From The Ashes

With the train arriving in Toronto past midnight due to the delay, I got home late. I spent a quiet Canada Day decompressing. There was an absence of fireworks in the evening because most people probably agreed with the sentiments of Indigenous Canadians given recent events. All except my neighbour "Tricky Dick". But given that he allegedly acquired 2 properties and the half acre of private green space that was The Rusholme Lawn Bowling Club through "interesting" tactics a few decades ago, it didn't surprise me that he decided to set off fireworks anyway.

On Friday, I walked along Dundas St. W. to see what the patios were like this year. Most restaurants have expanded and some even hired professional installers like Grip Block. It has been months since I had pho so I sat down at Pho Phuong (Phoenix) near Brock St. Back in the day, I was more of a Pho Linh customer, and occasionally ate at Pho Phuong Hoang (Royal Phoenix) or Pho Canh Buom (Ship Sail). This establishment was an upscale Vietnamese place that opened as Dundas was gentrifying. So I figured I'd leave it for the young hipsters who were flocking to the area.

I chose some shrimp fresh rolls ($6.50) and a small bowl of pho ($11.95). As expected, the presentation was prettier than other places. The rolls had a good chew and didn't fall apart. But their decision to use chopped up lettuce and cut back on the mint and chive made them a bit bland. The pho was also good with a fragrant broth and good mix of noodles and beef. I had chosen both rare beef slice and the more tender brisket.

Overall, it was a nice lunch. I was wincing a bit at the final tally (tax + tip) but even hole-in-the-wall Pho Linh wasn't cheap anymore. But I took a small exception to the fact that the prices were slightly higher than on the menu. Even if the front page stated that "prices may change without notice", I'm not a fan of this practice. The 30-35% typical addition to the bill for taxes and tip are already a sore point for me.