New Pho/Vietnamese N. Cambridge

[holldoll]

Has anyone been to the new Pho restaurant on Mass Avenue in N. Cambridge.
Are the owners the same as when it was a Chinese/Thai combo?
What are the best dishes and does the Pho compare with C-town and Dot Pho places??
I've seen the menu and the prices seem very inexpensive!

[Boston_Otter]

Another quick report: I tried the grilled prawn vermicelli, and it was definitely a mixed bag. The prawns were impressively large, fresh, and well-grilled -- a nice surprise. Veggies and noodles were nicely cooked and fresh. But the nuoc mam sauce was rather tasteless, oddly. Kick up the sauce a good bit and you've got a great plate of Vietnamese noodles for delivery. Otherwise, have a bottle of fish sauce on hand for flavor.

[marcreichman]

My wife and I just went Saturday afternoon. We had the fresh spring rolls with chicken, which were decent. My wife ordered the Pho Ga and I the Pho Tai. Both were incredibly bland with no depth to the broth. We couldn't figure out which was worse in this area, Pho House or Lady Siam (in Arlington). Lots of places keep popping up, and I'm afraid for the overall quality level in the area!

[okra]

I went for lunch soon after this thread appeared - the place was quite busy, a table full of police, which is usually a good sign.

However, I'll have to concur about the Pho Ga. Let me preface this by saying I'm a boring white New Englander who bases this dish on the one I used to get at Pho Pasteur for years and years. This bowl, however, just seemed to be missing... something. No matter how much sriracha, sprouts, basil, etc I added, it just wasn't... right.

Your mileage may vary.

[fecalface]

I second the 'missing' comment. I had the duck noodle soup and my DC had the pho bo, and both were lacking. Neither had much meat either. It's a good, cheap addition to the neighborhood if you don't feel like trekking far, but not a chow-worthy destination.

[maryv]

Yes, it's the same owners/staff as when it was Thai and Mandarin Kitchen.

[sopped_up_sauce]

What is it called, and what's the address?

[holldoll]

It was
Thai/Mandarin Kitchen
2261 Mass Ave
Cambridge, MA 02140

[holldoll]

I've just come from the newly named Pho House at 2261 Mass Ave in N. Cambridge.
We ordered mostly from the Vietnamese menu but they also offer a Thai menu as well. We ordered the Pho Ga (chicken soup with yellow noodles) which was good although not as flavorful as some others I've had. It came with a very fresh plate of bean sprouts, fresh basil and lime and all the other condiments to flavor Pho as much or as little as one likes. We also had the Goi Toh Thit (shrimp and chicken salad) which was absolutely great. The fresh shrimp spring rolls were the best we've ever had. Amazingly fresh with very good shrimp and really fresh mint!
We also ordered beef satay which was very nicely cooked with a good grilled flavor and some ok fried pork dumplings and thai spring rolls. am thrilled to have a good Vietnamese restaurant in Cambridge outside of Le's in Harvard Square. There is no liquor license here. The service although only one waitress was good and they ended the meal by giving my children each a packet of Skittles!!

[Boston_Otter]

Thanks for your report! Much appreciated.

I only wish they sold Banh Mi!

[jajjguy]

There's also the new and good Pho and Rice on Beacon St in Somerville, in the old Zoe's space.

[holldoll]

This is a really sad commentary on the state of the restaurant biz in N. Cambridge.
I plan to go in the next week and will report back.

[tallullah]

I think it has less to do with the 'sad commentary' and more to do with not knowing what restauant you are talking about. What's the name of the place? What was the name of the Chinese/Thai combo place?

Hard to comment when you don't know what to comment on...