Austin Bites: Pho Hoang

Pho Hoang
Address: 2521 Rutland Dr #400 (map)
Phone: (512) 339-6002
Cost: $ ($=Under $10; $$=$11-30, $$$=$31-60, $$$$=$60+, avg cost per person including 1 drink, tax, and tip.)
The 411: In these days of economic turmoil, few things will soothe your soul like an affordable and hearty bowl of soup. If you can still afford the trip to North Burnet, Pho Hoang is a tasty dive of a restaurant, offering savory Vietnamese classics in a decidedly no-frills manner.

Pho Hoang can be found appropriately triangulated between Andiamo, a Jack in the Box, and a martial arts school. The service and decor are about what you'd expect ("barely noticeable"), and the proprietor of has a delightful manner of interacting primarily with two words: "Yeah," and "OK." The bare-minimum vibe should be taken as part of its charm; expect your bowl of soup or noodles to land at your table within a minute or two of ordering, provided, of course, that you can get somebody’s attention during the busy lunch hours.

The menu is fairly limited, and there are as many misses as there are hits. If you come seeking appetizers, don’t bother with the bland spring rolls; the deep-fried egg rolls, on the other hand, are well executed, and mix well with the vermicelli bowls. All the main dishes on offer are happily priced under $6.50, and fall into one of three categories: pho (noodle soup), bun (vermicelli bowls), and com (rice dishes).

Pho can be something of an acquired taste, and Pho Hoang is a reasonably good place to develop an affinity for the stuff. For the uninitiated, pho is classically defined as a richly seasoned beef stock, various select cuts of meat, a bundle of steamed rice noodles and a plate of bean sprouts, cilantro, and basil to be added at the diner's discretion. #11 (rare eye-round steak and well-done flank) is a winning combination, especially if tendon or tripe isn’t your bag (of meat). Also, stay away from the rubbery meatballs.

Pho Hoang's soup really sings when sriracha chili sauce is liberally added to the mix. There is a special kind of magic that happens to good pho when the capsicum and beef particles intertwine, joining forces to startle your sinuses and tingle your taste buds. The after-effects of a positive pho experience may include a bloated belly, accompanied by a sensation of well-being and mental clarity.

Not to be overlooked are the vermicelli bowls, stacked appealingly with sliced carrot, chopped peanut, scallions, cucumber, lettuce, and your meat of choice. The charcoal broiled chicken is delivered well seasoned and plentiful, the sliced pork toasty and toothy. Experimentation with the table sauces – sriracha and the hoisin sauce – is recommended. But be warned: under no circumstances should anybody order the vermicelli with ground beef, which strangely takes on the form of an old cafeteria hamburger.

While the menu offers a limited number of options, there are few better under-$7 lunch spots for the North Austin working class. Pho Hoang may not be the type of restaurant for special occasions, but some of the soup and vermicelli options make the joint well worth a visit. With the Domain spawning ever more overpriced chain restaurants by the season, look to the strip malls for some classic, satisfying, and affordable options like Pho Hoang.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By David Kalina in Food on October 31, 2008 12:02 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

jayevee

Heh, I was about to say the same thing about the photo choice.

There are different ways to eat pho, but it's a finite amount of ways. As for other items, Vietnamese are very quick to correct and tell you which sauce goes with which. (My mom's family is Vietnamese.) I used to not like the peanut sauce that comes with summer rolls while growing up(until I made it spicy with chili sauce) and would use the fish sauce instead. I wish I had a dollar for every time I had to explain that I didn't like peanut sauce.

By the way, hotmouth forgot about the Thai/holy basil, and the saw-edged green leafed vegetable is called "culantro".

txtoast

There's nothing I like with my meal more than a list of rules. Thanks Hotmouth.

Nice review David.

hotmouth

Certain dishes have appropriate condiments that accent, enhance, and compliment the flavors of a dish. To omit them is not a huge deal, but to introduce random condiments is breaking the rule.

I happened to take a group of people to eat at Pho Van a few days ago and I told them to start traditional. Taste it first before you decide that it sounds weird or looks weird, please! As a Vietnamese person - my preference is what my mother taught me. That is.. Siracha and hoisin go in a small plate that you dip your selected meats in and occasionally in the actual broth with lime. This is all assuming the broth was seasoned well to begin with.

Fish sauce is quintessential Vietnamese food and I apologize but I find it difficult to wrap my head around not eating fish sauce when called for. In fact I knew a guy who slurped on it as soup the first time he ate bun and loved it. He didn't even know that it was meant to be poured over the noodles.

my last comment is minor, but the image you provided looks like spaghetti. Rice noodles would have tied the article together better.

oh and finally, Tam Deli, Thanh Ni, Hai Ky and Pho Van are all great Vietnamese restaurants. Avoid Kim Phung, it's going down the drain.

jaireaux

not sure about this location, but the north location (Round Rock, next to Chuck E Cheese) isn't the same. the lemongrass beef is one of the best meats, particularly on the Bun with a touch or Sriracha. If you're feeling a little adventurous (and hungry) I would also recommend the Com (rice dish) of lemongrass beef with a "fired" egg on top. (at least that's what the menu calls it.)

David Kalina

hotmouth,

Thanks for the feedback. To quickly address your points,

1. Not sure about "saw edged green," but jalapenos and lime are present on the plate of accompaniments. My apologies for not including every ingredient in every dish. Not sure why you would think the joint isn't 'traditional' from this minor omission.

2. The meatballs aren't bad strictly because of the texture, though I may have insinuated as much. I have had good, toothy Vietnamese meatballs at other joints. These are especially tough and kind of funky. Maybe you'll like them, but in my opinion, they are unexceptional. The salient point is "stay away." There are better combos on the menu.

3. Yes, the fish sauce is present with the bun; I'm personally not a big fan, though I like it on my egg rolls, with some sriracha. As for the bun, I just go with the chili sauce; can you tell I'm a fan?

Point taken on the hoisin, but frankly, the idea that there is one "right" way to eat these things is, in my opinion, rather silly. My whole point in the article is that if you are new to pho or bun, you should feel free to experiment.

hotmouth

1)you forgot about the wedge of lime, fresh sliced jalapenos, and the saw edged green that typically accompany a good pho. Perhaps Pho Hoang isn't very traditional

2)pho meatballs are supposed to have a crunch or rubberiness to them. that's actually a desired texture. don't eat a vietnamese pho meatball thinking of your italian-american grandmothers rendition.

3)vermicilli bowls, or bun, are served with a fish sauce (lime, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, chiles). DO NOT EAT WITH HOISIN. Hoisin may be used to accent the pho.