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If you've been in Toronto lately you know that it's been cold, snowy and sometimes even blizzardy. I can think of no better time to enjoy a big hot bowl of pho! For me, it's super important to know where the good pho is, in whatever city that I happen to be living in. Some cities deliver this well while others fall short. Since blogTO has named Pho Tien Thanh as the #1 Best Pho in the city, this seemed like a good place to start.
The first thing that I look for in a good pho experience is a general hole-in-the-wall type of restaurant. You'll find Pho Tien Thanh in Trinity-Bellwoods and the ambiance is pretty much exactly what you want. I definitely don't want my pho restaurants looking too clean... Which I realize seems counter-intuitive, but trust me on this one. Do you want good pho or not? If anything, this restaurant might even have a bit too much decor but it's a little bit bizarre, which I like. The walls are cotton candy pink with a baby blue trim - not a look that can easily be ignored. I also really liked the big decal lettering which reads "I LOVE PHO FOREVER"... Which I mean, accurate.
The restaurant features a decent amount of space and when I visited on a Saturday evening I had no trouble grabbing a table near the back of the room (even though the restaurant was quite busy and remained that way for the duration of my stay). Each table was adorned with all of the expected components; spoons, chopsticks, hoisin, and hot sauce. The friendly and straight-forward staff provided us with menus and a pot of tea. The typical dirty pot of complimentary tea is usually a good sign. A little cup of this green jasmine situation was exactly what I needed to warm up from the frigid outdoors while I perused the menu.
The menu is comprised of various sections that feature a variety of Vietnamese dishes, however the pho is the item that the restaurant is known for. Although I was certainly interested in the appetizer section of the menu and appreciated the opportunity to try something a bit different (IE: no spring rolls!). The Chạo Tôm (Deep fried blended shrimp on sugar cane - $8.00) caught my eye as an item that I'd never tried before. The restaurant provides paper slips (and pens) to jot down your selections, which you pass to the server. Once that is done the food will begin to arrive fast and furious. This little appetizer was just the right amount of a little something to balance out the large amount of soup that was about to be consumed. The one thing that threw me off is that the shrimp is supposed to be on the sugar cane, like a skewer. But in this case the two components were separate, making it difficult to know how to eat the sugar cane. The woody and fibrous stalks were sweet and you could kind of gnaw on them, but that was about all. On the other hand, the shrimp was very good. Savoury and smooth, and I enjoyed dipping it into the accompanying sauce.
The drink section at the back of the menu is quite extensive and involves a whole list of blended drinks and milkshakes. Not one to pass up the opportunity to try something completely new, I polled my co-diners about which drink they found the strangest. Popular choices were the pennywort, durian or carrot milkshakes. But in the end the Sinh tố đậu Xanh (Cooked green bean milk shake - $5.75) seemed like the way to go. I could hear the blender whirring away and anticipated my upcoming flavour experiment. And honestly... It wasn't that weird. Yes, it tasted like green beans. But it also tasted sweet and fresh. Far less offensive than I think anyone might realize. The takeaway here is that trying new things is fun and you should do it.
Time for pho! In the beef & chicken noodle soup section you'll find sixteen different pho combinations, all with various cuts of meat mingling in different ways. You'll see the usual suspects of rare beef, well-done beef, beef brisket, tendon, tripe and beef balls. The soups are offered in three sizes; small, medium and large. I was happy to find my favourite combo on the menu which made my selection easy: Phở Tái Vè Dò (Rare beef, beef brisket noodle soup - $10.00) in the small size (which I normally find to be plenty). The soup arrived very quickly along with a plate of garnishes. I was impressed with the garnish plate because it included all of the best items that one should hope for; bean sprouts, lime, Thai basil, sawtooth coriander, and fresh chili peppers. Many (most?) restaurants will cut corners on this and I often find that some of these items are missing (especially the sawtooth coriander). I was very happy to see all of the correct items present! I set about garnishing my bowl, which includes a little bit of everything, plus a bit of hot sauce and hoisin. I eat my pho in a two-handed manner, armed with chopsticks in one hand and a spoon in the other. It’s all about the broth when it comes to pho and this one was pretty good. I liked the robust flavour a lot but found that I wanted it to be even more deep and beefy. Although I found it to be missing some depth, the flavour was nice though and I appreciated the complexities that were present. Also important are the rice noodles. I look for noodles that are loose and well-cooked, not one big sticky ball. These ones were done well and wonderful to slurp. The beef was generally good, thin pink slices of rare beef that cooked in the broth over the course of the meal, and thick juicy pieces of beef brisket. The brisket was by far the chunkiest that I've ever seen it in pho before and I also found it just a little bit too fatty for my taste. However, I did appreciate that the larger pieces did allow for me to taste the meat a lot more. Green and white onions completed the bowl.
