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RAVE: Báhn Mì at Pho Aroma

Started 1 year ago by christopherboffoli
Latest reply from JoB

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christopherboffoli
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I'd normally give a new business a bit of breathing room on their opening day. But being the sangwich fiend that I am I just had to go in to Pho Aroma and road test their bahn mi.

The verdict: delicious! Wonderfully roasted meat with a subtle sweetness, fresh slivers of daikon, carrot and cucumber, a few peppers for some heat, touch of mayo and a few sprigs of cilantro. Heaven in your hand for $2.50 (takeaway).

One of the most wonderful parts of this Vietnamese, French colonially-influenced sandwich is the special bread. Rice flour added to the dough takes away the chewy toughness that a French baguette would normally have and replaces it with an overall softness with a wafer thin, delicate crispiness on the outside.

Definitely worth a visit. I'm looking forward to hearing from anyone who tries their durian milkshakes.

Posted 1 year ago #
westseattledood
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See, cjb, there's another reason we appreciate your WSB contributions so much. Aside from the mouth-watering phtographs and descriptors, you have answered a question I have had about bahn mi for 20 years. What is with those baguettes! I could never find the real thing, though I probably just did not try hard enough. But. Now I know why, thanks to you. Has to have the rice flour! Brilliant. And for $2.50 to boot! All that fresh and lively filling against the delicate crunch of the crust. Genius.

Posted 1 year ago #
NicNDuB
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We just had their veggie pho and have to second the rave as it was both superb and affordable!

CBJ – we’re not sure if you have acquired the taste or if you’re a bit of a practical joker, but for others who are curious/ gullible please do a little research before ordering the Durian shake. Unfortunately, we failed to do so and ended up asking the owners for reassurance that the shake wasn’t spoiled. We decided it most resembled sulfur or rotten eggs, and while I’m sure it is delicious to the connoisseur we failed to get past three sips despite concerted effort.

Fortunately the owners explained some history on the fruit and replaced our Durian with a spectacular Taro shake.

Posted 1 year ago #
christopherboffoli
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NicNDub: Oh No!!! I'm so sorry. I definitely wasn't playing a joke. I'm absolutely intrigued about durian milkshakes. I guess I should have been less flippant in what I said. Their stinky, sulfurous flavor profile is legendary. But definitely an acquired taste. Good for you though for giving it a go. I apologize if I led you astray!

Posted 1 year ago #
Garden_nymph
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Christopher,

As usual, your excellent descriptions and wonderful picture have gotten my attention. I WILL be trying this place out this weekend! I'll pass on the durian milkshake though; to me it's a Fear Factor food. I'll be trying Taro instead.

Posted 1 year ago #
NicNDuB
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Christopher,

No worries. Had we done research we may have still ordered the Durian shake, we just wouldn’t have sent it back (we were seriously concerned there was spoilage or equipment contamination).

And although we couldn’t stomach the Durian, we can imagine how for the connoisseur it is addictive as neither of us has tasted anything quite like it before. There was a unique slightly melon-esk flavor, however, it seems one has to first get over the overpowering sulfur/ fermentation impact. And this isn’t an easy task as it permeates both olfactory and taste-buds.

And we didn’t ask, but we suspect that what we tried was a powered version, so we can only imagine the experience of fresh Durian…

Posted 1 year ago #
christopherboffoli
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NicNDuB: 'No Durian' signs are as common at hotels in some areas of Asia as are 'No Smoking' signs here in the States. I hear that there are some experts who know how to handle the fruit in a special way which preserves the delicate flavor while eliminating the sulfurous stink. Though some enjoy the latter as stinky cheese lovers admire their fromage.

The owner of Pho Aroma assured me that they use real durian in their shakes. Powder probably wouldn't retain such pungency. I expect they are probably using prepped, frozen durian chunks.

Posted 1 year ago #
Garden_nymph
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Christopher Boffoli,

Were you there again today? We went, because of the excellent journalism you did, and have to admit it lived up to the hype. We will be back to try the combo Pho because it looked SO good, but we had already had our hearts set to try the sandwich. Taro shake was also a double thumbs up. What an excellent addition to the neighborhood.

Posted 1 year ago #
The Velvet Bulldog
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Adding my props to Pho Aroma! Ate dinner at the restaurant and the meal consisted of a bowl of Rice Vermicelli, "Bun" and a pork Bahn Mi sandwich. The vermicelli bowl was DELISH--shrimp grilled just right and probably the best egg roll I've ever had. The sandwich was tasty, but my dining companion and I agreed it could use a little more filling to balance with the bread. The dining atmosphere is warm and pleasant and the service attentive. They also serve a number of vegetarian options which look quite promising. We'll definitely go back--trying the Pho next!

