Pho Real

A recent N.Y. Times Travel article profiled Toronto's Ethnic Buffet. It raved about the food joints, locations,  and neighbourhoods that are familiar to locals here. However, the tastes of both the writer and quoted Toronto expert Joe Fiorito (Toronto Star) are called into question when they both declare that Pho Hung in Chinatown serve the best pho in town. Umm, no. Sure, the "real" best are located in either Mississauga or North York with large Vietnamese population. But even with the remaining ones closer to downtown, Pho Hung is on the wrong side of mediocre. A result, no doubt, of its prime tourist location.

But this piece reminded me that during this cold winter, I have yet to eat the once ubiquitous beef noodle soup (having lost its cachet to Japanese Ramen). So on a snowy Tuesday, I returned to Pho Linh at College and Dufferin, popular enough that Vietnamese families drive there from other parts of the city on the week-end. The clientele has changed and expanded over the years. It was all "natives" back in its low-key grungier days. Then came an infusion of Chinese visitors, usually led by a Chinese-Vietnamese elder. The South Americans and labourers from the surrounding working-class neighbourhood finally tweaked to its offerings. There were few Caucasians though, who found the brighter and more open Pho Phuong (Phoenix) across the street less intimidating.

But with the renovation upgrade at restaurant and gentrification of the area (Tavoos, Me and Mine, Brockton Barista), there were now many Caucasians here, though generally of the hipster type. I ordered a fresh roll ($2) and a small pho tai nam ($7). The roll was soft and fragrant with greens, with pork and shrimp. This version of pho came with raw beef slice (tai) and cured beef cuts (nam). Add some basil, mint, and bean sprouts, and it made for a warm soup. I was pleasantly surprised to see some adventurous diners were trying more esoteric dishes including banh canh cua gio heo which comes with familiar ingredients (crab claws) and less mainstream ones (fatty pig knuckles).