Stephen and I bought a house this summer in Richmond Hill and immediately gutted the first floor to build our dream kitchen. This means we’ve been spending a lot of weekends in the neighbourhood checking on renos, building kitchen cabinets and doing yard work. Pho Tai Bac quickly became our go to for a quick, satisfying lunch that was just minutes away.

Atmosphere: Pho Tai Bac was located in a strip mall north of Yonge and 16th with a blue sign and large photos of dishes decorating the front windows. The dining room was filled with red topped square tables that could be easily rearranged to accommodate any party size, although groups of more than 4 will likely need to wait during peak hours. The restaurant was clean and well lit.

Service: Every time we’ve visited, the restaurant’s pretty much been full or close to full. We’ve never had to wait long as tables turned over quickly, but I was surprised at how many tables were full even at 2pm on weekends. Service has always been efficient and professional while friendly and relaxed.

Food: There are so many items on the menu that I’ve been wanting to try, the Bun Bo Hue especially, but I can never resist the classic bowl of pho with all the toppings. Stephen’s tried one of their Bun bowls and can vouch for them being delicious as well. My default order of #42 came with all the toppings, rare beef, tripe, tendon and beef balls. The broth was rich and flavourful without being salty and the noodles were perfect.

I really liked how the amount of toppings scaled with different bowl sizes, not just more noodles and broth. For me, a medium bowl is the perfect size, but a small would be suitable for those with a smaller appetite or if you’re ordering sides. We’ve also large bowls a few times and I’ve never struggled to finish, but those were extra hungry days. The side of bean sprouts, limes and Thai basil were also generous, plentiful and good quality.

Stephen and I have already become regulars at Pho Tai Bac and have brought family and friends along. I’m happy to have such a neighbourhood gem so close to our new house.

Basil Box is a quick service Vietnamese restaurant that recently opened their second location inside the Ryerson Student Learning Centre, near Yonge and Dundas. Customers are lead through a 5 step ordering process to customize their “box”, similar to Subway and Chipotle. I was invited to their opening night to check out the bright, colourful new space and create my own Vietnamese inspired meal.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary by Basil Box. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

With vaulted ceilings, exposed pipes and natural bamboo decor elements, Basil Box felt open and modern. Seating was plentiful and designed to suit any party size with large communal tables, cozy booths, and small round cafe tables. Most of the staff were still in training, but their eagerness to help and learn was palpable.

Building my box, I liked that each step had gluten-free, dairy free and vegan choices. All of the ingredients were fresh and colourful. Boxes start at $9.45 and includes 2 veggie toppings and 1 sauce. Additional veggies and sauces have an added cost. To start, diners choose from four options for their base, spring mix, brown rice, jasmine rice of rice noodles. Next is veggies, then protein (shrimp, tofu, beef or chicken) and finishing off with a sauce and toppings. I took full advantage of the lighter options and built my box with spring mix, charred sweet potato, lemongrass corn, chili lime shrimp, sweet chili lime sauce, topped with pickled veggies and crushed peanuts. One thing I would keep in mind when ordering is the number of peppers next to each ingredient. Staying true to southeast Asian flavours, Basil Box was not shy with spice. Although each of my ingredients only have one pepper or two peppers, they stacked to make each bite quite fiery.

Aside from the boxes made fresh to order, sides of mango salad, coconut soup, trail mix and macarons were also available. Macaron flavours were uniquely inspired, Thai Tea and Ginger Lime. Another attraction of Basil Box were their drinks, especially the creamy, rich Thai Iced Tea. The Passion Fruit Lychee Soda and Pineapple Rose Soda were also refreshing, not overly sweet with a subtle fruit flavour.

After Bali, the next part of our honeymoon was a 14 day tour through South East Asia. We booked a private, customized tour through Laos Tour Packages, a company that my in-laws have used before. Our itinerary took us through Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, with 4 star accommodations in each city, a private driver and local tour guide. The package included all airfare in between cities, from Bali to Hanoi and from Bangkok to Hong Kong (where we were flying back to Toronto from).

