The Weekly Eater
The Weekly Eater
Aptly named Pho #1
features authentic
Vietnamese fareOne of the first things marketing students learn to ask is the question, What business are you in? Some companies are in the business of making money, period. Others are in business to provide services or goods as best they can. It's pretty easy to distinguish which is which.
You can't measure intent, but this is one factor in determining the measure of a restaurant. Are they in the business of cutting costs, or are they in the business of hospitality?
At Pho #1 it's pretty clear the latter is the case. From the bone broth cooked from scratch to the labor-intensive stews and tall stacks of mint and basil proffered with wraps, no shortcuts are taken when it comes to guests' satisfaction.
You have to smile at the kind of attitude that might lead one to tout his business as #1, with no less than a thumbs-up illustration on its business card, but the boast has merit. Pho #1's exterior and interior are nondescript and might best be summed up as grungy, but the food here is exceptional.
One pretty good indicator of its standing is the traffic: A good 90 percent of diners comprise people from Vietnam, both North and South, and that's always a good sign, like a dim sum restaurant full of Hong Kong types.
You can go as authentic as you want, centering your dinner around a Vietnamese sour soup of pineapple juice, fish sauce and vinegar with tomatoes, bean sprouts and a main ingredient of catfish. This dish takes some adjustment, as American diners are more accustomed to savory than acidic soups.
Catfish is as prominent here as it is in the American South, but if that's not your thang, there are many more options -- almost too many for those unfamiliar with Vietnamese cuisine. Your head will be swimming with new words -- ca bong lau khot to! (catfish simmered in peppers and spices, $7.95) -- and multiple combinations of ingredients -- tom rim thit ba roi! (shrimps simmered with unsalted bacon, $7.95).
CHANCES ARE, you'll want to start with something less exotic than the catfish stew. The crisp pork-and-veggie-filled spring rolls ($5.95) are always a good place to start. Switch to light shrimp, rice noodle and veggie-filled summer rolls ($3.75) when the weather turns warmer.
Pho #1 waitress Loan Phan shows a bowl of phó, served at left with platefuls of mint, basil, bean sprouts, lemon wedges and jalapeños.
From there you could opt for one of the rice plates, which one would assume was inspired by local plate lunches with its generous helping of rice, greens and entree portion of meat -- take your pick of the likes of pork chops ($6.50), barbecue shortribs and simmered shrimp ($6.95) or barbecue chicken ($6.50) -- but the real credit for the Western-style portions actually go to the French, also responsible for the strong coffee served here -- iced and with sweet condensed milk if desired.
If you should find yourself low on cash close to payday, I have these words for you: Vermicelli Roll-up. This is a platterful of mint and basil leaves, bean sprouts, cucumbers, daikon and your choice of meats such as grilled pork ($8.95), pounded shrimp (sweetened shrimp cakes wrapped around a stick of sugar cane like a seafood Popsicle, $9.75) or barbecue prawns ($14.95).
Two light eaters could share this and leave sated for about $10. Just dip the accompanying rice paper rounds in a bowl of warm water to soften them and roll up your choice of ingredients. This isn't always a pretty sight as rolls often turn out lumpy and overflowing. The trick is to create a bite-size roll. I know we've been tweaked by super-sized meals, but there's plenty of rice paper wrappers, so there's no need to squeeze everything in your first roll. You're not trying to build a Philly cheesesteak sandwich, after all.
The anise-flavored phó, about $5.25 medium and $5.75 large, can also be shared, with rare steak and beef brisket so tender that you don't have to start gnawing. Smaller bowls are provided for sharing the soup, which comes with another stack of mint, basil, bean sprouts, jalapeños and lime or lemon wedges.
If you ordered ice coffee with dinner, you won't need dessert.
1505 Kapiolani Boulevard; free parking in back / 955-3438 Pho #1
Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Food Service Ambience Value Cost: $15 to $20 for two
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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to nkam@starbulletin.com
excellent; very good, exceeds expectations; average; below average.
