When you have two kids, a dog, and two jobs – life happens. And it happened in full force last week when I threw my back out but good. Thank God for pain medicine. Because, if it weren’t for that, how would you all find out how our last date night went?
I’ve been chomping at the bit to tell you about our newest discovery. I can’t hold back anymore. I’ll give you a hint: It’s Asian, and has three letters that sound like a bad word if you don’t say them correctly. You guessed it. We finally tried Phở! (pronounced fuh)
Since it was my choice last week, I pulled Mill Creek out of the jar, and scoured the internet for good places to snag some Vietnamese chow. Pho Mama’s stood out with eighteen 4.5 star reviews on Yelp. I was so excited all day, wondering what it would taste like – of course, I was also excited to spend time with Hubby on date night!
When we arrived, we walked past a jungle-style entry. Inside, it looks like a simple, yet clean strip-mall Asian restaurant, with cafeteria-style tables. Not a lot of fanfare, but a more tropical feel than many Asian restaurants we have visited in the past. A quiet and polite young Asian woman seated us in the corner, in full view of one of the two big screen TVs. As we ordered, I noticed a little Buddhist altar on the floor, to the left of the cash register counter. There were fruits and different offerings placed on the altar. I had never seen anything like that before, but it was interesting to see.
Hubby and I were like two teenagers dating again as we browsed the menu. We were out of our comfort zone. Truthfully, I had heard of Phở, but didn’t really know what it was. It was tough to decide with all the choices and no experience with ordering Vietnamese food.
We finally decided on the Phở with chicken, Phở Ga ($7.95) and the Vietnamese sandwich($3.75!!), Banh Mi Ga, and I ordered a pot of Jasmine Tea (Only $ 1.95, what a deal!) I was sure we would still be hungry after a bowl of soup and half a sandwich. I mean, who can get filled up on a bowl of brothy soup? Hubby insisted that it would be enough for both of us. I wasn’t convinced.
While we awaited our order, we began to chat about our day and how the week went for both of us. A steady stream of people walked in and up to the counter to order takeout. Funny thing is, it was quiet – and not many people were there when we arrived. But, just after we were seated, the place filled up quickly – and takeout orders kept the front counter hopping. We have this joke in our family that people follow us everywhere we go, and it always proves itself again and again. Every time we walk into a quiet place, it suddenly becomes busy and filled with crowds of people. That’s what happened here too. I have a sneaking suspicion, that it’s the popularity of the food that brought them here to Pho Mama’s though, but it was fun to joke about it anyway.
As we talked, Inside Edition blared juicy celebrity gossip. We did our best to focus on each other though, and not on Lindsay Lohan’s latest hair color. I then noticed the other big screen TV on the wall behind the front counter. It’s strange how people are drawn to stuff on TV, even if it’s not something they want to watch. Looking around, almost all the people who were seated stared at the screen, transfixed.
Does this make your mouth water, or what?
Our Vietnamese sandwich arrived within minutes. It was big. I was happy about that. Nice that it was already split in two, so we could just grab one side and chow down. My senses were suddenly awakened as I took the first bite. Cilantro, jalapenos, tender chicken and this amazing conglomeration of spices danced on my taste buds. Oh yeah, there were crunchy shredded carrots and cucumber in there too. Unexpected, but they were a perfect addition to this sandwich.
It was like no other sandwich I’ve ever had. This was a sandwich with pizazz and confidence, and it was sassy. I was sad when I took the last bite because I wanted more. But that was when we looked up to see our waitress holding up this enormous bowl. It looked like Alice in Wonderland when she shrinks – and the bottle is so huge…but she’s so tiny. This bowl made our waitress look very tiny; but she didn’t skip a beat. She just sashayed over to our table, and placed it in between us with complete ease. I would have probably dropped it at the halfway point. Seriously this thing was as big as my husband’s head; and he has a big head! But of course, I love him anyway.Our Vietnamese sandwich arrived within minutes. It was big. I was happy about that. Nice that it was already split in two, so we could just grab one side and chow down. My senses were suddenly awakened as I took the first bite. Cilantro, jalapenos, tender chicken and this amazing conglomeration of spices danced on my taste buds. Oh yeah, there were crunchy shredded carrots and cucumber in there too. Unexpected, but they were a perfect addition to this sandwich.
As she walked away, we stared down at the bowl, brimming with tons of chicken meat, rice noodles and sprouts – and all kinds of other good stuff (including sliced jalapeno peppers!). Hubby gave me a look. It was a “see-I told you so” look.
“Okay, okay. I think this will be enough food for both of us,” I said; grabbing the squarish shaped spoon and digging in.
A very, very large bowl
of soup
I was actually not able to finish all of it, believe it or not. I found phở to be tasty and filling, and something I would definitely order again. I liked that it had texture and strong, though not overpowering flavors of chili and onion and chicken all mixed together.
It was easy for us to stay within budget here, because prices were so reasonable. I feel like we found a hidden treasure in Pho Mama’s, which was in a strip mall that I’ve passed-by numerous times. Now, I know where to stop when I need some good Vietnamese comfort food.
Our total with tip came to $15.43! That’s less than a lot of people spend on a trip to fast food! My guess is that Vietnamese food is healthier than fast food, too. Oh, and by the way, this was without coupons, since we didn’t have any for this place. Score!
Ratings:
- Atmosphere (romantic appeal): 2. I hate giving places low ratings for any category, but at the same time, this place doesn’t market themselves as a “romantic” spot. They deliver on what they advertise: serving delicious and filling Vietnamese fare – with warm and friendly service. Ordering takeout here and eating at home would easily move the romantic atmosphere up a few notches. It seems that a lot of people who were coming in to order takeout while we were there already figured this out.
- Food: 5. Filling and yummy. Vietnamese comfort food, a few minutes from home.
- Budget Friendly: 5. They could really charge a lot more for what they serve, but I’m glad they don’t. That means we can come here more often and not break the bank. Thanks for catering to budget-minded couples, Pho Mama’s!
- Fun and Unique: 3. Yes, it was unique and fun to try new foods. I wasn’t so much into the big-screen TV’s.
- Memorable: 4. Trying out food from a different culture is a fun and memorable experience; and the prices were the icing on the cake.
