Pho Street, Paradigm Mall

Pho Street opened its first outlet in Malaysia to excite your taste buds with the distinctly fresh and vibrant flavours that it is known and loved for. We were eager for a taste of some Vietnamese street cuisine.

We started with fresh summer rolls with prawn, pork belly & fresh herbs. I love the resilient texture of the skin, while the overall taste was very fresh and light, a perfect dish for a starter.

Next, we had sesame rice crackers with fragrant minced meat and spices dip belly that provided a nice meaty taste and heavier texture in contrast with the summer rolls.

We also had rice crackers served with salad. The tangy mango and the fresh prawns fused well with the wholesome taste of pork belly and crushed peanuts.

We were told the correct way to eat the Hue Prawn Sugarcane Skewers was to bite into the sugarcane stick while pulling the meat into our mouth, so the sweetness of the sugarcane seeps into the meat. It was such a bizarre-but-pleasant experience!

Our first main dish was the Pho Beef Combination. It was a very ‘beefed up’ dish! It came with beef balls, slices, shanks, tendons and tripes. Boiled for four hours, and simmered for another two to release the beef’s oils and natural flavours, this dish is rich in flavour and texture. We could even adjust the level of spiciness of our pho with a spicy satay sauce that came with it.

The roasted lemongrass chicken with fragrant rice boasts the distinct smell of pungent Vietnamese peppers – a perfect pair to the fragrant rice. Marinated for two hours in fish sauce before it was cooked, the chicken was very tender and packed with eastern flavours.

Dry rice vermicelli with roasted pork chop and spring roll has a subtle hint of coconut despite being very sweet and tangy. After a minute of stirring to mix all the ingredients well, I really love how the crispy vegetables overlay the juiciness of the pork in every bite.

The Banh Mi combination marries pork belly, grilled beef and chicken ham in a fresh, crispy baguette. It is basically a Vietnamese BLT Sandwich in my opinion, but thankfully with more meats! It was also a surprise to discover they even have their own recipe for the baguette!

We had blended mung beans – a South and West Vietnam specialty – for dessert. With crunchy water chestnut chunks at the bottom and coconut cream on top, we had to stir well before we could drink it. Due to its very thick, rich, gravy-like texture, it would be a better choice after a light meal instead of a heavy one.