Pho Michael, Metairie, LA Report #73

We’ve had some VERY cold weather in New Orleans lately so my mind has been on a bowl of hot soup for a week now, and one of my favorite is the Vietnamese, beef broth based soup, Pho.  I’ve heard some very good things about this place so I figured I’d head out to Metairie and give it a try.  What I heard turned out to be right.

Beautiful place.  Small bar and spacious, well lit dining rooms.  Typical Vietnamese menu.  If you order hot tea they give you a whole pot, which contains about three good size cups.  Very nice.

For appetizers we started off with what the menu listed as “Crab Meat and Cream Cheese”, which was what’s typically called “Crab Rangoon”.  In fact when we were ordering and pointed to it on the menu the waitress said Crab Rangoon.  We also ordered the steamed beef buns.

This applies to the entire meal.  The service was extremely fast!  After we ordered it the waitress brought it out so quick it seemed like there was no way they could have cooked it.  It was like they had it already made sitting on a shelf somewhere.  But everything was so hot and fresh there was no doubt it was freshly prepared.

It seems like everywhere you order Crab Rangoon now you basically get cream cheese fried in crust.  Period.  That was definitely the case at the last place I had it (see report #68).  The Crab Rangoon here was MUCH better.  More crab flavor and actually seasoned very well.  Not sure with what, but it was very good.

My dining partner specifically stated before the meal she did NOT like steamed buns, but if I ordered them she’d try them.  They came with a little Hoisin and Sriracha sauce for dipping. She loved them.  So did I.  Very good.

For an entrée she ordered what the menu listed as “Grilled Pork and Egg Rolls with Rice Noodles”, but what’s normally referred to as a “Vermicelli Bowl”, and sure enough, when we ordered it the waitress said “Vermicelli Bowl”.  It came with a nice size cup of the yummy seasoned fish sauce they give you to pour over it.  She said it was the BEST vermicelli bowl she’s ever had.  And we’ve been eating Vietnamese food for a long time.

I ordered the Pho Combination bowl, which came with beef, brisket, meat balls and soft tendon.  It comes in a regular and large size and I ordered regular.  It was a big bowl.  You’d have to be seriously hungry if you order a large.  This Pho was excellent.  Hot, delicious flavorful broth and plenty of ingredients.  I fact, the last time I had pho (see report #47) one complaint I had was a lack of soft tendon.  I love soft tendon and this pho was full of nice chunky pieces of it (pictured being held by me in chopsticks).

This place is fantastic.  If you’ve got the urge for Vietnamese food it’s worth the trip.  I highly recommend it.

3559 18th St., Metairie, LA  70002  Ph: 504-304-4301

Blaine 1-20-2018

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