Pho DAAANK

I’d have to say that authentic Asian cuisine is my favorite type of food. Unfortunately, this delicious genre of nourishment tends to be pricey if you are looking for a nice dine-in experience (A Single Pebble, Koto, Asiana House, just to name a few). It sucks that you can’t even go on a date for some good ol’ Asian food without putting a huge dent in your wallet! And no, Fu-Da does not make the cut when I talk about quality Asian cuisine.

I recently discovered an excellent Vietnamese restaurant nestled in the north end that is surprisingly cheap for its excellent quality of the food and great service. It is called Pho Hong, located at 325 N. Winooski Ave. and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fine Asian cuisine.

I went there for the first time this past weekend with my gal and was fully impressed by everything: they had a solid atmosphere, friendly and fast service, and an authentic menu with everything from stir-fry’s, and noodle dishes, to exotic and adventurous stuff, if you’re into that. All the entrees were between $5 and $10, which I know is not dirt cheap, but it sure beats the hell out of any of the restaurants I named above.

Another aspect that I liked about the restaurant is that it was BYOB. That means you can buy your alcohol the cheap way and bring it with you. This is especially prime for those of us who aren’t 21 yet. I’m sure to some people BYOB is a nuisance, but at least you don’t have to spend a ridiculous $6 for a beer which sky rockets the bill.

Upon arriving, the place was full and I was scared that there was going to be a long wait to get seated (I hate long waits!!!), but my anxiety was immediately relieved when they said I’d only have to wait five minutes (phew). They sat us and kindly opened my bottle of wine. As I surveyed at the menu, everything looked so delicious. After extreme contemplation, I finally decided upon one of the stir-fry dishes. I had hardly poured my second glass of wine by the time my food arrived; that’s damn good service! The portions of food were so fantastic that I could’ve actually saved some left overs if I wasn’t so darn hungry. After customizing my dish with Sriracha and soy sauce (which is totally my favorite part of Asian restaurants), I was in heaven. After scarfing my plate down, I had a nice full stomach and was happy. The best part was that the check was only $15 for two delicious and authentic entrees. For once I could pay for my girlfriends meal without worrying about being broke after!!! 

So I give Pho Hong two thumbs up for affordable and authentic Asian cuisine. You can get a legit dine-in dinner or lunch experience, and you don’t have to throw away large amounts of money!!! Check it out if you ever get the chance, you won’t regret it!