This was my first experience with a tour package, and while the days were full, having the planning and research taken care of for this part of our honeymoon was a true stress reliever at a hectic time in life. We gave the tour company an idea of what kind of trip we were looking for (first time visitor, interested in food) and they put together an initial itinerary. We could then veto or add sights and attractions if we wanted to. Most days ran from morning to late afternoon with breakfast at the hotel and lunch at a local restaurant. We explored the cities on our own during the evenings and for dinner.

We arrived in Hanoi in the evening, and a representative from the tour company met us at the airport with our local tour guide and driver to bring us to the hotel. The SUV was comfortable, and again, most importantly, air conditioned. After helping us check-in, we bid our farewells and set a meeting time for the next day (9am). For dinner, The Hubby and I went down the street, to grab our first bowl of pho from a tiny shop recommended by the hotel front desk. This would remain one of the best bowls of pho we had the entire trip.

Our first day in Hanoi was a tour of the city that included visiting the Ho Chi Minh Complex, Temple of Literature, the Museum of Ethnology, a cyclo tour through the Old Quarter and a watching a Water Puppet Show. A packed schedule like this would become the norm for the next 13 days. I learned a lot about Vietnam’s turbulent history, much more than I knew before and from a perspective not common in Western culture, that was at times uncomfortable.

My favourite stop was the Temple of Literature, which felt like a calm oasis in the middle of the busy city, a snapshot in time. After walking through the serene gardens, we had lunch at KOTO on Van Mieu, located close by. The restaurant was run by KOTO, a non-profit organization with the aim to teach disadvantaged and impoverished youth English, cooking and hospitality skills. These skills allow KOTO (Know One, Teach One) graduates to find jobs and support themselves, moving out of poverty.

In addition to being a good cause, lunch at KOTO was delicious. We ate the set menu that had rice paper rolls, shredded chicken salad, duck, soup, vegetables and a stir fried beef. Our table was overflowing with plates. Each course featured fresh ingredients and plenty of colourful vegetables, mildly seasoned letting the natural flavours shine through. I love getting my fill of vegetables while travelling, a typically difficult task.

Menus were in English and service friendly. No one’s English was perfect, but we didn’t have any issues ordering iced Vietnamese coffee with some repetition and hand gestures. Lunch was satisfying and re-fueled us for the afternoon.

Banh Mi Boys is another restaurant that’s taken me too long to try. If I was still a student I’d be a regular, but as is, it’s hard to find a situation where I’m close by and looking for a fast meal. Really, I should try harder.

Atmosphere: The Yonge St location of Banh Mi Boys was a 5 minute walk from the Eaton Centre and close to Ryerson campus. The restaurant was quick serve and only seats about 20 people, lots of diners grabbed banh mis to go. Once we got our trays, The Fiance and I shared a table with another couple. The space was clean and well kept.

Service: We placed our order at the counter and picked up our food from the open kitchen to the left. When the cook gets to finishing your order, you’re able to customize the level of spice. Everything else was self serve, napkins and forks were easy to find and plentiful.

Food: Between the two of us, we split a Grilled Pork Banh Mi, Pork Belly Bao and an order of Kimchi Fries. The banh mi lived up to all of my expectations. There was soft bread, flavourful tender meat, crispy pickled carrots and lots of cilantro. All of that at $5.49, this was a no brainer “you have to try it” meal.

With the bao, the steamed wrapper was pillowy soft and had a nice texture. I liked the inclusion of takuan, yellow pickled daikon, that’s sweeter than the julienned pickled daikon. For me, you can’t go wrong with more sweet pickles. The pork belly was rendered perfectly and the five spice was mild. Between the banh mi and the bao, I liked the banh mi more while The Fiance liked the bao. Really though, both were great.

An order of Kimchi fries at $5.99 is on par with any poutine place in Toronto in terms of price and value (it’s a big box). I would argue that Banh Mi Boys is more loved for this box of fries than any of their banh mi. Starting with a layer of crispy fries, skin-on, pulled pork, garlic mayonnaise, chopped green onions and a handful of kimchi is piled on. The kimchi adds the perfect amount of spice and acidity to the fries. My only issue is the $2 charge for extra kimchi. $0.50 or $1 would be reasonable for a second handful. 33% of the price for the whole dish is a little excessive. How much more kimchi am I really going to get? I might have to order it next time just to see.

Banh Mi Boys has earned their reputation as a “must-eat” in Toronto and it’s a well deserved title.