Overall I enjoyed the pho and my experience at Pho Tien Thanh, however I wouldn't say that it's the best pho that I've ever tasted. If we're talking about Canada, I would likely send you to King Noodle House Pho Hoang in Edmonton or Pho Nam Quan in Montreal for my favourite bowls. It's also important to note that Pho Tien Thanh only accepts cash as payment, although they do have an ATM in the restaurant should you require it.
I've been eating my way through the best pho in the GTA. This is the best pho I've had downtown Toronto. I prefer it to Golden Turtle, because the broth from Golden Turtle is too sweet for my taste. We also tried the broken rice dish with grilled pork chop, chicken and beef. The grilled meats were not good. Not good at all. But the spring rolls were Really unique. I couldn't tell what the paste in the filling was, but I liked it. They're thinner than other vietnamese spring rolls but the crust is still the signature crunchy and chewy texture that I love. Don't go on a hot day as they don't have air conditioning and it can get very stuffy.
Super pho I've ever enjoyed. Ordered a large size pho and I finished it all! Also the fresh coconut juice was very refreshing for the summer~
So fresh, so good. This place takes pho and delivers it on every point. Mint and bean sprouts bring the salty deep broth to another level. Inexpensive - big portions - I will be going back.
After a long walk from the Home show at the EnerCare building I was starving. My friend and I checked out several places along Ossington. There was another Pho restaurant just north of here but it was completely jammed. Plus they did not have the slogan "I love Pho forever" on their store front. That kind of commitment sealed the deal for me. It was still pretty packed when we arrived but we were seated pretty quickly. I ordered their small house special and my friend tried their beef/tendon pho. They both arrived at the same time with the plate of sides including pepper, lime, sprouts, and mint leaf. Unlike other Pho places, they really give you a lot of beef and the sides were really fresh. It made for a really enjoyable bowl of noodles.
Ordered the pho special small, extra side rare beef, and spring roll. Beef broth and spring roll are highlights, both are probably one of the best I had in T dot. Only improvement needed is the noodles need to be a little more chewy, it was overcooked, hence very soft.
RM
If you're looking for a combination of value and flavour, Pho Tien Thanh delivers. Consistent, fresh, crammed with repeat customers. Cash only, I always forget.
No idea what authentic Vietnamese food is like but if I had to guess it would probably be just like what they serve here!! It doesn't look like anything special but the food is delicious and you can tell it's a local hot spot! Great food friendly staff!!
Excellent Bo-riu soup, and friendly service. My only issue was that they took cash only and had no ATM machine on site. The seating is a bit awkward and people who don't know each other may have to sit at the same table at times.
Other than that , you can't argue that their pho is as good as it gets.
AMAZING!!!!. I have eaten A LOT of Pho all over the world and this is by far the best I've had outside of Vietnam. The service is fast and friendly, the food is amazing and cheap, the Pho is out of this world. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place to anyone.
One of the best Pho's in Toronto. I practically come to this Pho place once or twice every week. Every time is so perfect, the broth is well balanced and the noodles are so fresh, I love this place and they have never let me down, the only exception is when you are in a big table, they wont serve as big portions as usually.
We always get really good service, and the food from the Pho to the BBQ with broken rice are amazing (yes, no long rice) I cant wait to try their new curry.
Best of the best of PHo in Toronto. Specially "Pho Tai Ve Don" this is the best one of Pho Tien Thanh.
BEST PHO IN TORONTO. This place is worth the drive from anywhere in the GTA. It is without a doubt the best authentic Pho in the city. Do not go for decor (it sort of has the 'dirty diner' thing going) but the food is amazing and the service is outstanding. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT - and there is no button for that!!
Ossington's Best Pho. If there was a battle between the Pho at Pho Tien Thanh and Golden Turtle, PTT would win by KO. Can't speak for anything else on the menu, but the Pho Tai was excellent.
