Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos
You are here: Home / Restaurants / London restaurants / Review of Pho (Spitalfields)

Review of Pho (Spitalfields)

by Jeanne Horak on March 12, 2013 6 Comments in London restaurants

Pho title © J Horak-Druiff 2013

It‘s not every day I get to dine at a restaurant with a name I am not sure how to pronounce.  French names, Italian names, German names – bring them on: it seems that  I have picked up a working knowledge of the pronunciation of most Western European languages since moving to London.  But I think it is safe to say that my knowledge of Vietnamese pronunciation could fit into a very small thimble.  I have no more clue now than I did when I did when I first read Graham Greene’s The Quiet American as a teenager, and pondered endlessly on how to pronounce Phuong’s name.

I am told that the correct pronunciation of Pho is” fuh” not “foe” and it is not only the name of a small chain of Vietnamese restaurants in London, but also the name of a Vietnamese dish consisting of  a specific cut of white rice noodles in clear beef broth together with slim cuts of beef, with various fresh vegetables and chillies on the side.  With my knowledge of Vietnamese cuisine being approximately on par with my knowledge of Vietnamese pronunciation, when I was recently invited to review Pho Spitalfields, I took along a friend of mine who is far wiser in the ways of Vietnamese cuisine than me!

 

Pho interior © J Horak-Druiff 201

 

Pho Spitalfields is situated over two floors of a narrow old building typical of the area between Brick Lane and Liverpool Street station. Stepping off a busy London street on a chilly evening and into Pho feels a little like Alice stepping through the looking glass.  The space is small and busy, with a retro neon sign straight out of a movie set of Saigon and pretty shadows cast by the round woven bamboo lampshades lends the whole place the atmosphere of what I imagine a Saigon café to feel like.  A fun touch is that diners get to play DJ: download Pho’s app while seated at your table and you get to control the restaurant’s virtual jukebox and pick the musical accompaniment to your meal! Although there is more space upstairs, I was pleased when we were given a recently-vacated table downstairs by the window even though the table was pretty cramped once the food started arriving!  Our super-friendly waiter explained the menu to us and soon our starters arrived:

 

Pho Rolls © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

Goi Cuon Tom (£4.45) are fresh summer rolls filled with prawns and fresh herbs and as choice of nuoc cham or peanut sauce. I found the wrapper quite thick and chewy and therefore hard to bite through.  My friend also commented that the noodles inside were a little thick, so the whole thing is a little starchy.  But I did love the fresh flavours of mint and prawn, and the umami-rich peanut sauce. More to my taste were the Cha Gio (£4.75) – deep-fried pork Vietnamese spring rolls.  These were light, crisp and not at all greasy, as well as being packed with filling and flavour. Very moreish.

 

Pho orispy pancake © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

Next up was the Banh Xeo Tom Ga (£6.95 – available evenings only): a traditional Vietnamese crêpe filled with prawns, chicken and bean sprouts.  Leave behind all your thoughts about limp French crêpes – this arrives looking more like a giant prawn cracker, folded in half with filling spilling out on all sides.  The secret to eating it is to break off chunks of the pastry and filling, add some fresh herbs, and wrap it in the accompanying lettuce leaves before dipping it in the sauce.  I loved everything about this dish – from the crispiness of the pancake and sprouts to the juicy chicken and prawns, to the messy eating.  But most of all I adored the fresh herbs which included a kind of mint leaf that is totally purple on the back with a deeply pungent flavour.  Heavenly.

 

Pho Bun Bo Hue © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

Pho Thai Chin © J Horak-Druiff 2013

Pho Accompaniments © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

This was followed by the restaurant’s eponymous dish – the pho.  I tried the Pho Tai Chin with steak and brisket (£7.95) – a beef broth containing slices of steak and brisket, bean sprouts and spring onions, plus a plate on the side containing more sprouts, fresh herbs, lime and chillies which you could add to the broth as desired. I felt the broth could have done with more umami flavour; and because the brisket was far more thinly sliced than steak, the steak was unnecessarily chewy by comparison.  But big bonus points for the excellent fresh herbs (holy basil, mint, coriander) and the little red chillies which were by far the hottest things I have ever put in my mouth! My dinner companion had the Bun Bo Hue: hot and spicy brisket beef soup served with a chilli shrimp paste (£8.25) which she pronounced to be a little under-flavoured too, but she did like the spicy chilli shrimp paste.

