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Serving not only noodles and lemongrass chicken/pork/beef shortribs, but also a good variety of la carte dishes, from skewers to fried bean curd wrapped crab meat paste. Special orders/requests for off-menu items are always welcomed. Just call ahead and discuss with management.
Plenty of free parking all around with no meter parking and a small lot behind the restaurant.
I had been here on a few occasions for the regular pho and rice dishes, and found them to be adequate but not outstanding. What I never knew was that some of their special items not on the menu were incredibly good.
Beer crab in a clay pot - amazingly tasty, even for someone who usually doesn't like to eat crab because it's so messy. It was hot, juicy, and full of flavor. After you eat the crab you can ask to add noodles to the delicious soup to finish it all up. For a 3lb crab it was $50.
Braised Ox tail - this one was tasty and tender, but a bit oily for my taste.
Lamb chops - wonderfully seasoned, tender, and grilled to perfection.
Eggplant - this was an interesting one. You could taste a charred flavor like it had been grilled before being doused in a slightly sweet and sour sauce. If you like your eggplant mushy then it's worth a try.
We had dinner on a weeknight and had made a reservation. When we arrived it was pretty empty, but halfway through our meal there was a lineup and people were being turned away. It's not often you see that at a Vietnamese place. Service was decent, our plates were changed about 3 times during the course of the meal. I think you may need to pre-order the special items, but it's definitely worth a try. My mouth is watering just thinking about that crab!
After reading many good reviews at Dinehere.ca, I decided to give Pho Tan a try.
First impression was only okay. I called ahead to ask if they accepted VISA. The woman who answered the phone said, "Hello." This is a pet peeve of mine. I answer "hello" when I am at home. When I am at work, I answer, "Hello (or, better yet, good evening) then state my company name." This is basic professionalism. I asked the woman if I had reached Pho Tan and she said "yes." I asked my question "Do you take Visa" and she answered something unintelligible. I asked again, this time a little slower and tried to be more clear. She stated, a bit impatiently that it was cash only.
Anyways, they have no telephone manners.
I tired the place anyway (and brought cash)...
The place is decorated nicely - a bit more atmosphere than most.
There were lots of people there including lots of families (so we felt we fit in nicely).
We ordered our standard fare (Rare Beef Pho, vermicelli bowls with chicken, minced pork and spring rolls and I had my favourite drink - a salty lemon on soda).
The prices were very reasonable ($7 for a large Pho; $7.50 for the vermicelli bowls and only $2.75 for my salty lemon drink; soft drinks were $1.60).
The Pho was tasty. The bowls were okay - I found the minced pork had a weird powdery seasoning on it. The chicken was good and it was nice that it was completely boneless. The spring roll was tasty. My salted lemon drink was very tasty and had just the right amount of preserved lemon and sweetness. I ordered two of them!!
Our waitress was very pleasant and efficient.
I would go again if I was in the area, but I have another favourite Pho place which I will continue to go to as Pho Tan and my other place are the same driving distance from my home.
My friend and I dropped by during the lunch rush; we aren't too picky with seating so we were crammed into the corner table by the wait area.
We both ordered pho with a share plate of spring rolls. A rich and hearty broth with the usual body found in a well prepared stock. Good lean slices of beef though I felt the tendon in mine were a little stingy. The spring rolls were fantastic - though they weren't appreciably different from most other spring rolls I've eaten in terms of taste, it was tightly packed, with just the right amount of crispiness, chewiness and easy on the oil soakage with a finely minced pork filling inside.
We encountered both the servers on the floor, both incredibly friendly but both were clearly overmatched by the lunch hour crowd. It took about 10 minutes before they came to take our order and I didn't particularly like how we received our spring rolls half way through our noodles. They could surely use an extra body on the floor.
While the entrance/wait area is nothing to look at, the actual eating area is nicely up-to-date, with dark, engineered floors, nice wallpaper and noticeably clean.
One of the better pho places in town - I will surely make subsequent visits.
Restaurants, especially mom & pop outfits, are a tough business in Vancouver. Knowing this I try to be very forgiving when I have a bad dining experience. Every restaurant has a bad day.
