly, we caved and decided to go.

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by a very nice man who welcomed us. We received the menus and seconds later we were uttering numerous oohs and aahs. The nice man took our order and before we knew it, our appetizer had arrived. I could tell immediately that everything was homemade, even the fish sauce.

When my pho arrived, I anticipated the yumminess while also expecting the same disappointment I'd felt many times previous. Let me tell you, there was no disappointment. None whatsoever. We had just had pho at our favorite place back home before we headed to Spokane, so the flavor was still relatively fresh in my mind. At first, I found myself trying to compare to see which one was better. After trying the broth by itself, the individual bites of steak, and all of the combined flavors together, I eventually came to the conclusion that it was equally as delicious, even if not the same. What I'm saying is, there's no clear winner. They are both delicious in their own way yet definitely different.

So, all that is to say that you should absolutely drop everything and go to Pho Thinh RIGHT NOW. Anytime I travel somewhere, I like to try as much local food as I possibly can... However, in this case, I just want to go to Pho Thinh and...

You told us business was not so good but you didn’t know why. You said it was because of the building – it had been empty for so long, maybe people didn’t know you were there. That’s not why your business is dying. Your sign is unreadable – If I was looking for Pho, I would have driven right past it. The pho was bland. Even after I added lime, jalapeno, basil and sprouts, it was still bland. The meat was overcooked. The meat is supposed to cook when you put it in the Pho but the meat in my pho had obviously been way overcooked before it was added to the pho. And it was tasteless. Your prices are too high. A small bowl of pho should not be $9. If the bowl was smaller and it was $6, I would eat there everyday (if it tasted good). Get rid of the cheesy décor. Ditch the fake plastic bamboo and the Christmas tree in February. Are you Christian? And the Christmas lights that only half work. I couldn’t really tell if I was in a Chinese restaurant or a Thai restaurant or what. The music you played sounded like bubblegum pop suited more for teenyboppers. How about some authentic Vietnamese music? People want an AUTHENTIC experience. Beer and wine is fine but how about some Vietnamese beer or a local craft beer that pairs well with Pho. Don’t serve cheap wine just to have it on the menu. Don’t put virgin drinks on the menu. Pointless. Clean. The menus were dirty. The spoons were stuck together… If you really can’t figure it out, call Robert Irvine from...

It pains me to write this review because I have enjoyed both the food and hospitality at this establishment for years, but I must do this because we are living in times that health and sanitation are of utmost concern. My last visit was shocking. It appears that the owner has allowed the dining room to be turned into some sort of half as daycare for employee/family children. The dining room is 3/4 cleared of tables and chairs to be replaced by children playing with toy cars on the filthy floor. I should have left as soon as I was put off by that sight, but I chose to stay and place my order. Then I made a trip to the bathroom.

The bathroom was a nightmare. Well, to be honest it always has been, but this time was different. Besides being the usual dirty, the door no longer locks, so anyone can walk in while you are sitting there taking a dookie. It smells like there is some sort of sewer backup issue. The urinal no longer flushes and there is a container next to it used to fill with water and flush it after use. This is serious Health Dept. inspection sort of stuff.

I returned to my table horrified. The food began to arrive. My guest and I began to sample. Everything tasted off. The meatball in my pho, which usually tastes divine, was rancid. Nothing is worse that meat products that have gone off. Needless to say, we walked out and will...