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Thursday, 6 February 2014

pho hien vuong pasteur, footscray

I rarely make my way to any suburbs that aren't a reasonable walk or a short tram ride away, but late last year I've had to run a couple of errands in Footscray.

When I knew I had to make the trip to Footscray, the first thing that came to mind was that I wanted Vietnamese food for lunch. Of course.

The choices abound. We ended up at Pho Hien Vuong Pasteur (144 Hopkins St, Footscray).

In the beverage section, the custard apple juice immediately caught my eye. It was icy, sweet, and the distinct deliciousness of custard apple shone through. I liked it.

Custard apple juice ($3.50).

I had already decided that I would have pho. They come in three sizes here: $8 for small, $9 for medium, and $10 for large. The small one was just right for me.

Funnily enough, Simon and I saw that the menu had both "Special Beef & Chicken", and "Chicken & Beef Combination". Naturally, we thought we would order one of each, to assess the difference. The woman taking our order looked at us like we were crazy. "They're the same thing." Oh. Alright then.

Special combination chicken and beef pho (the small serving, $8).

Anyhow, it was pretty great. The broth had a lovely spiced warmth and complexity, with a depth of flavour that goes beyond mere MSG (though I'm sure that was included, too). The noodles were super smooth and slippery. The meat and offal were tasty, and the trimmings (beansprouts, basil, chilli) were fresh.

The combination pho with all the trimmings.

I'll have to pop by Footscray again for another errand soon. It's tempting to return to Hien Vuong for more pho, but if you've got any other suggestions, do leave a comment!

Hien Vuong on Urbanspoon
Posted by leaf (the indolent cook) at 21:50
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16 comments:

  1. Alicia Foodycat7 February 2014 at 00:16

    Beautiful! I always assume that "special" on pho menus means it has tendon and brisket as well as fillet.

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    1. leaf (the indolent cook)7 February 2014 at 11:27

      Yeah, I assume "special" or "combination" to have a mix of meat and offal, maybe meatballs as well in some cases. The odd thing is that they had two differently named items in different rows on the menu which turned out to be exactly the same, thus the confusion! Bad menu planning. ;)

      Delete
  2. Minh Thuy9 February 2014 at 19:45

    I was just here on Friday and had the bun cha gio while my friend had mi ga. The food was alright. We can here because we wanted to go somewhere that didn't just serve Pho, but it was not surprising another pho place.

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    Replies
    1. leaf (the indolent cook)9 February 2014 at 23:37

      Yeah, I think this place is known for good pho so we didn't order anything else!

      Delete
  3. Winston9 February 2014 at 20:26

    I go to Hien Vuong often when bringing people to Footscray for the first time. Food is reliable, place is clean and well lit, making it a safe option for visitors. Only when I'm with more locals then I wouldn't mind venturing to a less central and nice looking resto but still does good food. I enjoy Pho Chu The that happens to be further down on Hopkins St too =)

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    Replies
    1. leaf (the indolent cook)9 February 2014 at 23:40

      Maybe I'll check out Pho Chu The someday as well, then! :)

      Delete
  4. The Food Sage11 February 2014 at 21:26

    I happened upon an excellent beef pho in Marrickville, Sydney recently - if you ever find yourself in town! Well photographed and thanks for the tip!

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    1. leaf (the indolent cook)11 February 2014 at 22:05

      I don't know when I'll next be in Sydney, but if you remember the name of this place, let me know. :)

      Delete
  5. Catherine11 February 2014 at 23:11

    This was my go to spot for Pho when I was in the area more often! I still have to try bun bo hue at Dong Ba in Footscray as well, as it's known as the best in Melbourne.. but so far for me!

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    1. leaf (the indolent cook)13 February 2014 at 20:14

      Oh, I love bun bo hue, too, and should check it out at more places!

      Delete
  6. Fatbooo12 February 2014 at 09:43

    After eating at Pho Hoa Pasteur in Saigon, any restaurant with the name 'Pasteur' in it makes me think it'll have great pho, ha ha!

    The only problem I face is that my benchmark is 264 on Vic St Richmond (or Phoenix), making it hard to appreciate pho alternatives elsewhere... Footscray included! Didn't like Pho Chu The Footscray, but that was many years ago, maybe should give it another go too!

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    Replies
    1. leaf (the indolent cook)13 February 2014 at 20:16

      I should try 264 or Phoenix in Richmond then! I've been to a few in that area, but not to either of those, I don't think.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 14:49

    Hi leaf, I would second that recommendation for Pho Chu The, that's my pick of the lot in Footscray. I find the broth at Chu The to be nicer and 'clearer', the meat is also a different cut.
    Would love to hear your thoughts on it if/when you get the chance to visit. :)

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  8. BigBluePen14 February 2014 at 11:16

    I'm partial to the pho ga at Hung Vuong in Hopkins ST

    ReplyDelete

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