Pho 102 — Restaurant in Tumwater

Disappointing. The food was too Americanized and not authentic. Overpriced.

The spring rolls were bland with out soy sauce or rice wine vinegar. Minimal crunch and there were NO julienned carrots or cabbage in the spring roll. It was mostly rice noodles inside a rice noodle wrapper with some cucumber. The three shrimp were nice but, again, not properly seasoned and there was no acid, no cilantro or parsley or green onion inside the spring roll.

The spring roll dipping sauce was again, Americanized, way too sugary and thick. No traditional dipping sauce was offered. Traditional dipping sauce for a Vietnamese spring roll is made from fish sauce, garlic, ginger, chili with possible addition of rice wine vinegar and soy sauce.

The beef eye pho broth was not clarified and had oil on top. The meat looked grey. I should have asked them to bring the meat, on the side, raw. There is no point in eating rib eye that is grey and overdone. I can use any regular beef broth from the grocery store and make this. If they used any spices, I couldn't taste them. If they spent hours roasting bones for the broth, I couldn't taste that either. No flavor of star anise, no flavor of rich roasted bones. Totally missing.

The accompaniments for the pho were bean sprouts, Thai basil on the stem, raw jalapeno and lime wedges. No carrots, no fresh cilantro. The jalapeno was hand cut and uneven, some of the pieces were way too thick for a broth and should have been cut on a simple mandoline for uniformity and thinness.

The male waiters didn't make eye contact and didn't speak English which was awkward. There are plenty of second- and third-generation Vietnamese in the area that speak English that could be hired to chat up the menu.

Overall, the menu was too complex and too long. Classic error. They should concentrate on a few items and make only those and prepare items the same way they prepare them at home. It is unnecessary to Americanize the menu! Make...

BUGS IN THE PHO!!!!!! MANAGEMENT KNOWS AND DID NOT CARE!!!! Please thoroughly look at your food before consuming!!! I've been going here with my partner for over a year, but the quality and service has just been getting worse and worse. Last week we went and ordered 2 large steak phos (#11). Within the first 30 seconds of getting the pho, my boyfriend and I both started noticing a bunch of black spots in the broth and on the noodles. We started pulling these black/brown things out and placing them against a white napkin to see them clearly, and sure enough they were bugs. Different types of small insects with visible heads, bodies, legs, and wings. I didn't think to pull my phone out and start filming it because we've been loyal to this place for almost two years, and I was just in a disgusted, disappointed shock. I called the manager over to show him the napkin FULL of at least 10 bugs, and tried to quietly explain how we can't eat this. The manager looked at the napkin that was in my boyfriends hands, took it from him and CRUMBLED IT UP RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. Then completely interrupted us 5 seconds into the "conversation" by saying "Okay Okay Okay Okay" basically to SHUT US UP!!!!! NO APOLOGY, NO REMAKE, NOTHING!!!!! After literal years of us going here, with little to no problems. So disgusting, disappointing, and severely...

Quiet, but non unpopular. Has a bit of everything for everyone. I usually get pho with all the jiggly bits everyone hates, but experimented here with their beef stew, which had amazing chunks of beef and the broth is on point. I would suggest to have it with the pho noodles so that your stomach is filled, but you can replace them with a toasted baguette which is always good.

If you like the baguette I would suggest the bahn mi. Which is only 5 bucks with a drink and is filling enough for someone like me. Having one with the soup is too much, but I wouldn't not suggest it.

The last thing I wanted to suggest I forgot the name of, but it's a pho salad. That would be my third favorite dish, and I'd suggest it to the non soup eaters.

I have taken someone there and they didn't get anything more "traditional" there and the meal looked on par with everything else, but I can't speak personally on taste, but I'm confident you could find a fried rice dish or something for a...