Vietnamese Restaurant Opening at 43d and Spruce

[mrbigjas]

Saturday breakfast at Troy's was the ultimate undergraduate hangover cure in the mid-70's, and for me, the best breakfast after the Friday overnight shift at 'MMR/  I never ate any other meal there but breakfast.

Did anyone? I mean, breakfast at 4 a.m. when you haven't gone to bed still counts as breakfast, right? Right?

uh oh

[Greg Salisbury]

Ahhhhh...Troys. Y'know what I never understood about that place - sure, the eggels were as wonderfully terrible as you would expect from a campus dive at 4am (and we all know that grease and carbs help keep teh hangover away the next day) - why would they put slices of American cheese on their cheese fries? Using Whiz would have to be roughly the same price and a helluva lot tastier. Herb, thanks for all the pointers - helpful and appreciated.

[mrbigjas]

You know who else used to do this? Little Pete's, the one on 17th St. Don't know if they still do; I haven't been there in a couple years. I go to the one up here in the Philadelphian relatively often, but don't order cheese fries at lunch...

[herbacidal]

really, pete's does that? hmm. oh well.

i like pete's, but i only get one of 4 things there:

reuben, sausage and cheese omelette, cheeseburger, or chipped beef

plus the obligatory b/w milkshake

[mrbigjas]

They did. Don't know if they still do. They also made their cheesesteaks by making a steak and throwing a couple of slices of american on it and putting it in the broiler to melt. Which toasted the edges of the roll.

At the time I first discovered this (i.e. when I first moved into town from the suburbs) it was a revelation to me. I've since decided I don't like it so much because it's too dry (leaving aside for the moment the fact that it's american, not whiz). Then again, in the last 15 years I've developed a real appreciation for a wetter sandwich, most likely attributable to my discovery of roast pork sandwiches sometime in the early 1990s.

[brescd01]

I agree that Pho Xe Lua is the best Vietnamese restaurant in Philly and the standard.

[KatieLoeb]

I agree that Pho Xe Lua is the best Vietnamese restaurant in Philly and the standard.

Hi David:

Welcome to eGullet! And thanks for the support. I absolutely LOVE this place and can't understand why it isn't more popular with non-native folks. Blows the doors off the other Vietnamese restaurants I've tried in Philly and is so inexpensive you can eat like a king, have leftovers, and still get out of there for less than a twenty. We had a great DDC dinner there a while back and they were very kind and accomodating. And SO much food!

[herbacidal]

i think Xe Lua is definitely the best Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown, probably the best outside of South Philly.

For me, the only wild card is South Philly, where I've never had Vietnamese food.

Don't have a reason, Xe Lua is plenty good enough. If I'm ever closer to someplace in South Philly and want Vietnamese, I'll look into it.

Til then, Pho Xe Lua is my place for Vietnamese.

[Holly Moore]

True.  And it's bound to be better than the new restaurant opening up in my neighborhood (Graduate Hospital)--yet another "Chinese-American Food" takeout place.  Right at 17th & South, as if we didn't already have one at 18th & South.

They just opened this past weekend. Called "New South China." Had them deliver some Kung Pao Shrimp last night. One of these days this neighborhood may get some decent Chinese forrd, but not yet.

[Greg Salisbury]

OK, I'll have to try Pho Xe Lua - that's the one with the neon train, right? - but I strongly recommend the newish Vietnamese place in the 12th St. mall off of Washington. It is the southernmost restaurant in the complex. Definitely a little more expensive than Chinatown Vietnamese, but I have yet to try something that was not fresh and well executed. I'm partial to this mall - Pho 75 is my favorite pho place, and Hung Vong supermarket gives you a 10% discount when you buy by the case.

[mrbigjas]

Yep, that's the one with the train.

[sara]

I strongly recommend the newish Vietnamese place in the 12th St. mall off of Washington. It is the southernmost restaurant in the complex. Definitely a  little more expensive than Chinatown Vietnamese, but I have yet to try something that was not fresh and well executed.

Greg, have you noticed the customer segregation at this restaurant? I was there fairly recently (about a month ago), and was struck by the division--one side of the restaurant was entirely Asian, the other side entirely black & white (divided by that flower/gate barrier). I assumed this wasn't self-selection, but rather the work of the host. I thought it was odd--and posted about it on Egullet.

I also like Pho 75, though I've been eating at their restaurants since I was a teenager (they have a location in Northern VA), and am probably biased now. I've heard that the pho place at 6th and Washington is considered by some to be better.

[KatieLoeb]

I've often been known to refer to Pho Xe Lua as "The Soup Train"

I got food poisoning from the Pho place at 6th and Washington and haven't been back since. Also, the place is FILTHY. Just look at the floor sometime.

Pho 75 works well in a pinch, but since 12th & Washington and Chinatown are pretty much equidistant from home, I'll always go to Pho Xe Lua.

Greg - try the Beef Satay soup there. Actually all the soups I've ever tried are quite tasty. The spring rolls are excellent as are the shrimp with sugar cane. Check the specials board, there's always some interesting preparations.

