Pho Hong Phat - Vietnamese Pho Restaurant, Vancouver, WA — Restaurant in Vancouver

Of all the pho places I’ve been, this is up front the most charming. It felt welcoming and quaint, right down to the older lady with the grey hair who waited on me with such a pleasant and calming manner. First thing I notice is the complete condiment selection, nicely arranged and generous. So many places skimp on that, like they don’t trust you not to use too much or stuff it in your bag. I got the spicy Vietnamese broth and steam came rolling off the bowl like mists rising from the ancient forests. When the broth arrived, I was disappointed in the accompanying basil, it was skimpy and very wilted and I was ready to write the place off. But then I addressed the broth and it was spectacular! It’s that thing where I can smell the fish sauce but only taste a profound savory depth. It’s rare I don’t add a little hoisin or chili sauce, but the broth was perfect just as it came. I love a good thick chewy noodle and this was excellent. When I went to take a drink of water, I was pleased by the hint of lemon, a gesture of care that I find powerful and attractive. When the waitress brought tea, she poured politely and arranged my cup for me in a convenient position, I suspect she is one of the owners as she has that ability to show confidence and strength through quiet service. It was special. Back to the basil, on my next visit if it’s wilted again I will remove a star, because really?

Edit: 2nd and third visits, perfect basil.

On the other hand, it won’t stop me from coming again and again for the amazing soup and the warm and...

The waitress/hostess was great, but if you've been in the couv awhile you should know. The owners have changed and with that change comes the quality of the food they provide. I've been to this place probably a hundred times when I lived in the neighborhood. It's been 2 years since I've been there and tonight I was disappointed.

First off, they changed to pho recipe. The broth used to be savory and the meat was almost delicate it was so tender. Now the meat has that joint throw away meat that is rubbery and flavorless. The broth is thin, and has none of the pho herbal spices that the previous cooks used. And to mask this they use more onions then they ever have before. So much so, that it is an onion broth with beef in it.

My husband is allergic to onions. We stated this clearly. They cause his mouth to blister. There were no onions in his food that we saw, but his mouth started blistering pretty badly before we got home.

Maybe this place is good and were reviewing it from a nostalgic standpoint. But this used to be our favorite restaurant and we will not be eating...

Updated Review*

My first week moving to Vancouver and I wanted to find a place that served good pho while get more bang for your buck. Pho Hong Phat didn’t disappoint! When I first came to this location, I was greeted by a kind lady that goes by the name of Annie. She’s a very sweet, polite and respectful person who made my experience a pleasant one. I ended up coming back twice in a week. I like their concept on bringing an extra bottle of water so there’s no hassle for asking while you eat. This alone freed up time for them to focus on getting other orders ready while still being able to accommodate others but I haven’t gotten a chance to use it because I was too busy drinking the tasteful broth. Servings are just right for my needs and 2/2 hit the spot. I can honestly see myself being a regular here.

Phó (both beef 🥩& chicken🐓) are satisfying, BBH is also good here, Egg Noodle Soup is delicious, salad rolls= 🔥

The sad part is that I forget they’re closed...