Trip to Houston, June 2016: Pho An 2 - Vietnamese Noodle Soup

I'm quite a fan of Vietnamese Beef Noodles/Pho & it seems like Pho An 2 is a common restaurant where the team will dine at during meeting/workshop weeks after work whenever they're at Houston. What's not to like about clear broth with generous servings of beef, clear rice noodles called bánh phở & some fresh sprigs of mint leaves, green lime & bean sprouts? :D It's strictly non-vegetarian though. Those who don't take beef can opt for chicken, so don't get too disappointed!

The Special ($7.25/small serving as photo below or $7.75/large serving)

Rare steak, well-done flank, fatty flank, soft tendon, tripe, brisket, beef balls & crunchy flank

I usually go for this option of mixed beef parts as I enjoy the different textures of each part. Since serving portions at Texas are usually huge, I didn't dare order the large serving (although it was just $0.50 difference!). I think they'll give you more noodles for the large serving, so I was quite satisfied with my regular/small serving of this delicious beef noodles. Somehow it's not as tasty as the one that I had in California 3 years ago i.e. Pho 75 #2 Oriental Restaurant. Having said that, a bowl of warm, Asian, soup noodles is just comforting whenever I'm in a foreign country :D

Fresh mint leaves, bean sprouts, green chili & green lime slices

Beefy goodness! 

This is how the restaurant looks like from the outside 

How the restaurant looks like on the inside

We were there quite early to avoid the usual dinner crowd 

House Special Fried Shrimp Cakes ($6.75/serving of 4 pieces)

We also ordered some appetizers/snacks/side dishes. This was quite tasty, with diced shrimps & vegetables wrapped in beancurd sheets & deep-fried 'til golden brown. It was quite juicy & still has the slight 'sweetness' of the shrimps.

Crispy Shrimp Tempura ($6.75/serving of 7 pieces)

I can't recall if I did get to try this...maybe not, since there were more than 7 of us & this plate was placed at the other end of the table :P Looks nice though...hahaha... 

Vietnamese Fried Egg Rolls ($5.50/serving of 4 rolls)

I did't find this very special somehow. It was crispy like a usual spring roll & that's about it.

Their menu...quite a lot offered here! 

So, now you have one more dining option whenever you're in Houston for work or vacation ;) Stay tuned for the last 2 posts of this series. 'Til the next post, have loads of fun eating & exploring various food around you!


Ratings:
Presentation (does it look mouth-watering): * * *
Price (is it affordable - more stars = YES): * * *
Environment (is the place comfortable, cosy, clean, pleasant): * * *
Taste (is the food delicious, worth coming back for more): * * *
Service (are the service providers friendly, efficient, polite): * * *


Overall:






Warn, beefy noodles are best any time! :P