Posted 1 year ago #
Garden_nymph
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I agree about additional filling in the sandwich, I added the shredded daikon and carrot that came with the egg roll and then dipped the sandwich in the sweet chili sauce. It was delicious! All the flavors in the sandwich were so fresh.

Posted 1 year ago #
hollyplace
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Rice flour huh? I never would have guessed. I'm there tomorrow!

Posted 1 year ago #
flowerpetal
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I was there this afternoon with some friends. I ordered the Bun combo and it was delish! I have had Bun lots of places and this one was exceptionally good. I will be going back for a sandwich. Most Bahn mi are not filled so much. That overstuffing of sandwiches (like a Dagwood) is an American concept of more is better. These looked just right to me.

Posted 1 year ago #
pigeonmom
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I love a good Bun. Can't wait to try this place.

Posted 1 year ago #
JoB
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just got back from dinner at Pho Aroma.
We may have found a new favorite..

We shared a shrimp salad roll
i had grilled prok chops with fried egg
hubby had Pho
we even ordered a Pork Bahn Mi to go

great food
great prices
great service
really pleasant space

i think this place will do well.

Posted 1 year ago #
GretaGrace
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i picked up lunch on Saturday consisting of a Banh Mi sandwich and fresh spring rolls. Big fan of both, with a few tweeks. First, I would leave the mayo off the sandwich, and add spicy mustard, and add more jalepenos. I agree that the sandwich doesn't need to be overstuffed, but from end to end of the bread would be nice! Can't wait to try other things from the menu!

Posted 1 year ago #
DP
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This place has great sandwiches, I'll give them that. I'll be back to try the phỏ, because that's what will really make or break them.

A couple of observations:

1) Both times I was there, there were six people working. (They all appeared to be family.) A little place like this will not support six people. Most struggle to support three.

2) From the front counter, you can see directly into the kitchen area, including the sink, the pots and pans, etc. This isn't good. They should either reconfigure the counter or put an opaque barrier between customers and kitchen.

3) The color scheme needs some work. Dayglo yellow and orange aren't conducive to good digestion in my opinion. Others may not care . . .

Again, good sandwiches. Reasonable prices, too. Hope they can make a go of it.

Posted 1 year ago #
JoB
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DP..

You have a serious attack of the shoulds there..

i loved the decor... as did hubby.. he commented that it was the first local Pho shop that had paid as much attention to the decor as to the food...
but then we experienced it from a table.. not from the counter ordering inexpensive sandwiches to go.

when we were there all of those family members .. if indeed they are family members.. were working as fast as they could to meet the needs of their customers.

Since one looked old enough to retire and another young enough to be in school this fall.. i am betting if they are family.. they are using every resource they have to launch this business.

as for the view from the counter.. which btw... i didn't notice... there are many places where you pay big bucks for a view of the kitchen...

walk on the wild side and sit down for a meal. you may find your perception alters.
And if not.. i will be glad to take your place at the table on busy evenings.

Posted 1 year ago #
Garden_nymph
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I think they way they decorated is pleasing. The food is amazing. Today, I couldn't help myself and HAD to have another pork Bahn mi. True to my high maintenance self, I had it "made to order". I asked them to hold the mayo and peppers and add more daikon and carrots. I also asked for sweet chili sauce to dip it in. This may not be the way it was intended to be eaten, but it is DELICIOUS!!! Where else can you get stuffed for $5.00 or less?! I also ordered the spring roll and it too is wonderful. I am really enjoying this place!

Posted 1 year ago #
Irukandji
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Wherever I go I now ask myself, "WWCJBE?"

What Would Christopher J. Boffoli Eat?

Posted 1 year ago #
CarolPB
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too funny!

Posted 1 year ago #
Garden_nymph
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I think this has to be my favorite new acronym!

Posted 1 year ago #
GenHillOne
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Dumb question maybe? Is "Aroma" English or is there a Vietnamese pronunciation that I don't know? When talking about this new gem, I'm having trouble with the name! If Pho is properly "Fa", is the name said compressed like "F'aroma"?

Posted 1 year ago #
GoGo
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Just had a pork bahn mi, DELISH!! $2.50 and I'm pleasantly full. Am currently telling everyone at my office to go there NOW.

P.S. I love the color of the ceiling!

Posted 1 year ago #
ellenater
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The Pho was good as was the kid's noodle soup w/meatball. I also liked the decor. Looking forward to going back.

Posted 1 year ago #
wundrgrrrl
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Just went for dinner and I loved it! I had the egg rolls (light and crispy) and Pho ~ they were both yummy. The menu had lots of Vietnamese dishes to choose from, so I can't wait to go back and try more. The decor is warm and the family staff very friendly. The place was bustling too. Cheers to the new kids on the block!