When it comes to Pho in the GTA, Pho Dau Bo is the best. When The Fiance worked in Mississauga, his team visited this location every Friday and when my mom told me about a great new pho place she found, it was the Pho Dau Bo on Dundas. Their broth outshines any competition.

The Fiance and I stopped by the Bristol location on the Thanksgiving weekend for a pre-turkey pho lunch (mainly because my fridge was bare and with the prospect of leftovers to come, I didn’t see a need for groceries). At 1pm, we thought the lunch time rush would be done, which was surprisingly not the case. In fact there was a steady stream of customers filing in.

We both opted for the house special pho, mine a small while his was a medium, that comes with a piece of every meat topping. As a side dish, we also added two minced shrimp on sugar canes and hot coffee with condensed milk. The coffee was strong and had a generous serving of condensed milk that easily lasted 2 refills of the coffee press. I liked the flavour of the minced shrimp but they were oily and the sugar cane wasn’t sweet. Their fresh rolls are better.

Service that day was painfully slow. There was a group of 8 who placed their food and drink order before us and the kitchen was backed up. We waited 20 minutes for the pho and there was only one girl making every drink. This meant our coffees didn’t arrive until we were near the bottom of our bowls. Since it was a long weekend, and off peak hours, it’s understandable if the restaurant was understaffed. I was just hungry.

Our bowls of pho arrived full of noodles and topping, there was almost no room to add in more bean sprouts but I tucked them in. The broth was rich and savoury, the best in town and the only pho where I don’t add sriracha or hoisin sauce. Each of the meats were also tender with a good number of pieces. It’s just a perfect bowl, full of flavour and filled to the brim.

I’ve now been to three of Pho Dau Bo’s location (just missing the Scarborough outlet) and each meal has been consistently exceptional. When I crave pho, I’m craving Pho Dau Bo.

After several meals of fish tacos, I was ready for a change. Star Noodle was the perfect meal and I even contemplated a return visit during our trip to Maui, the food was that good.

Atmosphere: Located near the Kaanapali Resort area, Star Noodle was tucked away behind the main road in a fairly new neighborhood. Following our GPS, the Fiance was sure I was getting us lost until I spotted their sign. A good number of people were already waiting outside the restaurant for a table. We added our names to the queue and joined them. The interior of the restaurant was modern with large communal tables in the centre, bar stools along the bar and more private tables along the walls. We sat down around 8pm and there was still a small line when we left close to 10pm. Diners ranged from couples to families and across the spectrum of ages.

Service: It was a 45 minute wait before we were seated. When the family at the table next to us left, the servers moved quickly to clean up and reset the table. I appreciated seeing the efficiency and effort Star Noodle put in to turn over tables. It was also nice because we weren’t rushed at all during our meal. Our server was friendly, answered all of our menu questions and offered recommendations. Our appetizers arrived quickly, hot and each course was served after the previous one was cleared.

Food: After reading the menu, I wanted to order everything. We had to settle on two appetizers, two entrees and I forced room for dessert. Still it was too much food and my dress was uncomfortably tight after but I would do it again. For our appetizers, we ordered the Steamed Pork Buns and the Vietnamese Crepe. The buns were fine, soft baos and flavoured pork belly. Personally, I prefer my pork belly charred and more crispy, not the best baos ever but decent. I loved the Vietnamese crepe (Banh Xeo). Minced pork and shrimp, cooked with coconut milk, was wrapped in a crispy crepe and served with fresh bibb lettuce, basil and cilantro. Each bite was delicious and the portion was huge. The flavours were rich, savoury, creamy and all the different textures were brilliant together. Just writing about it makes me want to have it again (any recommendations in Toronto?).

Both The Fiance and I went with noodles for our mains. I chose the local saimin with spam and fish cakes while he ordered the Hapa Ramen. Both bowls did an excellent job with the broth. My dashi was well seasoned and The Fiance’s pork broth was rich and milky. The toppings were generous and I liked the simplicity of my bowl, strong flavours and fresh ingredients. I would have preferred my noodles a little more al dente. As is, they were a bit soft. Overall, I liked my saimin the best but it was a close call.