[herbacidal]

I've often been known to refer to Pho Xe Lua as "The Soup Train" 

Pho 75 works well in a pinch, but since 12th & Washington and Chinatown are pretty much equidistant from home, I'll always go to Pho Xe Lua.

some ABCs call it the train.

if they're equidistant, i'd go with pho 75 just b/c easier to find parking.

can't say a thing about 75's food though.

[Andrew Fenton]

I got food poisoning from the Pho place at 6th and Washington and haven't been back since.  Also, the place is FILTHY.  Just look at the floor sometime.

I don't know if Pho Ha (that's the one you're talking about, right?) is any more dirty than Pho 75. Neither one would exactly pass the white glove test, if ya know what I mean. And Pho 75, or rather, the hallway that leads to it, always has kind of a funny smell, like fish + disinfectant. But then, if I'd gotten food poisoning from either one I'd probably have pretty strong feelings about it!

When I want a bowl of soup, I most often tend to go to Pho Ha, because it's closest. But there's no question that when the Train pulls into the station, it's carrying the best Vietnamese food in the city.

One cleanliness story: I made the mistake of taking Beth to Pho Xe Lua for the first time on a day when it was raining heavily. The floor wound up muddy and a little disgusting. Didn't bother me, but ever since then, she's been a little turned off by the place...

[Andrew Fenton]

(Probably it was also a mistake to feed her tripe without her knowing it. I doubt I'll ever be forgiven for that one...)

Edited September 11, 2003 by Andrew Fenton (log)

[herbacidal]

(Probably it was also a mistake to feed her tripe without her knowing it.  I doubt I'll ever be forgiven for that one...)

i suppose that's true, but for me, that's always something to do.

i like the idea of getting used to something before knowing about it.

lets them experience it without preconceived notions.

then they'll like it on its merits or not based on its detractions, w/o influence from where it came from, outside factors, etc.

but i'm just freaky like dat.

[Greg Salisbury]

Sara, I know exactly what you mean! I just thought it was because I asked to be seated in the non-smoking section, but now I'm going to pay more attention. I like Pho Ha a lot - vegetarian pho options for my girlfriend, and they do shrimp-pork summer rolls as well. It always seemed clean enough... And the smell at Pho 75 I always attributed to the fact it shares a hallway with another restaurant and a supermarket. Katie, how is Xe Lua for vegetarians?

[sara]

Greg--Thanks for noting the veggie options at Pho Ha (tho I'm not sure pho minus beef broth is really pho??). I have many many vegetarian & vegan grad student friends, which inspired me to purchase the "Vegetarian Explorer's Guide to Philadelphia" (Eric Graham, 1997, self-published I think, purchased at Larry Maltz's Last Word Bookshop).

The Asian recommendations include: Charles Plaza, Harmony, Korea House, My Thai, Singapore, and Vietnam Palace. Not sure how many of those are still around...

Edited September 13, 2003 by sara (log)

[sarahleah]

Stop the presses! Vegetarian pho exists? Not that I'm a cynic, but this means a legit vegetable broth? This is clearly labelled on the menu? I've been dragging a drooling Mr. sarahleah away from those places in South Philly, assuming there would be nothing for me to eat there. You've just changed everything!

Any suggestions on what (else) to order, veggie-wise, at Pho Ha?

[KatieLoeb]

Katie, how is Xe Lua for vegetarians?

Hi Greg:

I've always noticed there were several salad type options (green papaya salad is quite tasty) in the appetizers and I'm certain one could order a vegetarian Pad Thai. I don't know how strict your girlfriend's eating habits are. Many "vegetarians" are really "fish-atarians" and if that's the case, then there are many things she could have. If she's vegan, then she probably shouldn't eat anything she hasn't prepared herself, or had prepared for her personallly by someone that understands her dietary restrictions. There has undoubtly been meat prepared in the same pans, or there's animal products in the stocks and sauces. To me vegetarianism is like keeping kosher. Either you do it properly or you shouldn't bother. Just IMHO, of course, but the "I keep a kosher kitchen at home, but I'll eat shellfish and bacon out at a restaurant thing" is nonsense. Does your belief system somehow get checked at the door of a restaurant? Does that mean the customers at the next table should beware because you might suddenly pull a gun and shoot them? "I'd never murder anyone at home, but if I'm out..."

The suggestions for My Thai and Charles Plaza are also very good ones.

[sara]

FYI--The Vietnamese restaurant at 43d and Spruce opens FRIDAY SEPT 19.

Not sure if they're doing dinner only, or lunch too. But I'm hoping for lunch...

[Greg Salisbury]

The new Vietnamese place @43d/Spruce will be opening this Friday, the 18th.

[sara]

Regardless of whether this Friday is the 18th or 19th of Sept ( ),

Greg do you know if it will be open for lunch???

[Greg Salisbury]

Nope, all it said was "grand opening Fri Sep 18." I'll try to get a hold of Mr. Lee today on my way to work.