Posted 1 year ago #
JanS
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a downside to living the "green" life without a car...I want...but can't get there...love good Bahn Mi....anyone feel like delivering? hehehe

Posted 1 year ago #
CrystalizedGinger
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Banh mi: awesome. Hold the mayo, extra jalepeno. The bread is one of the softest I've ever had.
Banh Xeo: Absolutely the best I've ever had. It is the "Vietnamese Crepe" on the menu, and usually it's a little soggy at other places, but here, crisp! Hard to achieve.
spring rolls: They put a strip of crispy fried wrapper inside the fresh roll, so you get a pleasant crunch. The boyfriend doesn't like the basil, so he asked them to take it out, no problem as they roll them fresh when you order.
Crab and Asparagus soup: reminicent of egg drop soup, but much more complex- light but filling!
Loc Luc: "Ginger and Garlic Beef" was just okay in my opinion.
Three times this week, and still have to try the Pho!
Everything tastes fresh and clean. :)

Posted 1 year ago #
JanS
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I love coming to this thread just so I can look at the picture that Christopher took...yummmmm...drool...

Posted 1 year ago #
JoB
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JanS..
maybe we can stop there after your little pick me up tomorrow.
i wanted to try the crepes last time

Posted 1 year ago #
JanS
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ohhhh..that would get the awful metal taste out of my mouth, huh...

Posted 1 year ago #
cjboffoli
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JanS: One way or another we're going to have to get you one of those babies. Believe it or not, they even taste better than they look!

Posted 1 year ago #
JoB
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something to look forward to :)

Posted 1 year ago #
JanS
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and, yes, it was deee-licious..pork Bahn Mi and Pho...had to take half of it all home. What a lovely place...I loved the decor, the service was quick and friendly. Saw a couple of plates come out with the Vietnamese crepe on them...wow....will have to try that next time. Go...you'll love it !

Posted 1 year ago #
JoB
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Crystalizedginger

thanks for recommending the crab and asparagus soup. I tried it today and really enjoyed it.
crepes next:)

Posted 1 year ago #
PDieter
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Pho was very good. ranks in top three on the peninsula 88 & boat being my other two favorites. Will mainstream WS cross 35th for their pho? I hope so. It's funny that the dirtiest, coarsest pho/vietnamese in WS is west of 35th (not including Boat Cafe on Alki). If Than Bros is your pho, do yourself a favor and move on.

good to hear about the crepe, I hope they start to offer trays as well as bun bowls.

the bahn mi was weak IMHO, under-stuffed with veggies. But a solid $2.50 bahn mi for the times. Pho Cyclo still reigns in the Bahn mi dept although 88 offering the traditional fried egg addition is noteworthy.

Posted 1 year ago #
melissa
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We went last night, my two kids and I. We shared a combination pho, egg roll, shrimp salad roll, and coconut juice. Everything was delectable. We had more food (or is that phood?) than we could eat. Unbelievable depth to the broth. It was full of warm, complex flavors. We loved the various meats, except the tripe, which wasn't to our taste. The mint and crunchy bits in the salad roll raised it above the usual salad roll.

Oh, and I always overtip when it's me and the kids, as they take up as much space as grownups but eat far less. Even with an over 20 percent tip, it was still $20. And leftovers for the hubby tonight. He ooooohed and aaaahed over the pho.

The folks who work there are friendly, solicitous, and unintrusive. They are quick to accomodate any request and go above and beyond what I'd expect. When we ordered the coconut juice, I explained that the kids wanted to share it, so she brought it in two glasses. Fortunately for me, the kids didn't want to eat the slices of young coconut in the sweetened coconut water. Delectable. Again.

I have a feeling that this place will become our refuge this winter when it's cold and we haven't time to fix dinner.

Posted 1 year ago #
austin
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I stopped in this afternoon for some chicken rolls and pork/eggroll bun and found an instant favorite. I can't wait for some coolish weather and to try their pho. Just finished a vegetarian with tofu bahn mi and it was excellent, above average bread and very tasty. Great food, great people, it's awesome to have an outstanding Vietnamese place in the north end of the peninsula!

Posted 1 year ago #
CrystalizedGinger
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Pdieter:
It's not on the menu, but you can get trays...I saw someone order it the other day...for those uninitiated, it's like a deconstructed bowl of Bun laid out on a tray in separate piles. They give you a bowl of warm water and hard rice paper wrappers that you dip in the water and lay out on a plate. You fill the now-softened wrapper with the Bun items and roll...and Voila! your own spring rolls!
Oh, and yes, finally had the pho...delish.

Posted 1 year ago #
kayo
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We just visited for the 2nd Saturday in a row with our 1 year old and 4 year old in tow. Once again we had a delicious meal and everyone was happy and very full. My daughter loved the kid's meal (chicken, rice, egg roll, veggies and milk for $4). We ate tonight for less than $20 plus tip and everything was excellent. The service is fast and everyone very friendly. SO happy to have this restaurant in our neighborhood!