I also judge restaurants in their respective context. I don't expect to a busy noodle place in East Van and expect cheery, smiley service, and have the server ask if I'm enjoying my meal and if I want my water glass topped up. That's strictly for Rob Feenie like places; not a noodle place where you go to have good, cheap, eats.
What I DO expect is consistency and, above all, professionalism.
I have only gone to Pho Tan a few times - usually under protest to friends who want to go - and have never enjoyed my dining experience. While I appreciate the many positive ratings given to this restaurant I find that the Vietnamese food is mediocre. The pho broth lacks flavour and excites me as much as a bowl of instant ramen.
The portions are skimpy at Pho Tan for what you pay, and for what their competitors more north of 30th Ave offers along Main St., and Fraser St., respectively -- although I will give Bon Cafe on Main and 33rd Ave a thumbs up for a grilled pork Vietnamese sub that more than rivals offerings at Au Petite Cafe.
So I already had reservations about going to Pho Tan because the food is unexciting and I leave hungrier than when I started.
However, today was the straw that broke the camel's back. The server, older lady, screwed up my order. My dining companion distinctively heard what I ordered yet when the server brought my food it was incorrect.
I pointed out that she had brought me the wrong plate and she put up a fuss and kept insisting it was what I ordered. Knowing this was futile, and not wanting to make a scene, I accepted the wrong order.
To me, a server making a mistake, not making any effort to correct it, not even apologizing, and then blaming the customer is wrong. While I don't believe the adage, "the customer is always right", in this case the server was wrong but could not care less.
I left my payment separately from my friends, and left only the price of the meal, and no tip except two pennies; the second penny was to let them know the first penny was not a mistake!
I don't ever recall a time I refused to leave a tip. Even in the worst times where the food was bad, or the server was having a tough day, I would leave 10-15%. However, I was so annoyed that I gave her and restaurant what I thought they deserved and will never go back there again. My friends may want to go back but I'd sooner eat alone elsewhere than to give Pho Tan my business.
I'm not discouraging people to NOT go to Pho Tan but please don't think it's the best Vietnamese restaurant in a 2 km radius just because you heard it was. There are much better ones who give better food, better portions, and better service.
Went here on a Friday after a friend pre-ordered a few items which isn't available on the menu. Beer crab came in a clay pot, very good with some soup on the bottom to add to some white noodles after. Crab was moist and very good. Lamb chops were made in some tangy sweat sauce and BBQ'd, very good. Then the oxtail was in some five spice and came in a thick sauce, again very good. Also had the boneless chicken wings and spring rolls off the menu.
Would go again but pre-order. The service was very good and changed plates with a better than your normal Pho place ambiance. Value was good.
Always reliable, always friendly, and consistently tasty. From when they were located closer to King Edward on Main St. doors down from The Grind, to when they passed the lease on to the current pho restauranteur that relocated from Cambie, they've always provided a reliable meal and friendly, enthusiastic service. This is one of the few pho places I'd completely trust the freshness and integrity of the ingredients & staff. They seem to take great pride & passion in their creations. Now, with the newer, better location (still awaiting their liquor license and interac/cc machines to be delivered), they have managed to impress me more than before. The food seems to have found & settled on an identity it wants to keep as has the new menu along with added kitchen staff. The self renovations seem to be mostly complete, though still in need of some fine-tuning.
I sincerely hope this one is here to stay so that I would not have to venture over to Richmond's Pho Lan all the time when I'm in need of a quick pho fix and then some. Though their a la carte dishes can't quite compare to that of Phnomh Pehn's, but I definitely prefer their location over to venturing out into Chinatown for a meal (missed the Broadway location :( ).
For fresh and tasty food, I suggest Pho Tan at Main St and 30th for food that is bursting with joy.
The menu is filled with tempting appetizers and main courses to fit for any sized hunger.
The food arrives fast.
It is always a pleasure to spend extra time speaking with the manager and the kitchen staff love the compliments. Customers leave happy and warm hearted after filling their desires.
You choose the right meat combo in bowls of noodle soup broth filled with rice vermicelli, fresh basil, sprouts and a few slices of chili and lime.
