Restaurant review: Pho Thai Luong

By Sherman Chan,
Special to The Post

The plaza located on the southwest corner of Nordel and Scott Road in Delta has had a revolving door of restaurants. The latest addition is the third Pho restaurant to join this plaza in six months, Pho Thai Luong.
On a recent visit, there were at least a few tables filled. Hopefully this Pho restaurant will last more than a few months. I hope so for the sake of the owners. The ultimate test for longevity is of course the quality of the food.
My friend and I decided to try the Pho. On my first sip of broth, the saltiness and extreme flavour indicated MSG. Despite being too salty, there was a natural meat taste that is often missing from most Pho in the city. I found the noodles to be toothsome and not in a clump. The sparse pieces of meat were jagged and rustically cut, resulting in meat that was not as tender as it should have been.
On a repeat visit, I decided to try a few more items including, the Grilled Lemongrass Chicken & Pork Chop on Rice. This was a substantial amount of food with two large pieces of meat. I found the chicken was lightly charred and well seasoned, with a hit of lemongrass. The meat itself was sufficiently moist and tender. Unfortunately, the pork chop was dry and chewy, which could probably be attributed to its thickness. It was well charred and seasoned. Fluffy and chewy at the same time, the rice underneath stood up to the moisture.
I also tried the Grilled Pork Banh Mi and it was fantastic. Crusty, airy and nicely toasted, the baguette held up to the considerable amount of pork inside. The pork itself was well charred and fatty, resulting in a smoky, flavourful and succulent meat.  
To be frank, Pho Thai Luong isn't much better than the previous three Vietnamese restaurants at this location. However, that doesn't mean the food isn't acceptable. My hope is that they stick around.

Sherman Chan is the #1 ranked food blogger on the Vancouver portal of Urbanspoon.com. Read more of his reviews at www.shermansfoodadventures.com.

PHO THAI LUONG RESTAURANT
8699 120 Street, Delta
(778)578-3737

The Good:
• Friendly people
• Okay eats
• Okay prices

The Bad:
• A bit heavy with the MSG
• Pho needs more meat Pho needs more meat