Tried & Tasted: Pho Bar, Central

Hey guys! You may or may not have noticed I backdated this, but anyway I'm just a spree to post all these food reviews I've just not had time to post before. Just a quick disclaimer I might not remember too many of the details now so I'll mostly let the photos talk.

Pho Bar | 24 Li Yuen Street West, Central 

When Pho Bar opened, it was the talk of the town because of how cute, hidden and ~cool~ it was. Sitting out of sight on Li Yuen West Street, this Vietnamese eatery had no social media (still doesn't), and you had no way to find out whether they opened or not (to my dismay). I guess it's that kind of feeling like you never know when it's open so each visit is more worth it? idk.

The vibe

The interior is VERY FUCKING SMALL. It sits only around 10-15 people tbh, and it has the ramen bar kind of feeling where everyone sits around the bar and you have to watch the kitchen staff work and talk.I'm not even kidding, on my second (and to this date, the last) visit, I was unwillingly listening to their loud gossip, which made me doubt how enjoyable this resto actually is and whether there is spit in my soup - original facebook post here.

The price

Ok lor, you can get away with less than $100 per person if you don't order anything else. I guess you can also do one soft drink with their cheapest $68 noodles.

The food

hahahha, are these photos deceiving? They're actually two orders of the same Supreme Combo ($88HKD), just one without beansprouts. Feast on beef slices and everything else edible from a cow's body in one bowl with this "supreme" combo, and get ready to lick the bowl clean too - the soup is just so good! I remember it being slightly on the herb-y side, and less of the conventional but equally addictive MSG soup base you get at local Vietnamese restos.

The Verdict

There's a reason why some restos choose to be one hit wonders, and it's probably because they're confident that they're doing one thing very, very well. I'm sticking to my recommendation that this is an early lunch place (avoid the queue), greatly valued and worth putting on the regular list, especially if you like pho.For your reference, my ranking goes Buncha > Pho Bar > Le Pho by Naked.Leave me a comment with your fave pho place and maybe I'll do a hit and miss list next! xx