Don't bother looking at prices because you will want to try everything and all the prices are reasonable.
Look forward to sharing different appetizers and having your own bowl of noodles.
It is so tasty and refreshing, I find myself there to enjoy it year round.
Vietnamese iced coffee is perfect with a little extra condensed milk.
My personal favourite is plain noodle soup and having a side order of Lemongrass grilled chicken.
The spring rolls are always number one, and for dinner consider asking for specialties off the menu as they have mastered the grilled lamb chops.
Be sure to tell them that you want them cook medium or med-well as the lamb cuts are bigger than normal.
Parking is free, service is depending on who which waitress is on (or off). Food has never let me down.
If you are looking for something for plain or exotic, fast lunch or casual dinner, you can find good value to visiting Pho Tan regularly.
Preamble: a quiet Tuesday night
Food: not overly impressed by the boneless chicken wings or lemongrass pork, the former by a lack of flavor and the latter by the small portion size and a tad too much of the salt. We ordered two soup noodles and they were certainly better than your average Vietnamese restaurant quality. MSG usage was moderate.
Service: better than usual. They will give you an entirely new tea kettle to replace the old one. Quick and efficient.
Value: not the cheapest for the portion size, but not outrageous either.
Ambiance: better than usual. Slightly darker with blinded up windows. Fan running as no A/C.
Overall: will try again
Considering what kind of restaurant it is, unusually "nice". Very clean decor and finishings inside. Very clean, you can feel comfortable hanging around there.
Service was pretty quick and friendly. Maybe a little too friendly, almost "used car salesmen" like. Hmmm...
Food presentation is above par for Vietnamese places in Vancouver. By far. Fortunately, it also has the taste to match. We had a lot of stuff, broken rice dish, thin noodles, spring rolls. Just no pho that day. Some stuff was slightly on the greasy/oily side, but was otherwise done quite well. My only disappointment is that the menu selection is pretty much "the usual", nothing new or really interesting like I've experienced at other places (i.e. not in Vancouver).
Mrs. C and I Mrs. C and I were desperate for Pho, and we spotted this place on Main. We found it to be a small and pleasant. The décor was comfortable and clean, and our server was helpful with our choices. We had spring rolls with beef brisket pho for me and brisket and tendons pho for my beloved co-diner.
The spring rolls were excellent, and the pho was very good. No MSG, and hearty soup with noodles that were just right. Even the beef was better than average. One thing that struck me was how comfortable I felt in the restaurant. Some places make you want to eat and run, but at PT I wanted to linger. It was a great pho experience. Plus it didn’t cost much.
Recommended.
I recently moved into the area and have eaten here 3 times. Each time I had 3 different items on the menu. All were good even with the higher expectations from the previous visit. The food is inexpensive, quality Vietnamese food and tastes of home cooking. The pho broth is tasty and not greasy. Ingredients are fresh, items come out of the kitchen very quickly.
The service is very good, especially for a Vietnamese restaurant. You can tell that they actually care about the customer and ensure they are well looked after. When the restaurant is slow, they offer great service without hovering over the tables.
Definately recommended, I will return often.
After sampling a lot of Vietnamese restaurants in Vancouver, Pho Tan ranks as one of my absolute favourites. The atmosphere is clean and comfortable, the service is friendly and quick and the food is excellent. They make an exceptional Vermicelli Bowl with Grilled Pork and Eggrolls, Pho and Satay Noodle Soup. The eggrolls are delicious and they are one of the few Vietnamese restaurants to serve fresh young coconut juice straight from the coconut shell! I'm never disappointed when I come here for Vietnamese food and would highly recommend it to anyone craving pho!
I came out of my way because I heard that this place has very good Pho.
I ordered the large rare beef and beef balls. It arrived fairly promptly with a side of fresh condiments, including chilies which I always appreciate. The broth was wonderfull and there was a generous portion of fresh, quality meat. The noodles were harder than I am used to but still nice.
I recommend this place. Their prices are very competitive, you can have a pork chop or a range of things on the side for a mere 5$.
