Review: Pho Hoa Cali Express

One only needs a small sampling of a bowl of pho noodle soup to recognize why it has turned from the most treasured dish in its origins of Vietnam to a culinary sensation in America.

Pho Hoa Cali Express offers a wide assortment of choices, usually under $7, that will never fail to fulfill your appetite.

If you are new to pho, you may want to try it with the most common meat selection of flavorful rare steak (tái) or meatballs (bò viên). For a more authentic taste, you could add slices of well-done beef flank (nam) to your bowl.

If you are feeling especially bold and can add a little chewy substance to your dish, pho with tripe (sách) and beef tendon (gân) should do you wonders.

Not feeling the pho craze? Try the broken rice. Broken rice with barbeque pork and steamed meatloaf, barbeque pork chop, or barbeque chicken are just some of the zesty and fresh-tasting options the restaurant has to offer.

Rice vermicelli with assorted meats (bún bò hue) is another popular Vietnamese dish with the predominant flavor being lemon grass. The broth can range in spiciness depending on your preference.

An invigorating meal should never go without some splendid appetizers. One can get egg rolls (chà giò) in rolls of six or spring rolls (gòi cuõn) in rolls of two. You can’t go wrong with either choice, really.

As for beverages, the tri-color pudding (chè ba màu) is a must-have. It includes green colored mung beans, white colored black-eyed peas, and red colored azuki beans. Hence, being called tri-color.

Pho Hoa Cali Express has been voted San Diego’s Best Vietnamese Restaurant by Critics’ Pick multiple times. With reasonable prices, quality food, and prompt service, it is certainly the place to be.

Popularity: 5% [?]