Hometown Vietnam Kitchen
Taman Connaught folks can get their Vietnamese fix from this roadside stall for breakfast and lunch. We like the mix of Chinese and Vietnamese influences here — they even refer to pho as Beef Hor Fun (RM8.50) on the menu. Light and sweet soup bathes the silky rice noodles that are topped with beef and fresh herbs; at its reasonable price, this is a bowl that fully satisfies. Try the recommended Special Beef Noodle (RM8) to see the cuisine mix shine. The beef soup base turns cloudy when mixed with the tomatoes and white tofu. Plus, the juices from the fruit also add a nice touch of sourness to the broth — it sports a flavour likened to fish head noodle soup.
Star Viet Restaurant
Star Viet Restaurant is newer than its contenders, but rest assured the Vietnamese food you find here is authentic as can be. Folks in the area flock here for the traditional dishes, including the flavourful bowls of pho. The Pho Tai (beef pho, RM11.90) is a must order for its tender beef slices, soft beef balls and clear yet intense soup. There’s a kick of pepper too, which can be toned down with a squeeze of lime given on the side. You’ll also find Pho Ga (chicken pho, RM11.90) that’s lighter in flavour, and a spicy beef pho, Bun Bo Hue (RM11.90), best enjoyed on a rainy night.
Vietnam Cafe Food
The bustling Changkat area is home to Vietnam Cafe Food, an unassuming joint serving authentic Hanoi dishes in KL. Could the Pho Go (from RM20) here have the best broth in town? Burppler Foodgazer certainly thinks so. He shares that it reminded him of what he had in Hanoi, adding that the beef served here is on the tougher side, so he suggests swapping it for raw brisket. The broth has layers of flavour; from the meatiness of the beef to the freshness and fragrance of the bean sprouts, Thai basil and lime. Did we mention that Vietnam Food Cafe is open 24 hours? Now there’s always a place to go to when the hankering for pho strikes.
Ara Vietnamese Noodles
What started as a neighbourhood restaurant in Damansara Jaya for Vietnamese food is now a reliable place for pho, spring rolls and Vietnamese coffee. Priced at RM8.50, the bowl of Vietnamese Beef Noodles is filled with a generous amount of rice noodles, beef slices, beef balls and daikon, which all become more flavourful when dipped in the spicy and tangy chilli sauce on the side. Love innards? Burppler Nicholas Ng had the Special Vietnamese Beef Noodles (RM12.50) that comes with additional honeycomb tripe and tendon. What makes the pho here is the broth. According to Nicholas, it is “the right sweet and savoury flavour, light and delicate.”
Pho King
Pho is indeed king at this SS2 Vietnamese restaurant, with five varieties of soup noodles on the menu. Get Pho King’s signature Hanoi style Beef Noodles (RM15.90, regular) with rare beef and brisket slices. The clear broth packs a ton of flavour, and the rare beef slices add a nice touch for meat that melts in your mouth. We love that we can choose our noodle portion, which gives us more tummy space for snacks and dessert! Burppler Nicholas Ng gave the Hue Style Spicy Beef Noodles (RM17.90, regular) a 5/5 rating, pointing out that the laksa noodles add a nice texture, and that the Vietnamese ham boasts lovely sweet and savoury flavours when soaked in the spicy broth. Pro tip: Swing by for weekday lunch sets from RM9.90 — every order comes with a complimentary glass of jasmine tea.
Wonton & Pho
Amidst the Chinese restaurants in Happy Garden, Wonton & Pho delights noodle fanatics with both local and Vietnamese options. While you'll get a decent plate of wanton noodles, we say go with the delicious pho instead. The Pho Bo (RM14.90) comes with a deeply-flavoured broth and a side of fresh bean sprouts, lettuce and basil to spruce the soup up even more. Also not to be missed is their light and flavourful Pho Ga (chicken pho, RM13.90).
Lucky Quan
There are plenty of Vietnamese specialities that make up Lucky Quan's menu, but it’s the single-meals and classics that are worth sticking to. On pho, they recommend the Vietnam Beef Noodle Soup (RM14.80), a generous bowl of rice noodles in piping hot broth and beef meatballs. Throw in the fresh herbs and bean sprouts served on the side — the basil and saw leaf add a nice fragrance to the already sweet broth. We also spotted interesting pho variations on the menu, including a Vietnam Style Baby Octopus Noodle Soup (RM14.80) and Vietnamese Stinky Sauce Pork Noodle Soup (RM13.80), also known as Vietnamese gumbo, made with fermented shrimp and fish paste — we’ll be back to try this unique dish.
Enjoyed this round-up? You might also like our list of thosai to die for. Read it here.