Good for Phở, Side Dishes Mediocre. When it comes to phở, the broth is key. After all, the noodles are packaged dried noodles and the meats are standard cuts, so finding decent sources for both should be easy. And obviously, cooking noodles and boiling meat require little skill. The magic is all in the preparation of the broth, and this place does a pretty good job.
As for other dishes besides phở, the spring rolls are terrible - thin, not much filling - but the cold rolls with shrimp and pork are okay.
The shakes are worth trying - my favourite is avocado.
Awesome pho!!! Enough said. The service is great as well.
VN and I walked to the pho restaurant and smelled their lovely broth about five feet away from their door. Once we took a step inside, the fragrant smell of BBQ'd pork (thit nuong) filled our nostrils.
This is my fave Pho place. You will usually have to wait at least 15 mins for a table. This place is always packed. The place looks outdated but they have recently updated some of their decor. I'm glad they kept the Bruce Lee painting. Food is priced decent. The owner is very nice and most times he greets you in your dialect. The servings are huge so make sure you bring your appetite
After traveling for over a month through Vietnam, this spot still ranks amongst the best I've ever had.
The owner split from his partner at Golden Turtle down the street back in the late 80s and brings so much more hospitality to his service than his smug counterpart.
Their broth is clear, deep in flavour with all of the aromatic qualities one craves. Noodles are perfectly done. Toppings aren't scant. It's cheap, satisfying and everything that a great bowl of pho needs to be.
I was there one weekend afternoon after walking in the area. The restaurant is very modest and quite dated but don't judge a book by it's cover. The food is cheap and very satisfying. The pho is light and the broth is both delicious and refreshing. If you believe broth is the key to great pho then this is your place. Word is that Susur Lee, who loves Vietnamese food frequents this places a lot. Highly recommend it!
Arguably the best pho in the city, Pho Tien Thanh's beef broth is delectable and perfect on a cold day or if you feel slightly under the weather! Their basic soups come with double the amount of meat than those at Golden Turtle, so it's guaranteed to be a filling meal. The only downside is the poor ventilation: on a busy lunch hour the restaurant gets pretty stuffy. Highly recommended.
I was hungry one afternoon and wanted some Vietnamese food. I decided to check online for nearby Vietnamese restaurants and Pho Tien Thanh popped up in the results. The reviews on the restaurants are rather favorable so I decided to give it a try. Once I arrived; I realized how the decors were very minimal but the restaurant was completely packed with customers happily eating away. There was a long line up inside, and I didn't really want to wait for a table. So we decided to get some food for take-out. I have read some good things about the pho here, but I didn't order it. Instead, I opted for the vermicelli with pork, beef, and chicken ($8.00). The portion of the meal was pretty substantial and the meats were thinly sliced, and lightly marinated. I also ordered two orders of spring rolls on the side (each order comes with 2 spring rolls for $4.00). I thought that the spring rolls were quite different from other Vietnamese joints. The ones here were really long and skinny.
The food was exceptional. We had the Beef Special Pho in small size. And the sugarcane appetizer. It was so good. I suggest that you should order their Vietnamese iced coffee. Perfect for the summer heat. Price range goes around $20-30.
Considered one of the best if not the best Pho in town! Love the location and extensive menu. Went with 2 bowls of rare beef soup, classic chicken spring rolls and Vietnamese iced coffees! The Pho was fantastic and very quick! Sadly, the service was mediocre; felt like we were bothering the staff just by being there.
Hands down the best pho in all of Toronto! I got the House Special Beef Noodle Soup and it was so flavourful, rich and of course, delicious! The broth was super clear, light and authentic. It's hard to resist getting a large bowl when it's only $1 more than the medium. It was so worth it and very filling.
Keep in mind that they only accept cash! ATM is on sight in case you need to withdraw.
Got recommended by my Vietnamese uncles and it tastes just like home.
Amazing Pho, broth isn’t full of salt. I’d also recommend getting either the avocado or coconut smoothie alongside dinner.
Authentic Vietnamese taste. Very tasty broth and the texture of noodle is excellent. Beef is tender and tripe just cooked right in time. Waiters are polite and friendly. Remember to bring some cash because it's a cash only restaurant. And there's a ATM inside.
I should give 5 stars to this restaurant, all because there's a guy (not the one shown in the photo), I think he is the relative of the owner, pretty grumpy and not good attitude to all customers.
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