 

Pho Dessert  © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

After all this, we still managed to find room for dessert.  For me, this meant honey and ginger ice cream from La Maison de Sorbets (£3.50).  I adored this – creamy honeyed ice-cream studded with sliver of candied ginger.  A subtly spiced and perfect end to the meal.  I also tried a nibble of my companion’s Chuoi Chien – deep-fried banana fritters with a choice of honey ginger or coconut ice cream (£4.75) – and this proved to be surprisingly enjoyable for someone who does not eat bananas!  I loved the excellent light and crispy batter, and the subtle caramelly changes that deep-frying made to the banana’s flavour.

And with that, it was time to step back out into the reality of the chilly London streets.  We were warm, full and happy – and all this would have cost us under £30 per head (not something you often get to say in the Square Mile).  As it was my first experience with pho, I am not going to pretend to speak authoritatively about it as I have nothing to compare it to – but if you are hesitant about trying an exotic new cuisine, I would recommend Pho as the super-friendly and helpful staff will guide you through the menu and ensure you choose things that do not frighten your palate too much!  I also loved the buzzy atmosphere and the novel “citizen DJ” concept and I can definitely say I’ll be back to try more of the menu.

 

Liked: the decor, the super-friendly staff, the crispy crêpes
Disliked: nothing
In a nutshell: A good introduction to Vietnamese food that won’t scare your tastebuds or your wallet
Wow factor out of 10: 7

 

DISCLOSURE:  I enjoyed this meal as a guest of Pho but received no remuneration other than the meal itself, and all opinions expressed are my own.

 

Pho
48 Brushfield Street

London
E1 6AG
Tel. +44 (0)020 7377 6436

 
Pho on Urbanspoon

More deliciousness for you!

  • Spur Steak RanchesSpur Steak Ranches
  • WTSIM deadline extended… and guess where I’ve beenWTSIM deadline extended… and guess where I’ve been
  • Catch @ the Andaz HotelCatch @ the Andaz Hotel
  • Honey mustard swordfish steaksHoney mustard swordfish steaks

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Saturday Snapshots #237
Blood orange & beetroot salsa with pan-fried salmon »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Jonker - Firefly says

    March 12, 2013 at 9:09 am

    For some reason my blog isn’t picking up you new posts on its feed anymore. I’ve been wondering why but only thought of checking now. Strange although its probably because of the new template / website. Eish, I will have to keep checking if there are nw posts.

    I scrolled through this post at the wrong time. My tummy is a grumbly.

    Reply
  2. Jonker - Firefly says

    March 12, 2013 at 9:12 am

    I left a comment and just noticed that the post still has no comments. Was just wondering if it disappeared or if it needs to be approved so testing by leaving this one.

    Reply
  3. @Kanga_Rue says

    March 12, 2013 at 9:34 am

    Beautiful photography as always; you have me drooling!

    Reply
  4. Brian @ A Thought For Food says

    March 12, 2013 at 11:50 am

    I keep correcting E on the pronunciation. It’s hard to get used to calling it “Fuh.”

    We have a few good places here in Boston we enjoy checking out on a winter afternoon. It was fun getting an inside look into your spot.

    Reply
  5. Tami says

    March 12, 2013 at 11:53 am

    Those dishes look so interesting…and yummy. I haven’t eaten vietnamese yet but you have me intriguid. Will have a look out for a local restaurant to try 🙂 xx

    Reply
  6. Rosa says

    March 12, 2013 at 6:14 pm

    Vietnamese food is so scrumptious! I love the freshness, flavors and textures of this cuisine’s dishes.

    A wonderful place.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Get my latest recipes delivered by e-mail!

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Perfect broccoli and Stilton soup [keto, low carb, GF]
  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
  • Love Yourself healthy meal delivery [Review]
  • Antillean
  • Festive roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
  • Rustic blood orange and pistachio galettes

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Oxtail and red wine potjie
Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Nigella's Bakewell slices & the Big Bakewell Taste-off
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!
My big, fat South African potato bake
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential

Featured on

Also available on

Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need to get down to @canarywharflondon between now and Saturday 28 Jan to catch the free Winter Lights 2023 event, back for the seventh year.

My favourites include @lukejerramartist ‘s Floating Earth; Tom Lambert’s Out of the Dark; Fluorescent Firs; Toroid by This is Loop; and the surreal and mesmerising Anima by MEATS - a tunnel filled with hundreds of thin optical fibre lights that change colour and move in the breeze 😍 

Have you been to Winter Lights? What was your favourite?
“When we look down at the Earth from space, we s “When we look down at the Earth from space, we see this amazing, indescribably beautiful planet. It looks like a living, breathing organism. But it also, at the same time, looks extremely fragile.” - International Space Station astronaut Ron Garamond

To experience the “overview effect” (a phenomenon experienced by astronauts viewing the earth from space), head down to Canary Wharf in the London docklands this week where you can see @lukejerramartist ‘s beautiful Floating Earth installation as part of the Winter Lights event. 