Most Vietnamese restaurants can use a fixer uper or two, this one does not. It is solid, comfortable, and I would say even nice. The cups even are like you are being cared for... they are the big ones that Starbucks uses. Most Vietnamese places either has too much bad Karaoke going in the background or so greasy that you wanna just eat and "slide" outta there, not this one.
Back to the food, it is great, it is really wonderful. Just the right flavor, not greasy. The beansprouts are fresh, crispy, and white, NOT yellow, soggy, and creepy. Food sometimes is simple to judge, when you have tasted the best, you just know. The pho is better than Phnom Penh, but it doesn't have the variety. The special (pre-order) menu looks good, should be good for a family dinner. Prices - Asian, 'nuff said.
This place started off as a bubble tea place many many years ago , back when bubble tea was a novelty for many Vancouverites.
The food served here is good, and the quality is maintained and duplicated time and time again. They have no "bad" days, the people are always pleasant and friendly, and the place is clean and immaaculate.
Their soup is delicious and they serve it without MSG, words of music to the ears of those who get a bad headache after partaking soups that have the dreaded substance.(supposedly a flavor enhancer)
This is our second visit to the restaurant. The new owners have been there since May 09 and looks better than the previous residents, we didn't go in prior to this as it looked dirty.
The good is excellent, both times I have had sandwich which were good but also tried others food and especially love the beef stew with noodle soup!! I always have their Vietnamese coffee as well, always delicious.
The service is quick and friendly, very attentive and ensure we are happy. Everything is served fairly quickly.
This isn't The Ritz but its very clean and welcoming, certainly above average for the price range they charge for the food.
This is local to us and would come back on a regular basis.
The restaurant decor and furniture is definitely nicer than most pho places that I've been to. The spring roll/pork/vermicelli combo is awesome. So is the pho- tasty soup, perfectly done pho. Big portions, very reasonable prices for these dishes, in the $6-7 range. The only minus is that the rice dishes that I've seen come out leave something to be desired- something that looked like a stirfry and another one was a porkchop? Anyhow, it looked a bit like something the average person would cook up in their kitchen which is not a compliment. Stick to the pho or vermicelli and you will not be disappointed!
If you're looking for good Vietnamese food, this is the place to go! A first time experience last night will lead to more visits here. Friends took us after raving about it a few days before and I knew it had to be good as he used to be a food writer in Asia. He pre-ordered (not on the menu) the day before some interesting dishes that I would not have tried and I have to say the sauces for these dishes were fabulous!!!
1) Beer Crab - flavor explosion and the broth was great with vermicelli noodles. It's served in a clay pot steaming hot.
2) Lamb chops over fried chips with a slightly sweet sauce that doesn't cover up the taste of the meat but enhances it.
3) Ox tails - had a more Asian sauce with star aise or was it 5 spice? It was like having a stew where the meat fell off the bones and was juicy and tender.
4) Assorted spring rolls - crispy outside and a flavor explosion with each bite.
Highly recommend this place!
Came here for lunch today at around 330pm. There were only about 3 other tables so it wasn't busy. No complaints about service. I got my food about 5 mins after ordering. I came here after hearing good reviews from friends and its silver rating for best vietnamese from vancouver mag. I really like the broth, didn't taste msg nor was i thirsty afterward, and it had a really nice flavor. The amount of rare beef was about standard but they were a little stingy with the tendon. The sprouts and basil were fresh and clean (this is important to me). The decor is also nicer than other pho places. Would definitely return.
I have read great reviews about this restaurant and I was itching to try it out. We finally had dinner here last nite and I was impress with their decor. Most Vietnamese restaurants are not known for their ambiance nor their decor, just good food. This place has both. Their menu selection was different from other vietnamese restaurant. We had stuffed chicken wings, Pho Tan special rice noodle soup, chicken veg. stir fry with rice, and shredded pork & spring rolls with vermicelli. Each dishes was very good and well presented. Good service, food came quick, water and tea were refill w/o being asked. The owner made an effort to talk to his customers which was why I gave the service rating a 4. My husband & I would definitely come back to try out more of their dishes.
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