Stephen P.
Yelp
Went there for lunch with a friend. I've been eating pho for around 20 years in countless places. Their pho was acceptable, but I'd rate it as last on all of the places I've had it in.
Broth: Cloudy but flavorful.
Selection: Poor. Five options: beef, filet, chicken, seafood, veggie. I'm used to seeing a variety of selections (I prefer pho tai nam, but will sometimes order other combos). The compression/limited selection was disappointing.
Presentation: Decent. Yes, the meat was still cooking in the broth. The broth was not exceptionally hot, but the meat did finish cooking. Noodles in a large lump in the bottom of the bowl. Normal sized serving.
Sides: Lime, basil, sprouts. Only one small plate for two people with limited basil, I'm used to a lot more (allowing munching on sprouts, etc.) NO JALAPENOS!!! I asked for some, they were "out", but after a few minutes, they found a few pieces.
Sauces: Only sriracha and hoison. No chili oil/roasted chilis, etc.
Cafe sua da: premixed, but decent. A lot of ice in the glass; for $5, I'd hope for more cafe.
My recommendation: Go if you need a pho fix and don't care what's in it. But if you can, check the menus of other places -- if they offer a dozen different pho combos, they probably are making a better pho than Hello Vietnam Bistro.