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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Pho So 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada

My family always seem to seek out a Vietnamese restaurant on each lengthy vacation we go on, whether it be in the Northwest or the East Coast, or here in Vegas. Us folks in SoCal often take for granted the goods we have in our backyards, and I'm often reminded of our blessings when we go on these Vietnamese food hunting sessions while on holiday. Here in Vegas, a decent pho' restaurant will just have to do. We were craving pho', and to my family, Pho' Kim Long down the street was overpriced and a disappointment. And since my cousins had just eaten at Pho' So 1 a few days earlier and recommended the place, we decided to try it out ourselves and drag them along for their second visit.

Walking into the restaurant, my mom and I exchange a few words. "Gee, it's dirty". But a little grime never scared us off before. In fact, it's often joked that it's a good thing. The rest of our relatives are already there awaiting us, and so we quickly order our food, which arrives quickly via Hispanic servers who can say "Pho Tai" better than Hubby can.

My Pho' Tai Sach (rare steak with tripe pho') is average. What can I say, it's Vegas. The broth is a bit on the oily side but had a good flavor, and the noodles and meat are alright. My hubby liked his Pho' Dac Biet.

My aunt suggested we order their Pho' Xao Thap Cam, which basically translates to "assorted fried pho'". This was a very interesting dish. The pho' noodles are fried to create a crunchy, chewy pancake layer on which an assortment of seafood, meats, and vegetables are placed on, and the whole thing is topped off with a sweet gravy reminiscent of Thai rad nah gravy. It wasn't out of this world, but it was pretty good.

My cousin's verdict on his Bun Bo Hue (Hue beef noodle soup): good.

I didn't think the Che Suong Sa Hot Luu (a Vietnamese dessert of agar and tapioca in coconut milk) was very good, as it was sparse on pretty much everything, but Hubby liked his Ca Phe Sua Da (Vietnamese Iced Coffee), which I noticed came out already in the glass.

Pho' So 1 means "Pho' Number 1", but I'd have to disagree when I think of all the pho' restaurants I've eaten at in SoCal. But because the food and prices are ok, this restaurant will be my go to Vietnamese restaurant for now in Vegas until we try out a few other ones there in the city.

Pho So 1 is located at 4745 Spring Mountain Rd., Las Vegas, NV (702) 252-3934

7 comments:

Sandy said...

The Pho Xao Thap Cam isn't bad. I like the crunchiness! Apparently that's supposed to be their "signature" dish. Pho So 1 will suffice ..for now at least.

imjustatree said...

pho xao thap cam...interesting, i've never seen that before

been wanting a bowl of bun bo hue lately....any suggestions around the area?

Big Boys Oven said...

Oh we love this type of Vietnamese Beef Noodle, just Delicious.

Gong XI Fatt Cai to you and your family! from us both S&S

EatTravelEat said...

Pho Xao Thap Cam is something I have never seen before at a restaurant. This is something new for me. It looks really crisp and delicious!

Right Way to Eat said...

Are you moving to Vegas? Hehehe

Just like Japanese restaurants called Ichiban (#1), I don't get these names at all. Hopefully you guys have better luck at the next Vietnamese place in Vegas.

shavedicesundays said...

fourxseasons, the crunchiness was the best thing about it.

mothermayi, unfortunately, i'm not a big fan of bun bo hue, so I haven't tried any around this area, but if you're in the Alhambra area, try Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa in Rosemead. Or I'm sure some of the other lovely readers here in the Alhambra area would give you better suggestions.

Big Boys Oven, thank you guys!

EatTravelEat, it was far from perfect, but still interesting to eat.

Pepsi Monster, these Vegas posts are all from my New Year Trip (not Chinese New Year, mind you). Can you tell I'm really lagging behind?

France said...

Hey thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment on our blog. I hope you enjoy Tamaya if you do decide to try it out, but a better place for ramen is Shin Sen Gumi in Rosemead.