This giant 10m diameter installation is created using high resolution NASA images to create a floating scale model of the Earth, lit from within so that it glows from its current home on the Middle Dock, surrounded by the headquarters of international banking and finance corporations.

The artist hopes that viewed in this context, the installation will make visitors and the bankers working in surrounding buildings question how their money in savings and pensions is invested, and whether investments can be greener.

Aside from being a thought provoking piece, it is also mesmerising and surreally beautiful, so make sure you visit the free Winter Lights event before ends on Saturday 28 Jan.
Happy lunar new year! [Invited] To celebrate the Happy lunar new year! 

[Invited] To celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit, why not head over to @mamachensdumplings currently doing a residence at the @thegantrylondon in #stratford where you can feast on prawn & chive dumplings; pork, Chinese cabbage and shiitake mushroom dumplings; pork & prawn wontons with Mama Chen’s chilli oil; vegetable dumplings; smacked cucumber salad; and spicy noodles coated in garlic and Szechuan pepper oil.

And afterwards, make sure you head up to the @unionsocialoc bar for a cocktail - I loved the Moreish Fashion with bourbon, PX sherry, chestnuts and mandarin orange bitters!
Got leftover Stilton (or any blue cheese) from Chr Got leftover Stilton (or any blue cheese) from Christmas? Turn it into this super simple and super indulgent broccoli and Stilton soup! So easy to make and soooo delicious to eat - and it is low carb and GF. What more could you want?! Click the link in my bio for the full recipe. What’s your favourite soup?
CELEBRATE. So the fireworks are over, the champag CELEBRATE.

So the fireworks are over, the champagne is finished and the leftovers are all eaten. We are one week into 2023 and I have had some time to think about what my intent is for the year. 

In 2022 my brother had a life saving kidney transplant. Since the operation, he has had a Peanuts cartoon as his WhatsApp profile pic, where Charlie Brown and Snoopy are sitting on a pier talking. Charlie says “Some day, we all die Snoopy.” And Snoopy replies: “Yes - but every other day, we will live.”

Waking up in the morning is a gift, every day, and it is so easy to forget this. The last few years have been difficult for so many people and the coming year promises its own challenges. But every day that we don’t die is a day to live, to celebrate life in some small way.

So my intention in 2023 is to celebrate. Celebrate our achievements however small. Celebrate our friends and family. Celebrate small things. Celebrate life.

Did you make any resolutions or goals for 2023? I would love to hear them in the comments! Wishing you all the very best for 2023 🥂
Happy new year, everyone! Here are some scenes fro Happy new year, everyone! Here are some scenes from last night with friends in Deptford. My deconstructed avocado ritz; @twinkleparkstephen ‘s bobitie; Giles’ Ottolenghi tomato salad; and Jean’s clementine trifle - and the London night sky ablaze with fireworks!  How did you spend your evening? 🥂🎇🎆
Merry Christmas to all those celebrating - I hope Merry Christmas to all those celebrating - I hope your day was merry and bright, filled with family, friends and love 🎄🥂. Mine was spent alone at home - my choice and the result of a combination of Covid (not mine!) and rail strikes 🤦‍♀️ but very relaxing and indulgent!
Looking for a stylish and easy Christmas starter y Looking for a stylish and easy Christmas starter you can make ahead? Look no further than my individual smoked salmon terrine! Hot smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives wrapped in cold smoked salmon in a ramekin. Still one of the most popular Christmas recipes in my blog, it looks cheffy but is soooo simple to make - and will save you time and effort on the day! Get the recipe by clicking on the link in my bio.

How is your Christmas meal prep going? Are you entertaining at home or going to friends or family? 🎄🥂🎄🥂🎄
Looking for a brilliant biryani near Marble Arch? Looking for a brilliant biryani near Marble Arch? I recently enjoyed a feast at Biryani Kebab Chai @bkc.restaurant on Edgeware Road, including wonderful sweet, spicy and crunchy papri chaat; smoky burrah lamb kebab; galouti lamb patties; juicy chaap chicken thigh kebab; spicy chapli chicken patties; and the surprising vegetarian dahi ke patties made of yoghurt! We also tried the chicken and soya biryanis, both with incredibly fluffy and delicately spiced rice. You can get their biryanis as a 1kg takeaway, served in a beautiful branded clay pot that serves 3-4 people, for about £30. Bargain! We also took home a sample of their desserts, including a fragrant and delicious kheer rice pudding. If you are in the Marble Arch area, get yourself to BKC!  #invited #bkcrestaurants
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Bowls of broccoli and Stilton soup
Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2023 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2023 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT