Pot de Pho
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I hate first dates and finding a dining spot adds to more strains of white hair. A restaurant that encompasses culture with a dash of adventure, hint of sexiness, yet all the while not pretentious. I may have found my spot.

Known as the unofficial national Vietnamese street dish, pho (beef noodle soup) has become the essential Asian comfort food. But often tines, our local pho house is associated with negative connotations such as finger pho.

Finger pho = when waiters serve your beef noodle soup with one finger in the savory broth.

Don’t fret, you will not find this at Pot de Pho.

Pho along with a short list of signature Vietnamese dishes are repackaged with charming dining ware and presented to the customers. The interior itself encourages patrons to simply relax and be immersed in a cozy elegant, yet not pretentious setting.

Located on the congested Geary St, Pot de Pho sits firmly in a corner location that once housed Straights Café. With high expectation, I hip hop into the high ceiling dining room. Immediately, new age music relaxes the senses.

Naming a restaurant after a dish heightens the expectation especially focusing on one noodle soup dishes. A few things signal that this will be a dining experience as oppose to my regular cafeteria like visit to my local pho house. Colonial fans, an array of birdcages, and a backdrop painted with vibrant bamboos all confirm this. The soft wall tones make the restaurant a place to linger, to chat, and to hear the slurping of noodles.

Pho has been a popular street food but bringing it to a mid end restaurant definitely has its reservations. I am reminded of its origins, with a charming pho noodle street cart that doubles as a register. Seated in dark tables, my date and I get seated and glance over the simple to order categorized menu.

Starting with drinks, the organic lemonade cleansed the palate.

Arrange beautifully like flower pedals, the grilled New Zealand mussels ($6) whet the palate. The mussels are deep fried and then grilled. Chopped nuts add character while sweet and sour vinaigrette rounds out the dish. However, I found the vinaigrette to be too strong on the tart meter.

Resembling four bite size golden brown lollipops, minced duck mixed with toro make up the Banh Khoai Mon ($5.50). This dish closely resembles the fried taro croquettes found at Cantonese dim sum houses. After biting through the crispy crust, a pillowy inside provides the first steps to comfort food heaven.

The pho bo tai chi (beef pho, rare steak, well shank –L$10) played center stage. Arriving hot, the dish is revered with great side actors.

Hoisen sauce for sweet notes balance out the heat packed chili saracha sauce, both served in small decorative squeeze bottles. Cooling herbs provide a dazzle of garden fresh flavors while splashes of lime lighten the dish. One sip, the broth is on the mark with distinct notes from star anise. Tender beef add a handsome character. Velvety rice noodles cooked one phase beyond al dente along me to slurp out loud. One constructive feedback is for the pho noodle soup to arrive piping hot.

Especially in Asian countries, slurping signals to the chef that the dish is on mark and I did just that.

Just after a few fierce slurps, the small fillet pieces arrive in a cast iron composing the ca kho to ($12). Made by cooking brown sugar, the fish complimented the pillowy rice.

Crispy fried banana with tapioca sauce ended the meal ($6) along with vanilla bean custard with chocolate lavender ($6).
Service is attentive with water frequently being refilled.

Pot de Pho is a restaurant meant to welcome Vietnamese dishes all the while served in a quaint charming ambiance, a great first date spot.