Posted 1 year ago #
MargL
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Wow! That was fast service - and very tasty food!
We had the shrimp salad roll, grilled chicken bahn mi and grilled pork vermicelli bowl with egg roll - all delicious!
Will definitely be back to try the pho!

Posted 1 year ago #
Seattle_Rose
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We went there for lunch today, and I really only have three critiques to make the place better:

1. The fish sauce was very weak and watered down. I noticed that the fish sauce dip barely had any fish sauce in there. Even my mostly fish sauce hating husband noticed it.

2. It would also have been nice if they offered hot chili sauce on the table. I am not talking about the one from the squeeze bottle that you eat with your pho. The chili sauce I am thinking of is usually offered in container and can be found in most other vietnamese restaurants sitting on the table. It is nice when you want to add some spiciness to your fish sauce or dish. Maybe they had some in the back I could have asked for?

3. Lastly, their vietnamese sandwiches did not have any pate in it, which was disappointing. It is one of the main ingredients in a classic vietnamese sandwich. I wish they would make it optional instead of eliminating it period.

Overall, I think Pho Aroma is mostly catered to the western taste, which is fine. I realize it is their main customer base, BUT, I do wish they had better fish sauce. Everything else I could live with, and I really want this place to make it and stay in the neighborhood.

Posted 1 year ago #
JanS
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so...you should have asked. I found that they were very accommodating. We get no where if we just sit there and wonder :)

Posted 1 year ago #
flowerpetal
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Funny, I have eaten at Vietnamese restaurants in many different places; and I keep fish sauce at home for my own cooking adventures. It never ocurred to me that the fish sauce was weak. I doubt that it was watered down; it being so inexpensive anyway. We did ask for hot chlli sauce for our table and we were happily accomodated. I feel a little better cuz it seems more hygenic to me that it has not been sitting on the table. I may be lulling myself into a false sense of well-being; but I'm OK with that.

Posted 1 year ago #
DM
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I've only been there once (so far)for take out sandwiches. Loved them. I'll be back soon to work my way through the rest of the menu...I have to say, I am so glad they had the courage to open up where they did, next to the pizza place (also brave folks). That stretch of Delridge is not a typical dining hub. I'm thrilled that we now have some interesting dining options in our eastern chunk of WS!

Posted 1 year ago #
Cait
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I've gotta revive this thread - I loved it on ALL counts. The boyfriend is a bit of a Vietnamese food freak and he loved all of it too. We got sandwiches - pork and chicken. I loved it so much I would get the veggie version and that's a HUGE rave from me. Great coffee milkshakes! We'll be going back as long as it takes to sample the whole menu.

Personally, I really love the decor. I actually took a picture of the flower arrangement they have by the kitchen door because it was so beautiful. I can see where it's not everyone's style, but it's well thought out.

There are some people (myself included) who like being able to see into the kitchen, so I really appreciated that.

Posted 1 year ago #
westseattledood
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I was in this weekend for the first time and only ordered a sandwich. Golly is that a beautiful baguette they use! I asked the owner where they got their rolls and she said Q-Bakery off MLK on Graham. Well, as I've noted in one of my above posts, I have been wondering where to find these nice rolls for ages, so I cruised on over to Q-Bakery and finally bought some! Woot! The kind of confusing thing was Q-Bakery told me they did not use any rice flour in their baguettes. She said it was all-purpose flour. Now I'm stumped again about what they do that makes it so light....I guess it is just a matter of artistry with the dough? I am so not a baker, but now I wonder where the rice flour baguettes in town are? Now I'm on the hunt for those! ;)

And I certainly appreciated the interior design in Pho Aroma's space too. Very warm colors and I think during the cold grey days to come, it will be a great place to cozy up with a warm bowl of pho.

Posted 1 year ago #
JanS
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the pho is delicious...and the bowls are huge...can't wait to go back!

Posted 1 year ago #
cjboffoli
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westseattledood: Hmm. I'm not buying it. The bakery may not want to give up their secrets so easily. I've eaten a lot of baguettes and have done enough baking to know that standard "AP" flour is going to produce a chewier baguette. I suppose they could be amending their flour with something else that would soften the result (like fructose). But I still maintain that it is the added rice flour which gives classic bahn mi bread its combination of softness and delicate outer shell.

Posted 1 year ago #
westseattledood
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cjb -

You'd know better than I, no question, whether peeps are withholding trade secrets. I'm just glad I found the source.

I dunno, cjb. Do you think this mystery might warrant a WSB WS/WCN bahn mi throw-down? Like your infamous pizza challenge? Could be fun and oh what we all would learn!

Whatcha' think?
:)

Posted 1 year ago #
ellenater
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when you find the rice flour bags., please post!!!

Posted 1 year ago #