I didn’t have any room left for dessert but plates of Malasadas kept walking by and when our server offered to bring us a half serving (just two vs. the usual four), I couldn’t resist. The fried dough balls were piping hot, coated in sugar and served with crushed peanuts, butterscotch and chocolate sauce. A decadent dessert. The malasadas were airy and I had to stop myself from licking the butterscotch sauce off the plate.

Back to checking out restaurants in North York, the Fiance and I stopped by Angus Pho House for lunch one Sunday afternoon. The restaurant opened in January 2014 and offers a menu with Vietnamese and Malaysian dishes including pho, curries, vermicelli bowls and rice dishes. Delivery is available through JustEat.ca and there’s a great lunch menu.

Atmosphere: We were the first diners that day and had our choice of seating. Square black tables and monochromatic leather chairs were well spaced through the dining area. The walls were decorated with lovely hand painted scenes of each season. The use of black and white gives the restaurant a very clean feel.

Service: There was only one server at the time and she was pretty adorable. Both The Fiance and I were a little taken aback at first because she was dressed in a blue maid costume and had cat ears. The service however was way above par. Our server was soft spoken but very friendly and enthusiastic. Once we placed our order, dishes arrived quickly but my milk tea was delayed. She came by to inform us that she was still in training and was learning how to make the milk tea. To apologize for the delay, she brought us a glass of soy milk on the house and gave us a 10% discount, it was a great gesture and completely unnecessary. We just tipped back what she took off the bill. I felt Angus Pho House is working hard to establish themselves in the neighbourhood and I appreciate the dedication to their customers.

Food: Angus Pho House offers a Lunch Special menu with 6 entree choices for $7.95 each. Each entree comes with a drink (choice of soy milk and hot or cold milk tea) and a side dish. Taking advantage of the specials, I ordered a House Special Beef Rice Noodle Soup, which came with a free order of Curry Fish Balls and The Fiance had the BBQ Pork and Spring Roll Vermicelli bowl with a side order of chicken soup.

My special pho had all the usual toppings of beef balls, tripe, tendon and sliced beef. The portions of each topping was generous. I liked the flavour of the broth, it wasn’t too salty and had a rich taste. The noodles were also a good consistency. Overall, it was a satisfying bowl of pho. The side order of curry fish balls were also on point with a good consistency for the curry sauce. Between our two dishes, it was The Fiance’s bowl that wowed. Pretty much every aspect of the vermicelli was great. The BBQ pork was juicy, fatty and delicious. I loved the crispy spring roll, the use of thicker vermicelli noodles and the heavy handed topping of crushed peanuts. The bowl of chicken soup tasted very similar to pho broth and didn’t really add much to the meal.

I will definitely be back to Angus Pho House in the future and they are a welcome addition to the Yonge/Finch area.

Of all the restaurants on Spring Garden Ave, Pho Spring Garden has the most eclectic selection. Their sign advertises Korean and Thai cuisine but I usually get Pho, the menu has no thai curries, there is aa decent selection of Korean entrees but no rice cake dishes.

The Fiance and I stopped by on Sunday to grab a quick lunch before watching the new Captain America movie. We both ordered bowls of pho, a small bowl for me and medium one for him, and a Korean seafood pancake. There was only one server working the entire floor and he was busy. Half of the tables in the restaurant were filled and between greeting customers, taking orders, serving dishes, getting bills and clearing tables, I was impressed with how efficient and friendly he was.

Our pho arrived hot, quickly after the order was placed. One thing I do like is that their small size is reasonable, a good portion and well priced at $5. I did miss chopped cilantro, which was not included. The meat portion was standard, the broth was tasty but a little weak in richness and the noodles were good. Every time our server walked by with a plate I looked for our pancake, which I had expected as an appetizer. The plate didn’t arrive until we had reached the bottom of our pho bowls. Our server apologized for the delay and explained the dish takes longer to prepare. I do wish they had tried to time that better, it was pretty clear they hadn’t. By this point our bowls were cleared and we weren’t given any other small plates to eat over. The pancake itself was great, crispy and full of seafood, peppers and green onion. Generally, if you’re in the neighbourhood craving pho, it’s a solid option. If you’re trying to decide between pho or Korean, Pho Spring Garden can satisfy both cravings.

Located on the first floor of an industrial like building in Richmond Hill, Green Lemon Grass is one of those restaurants that you’ll only find by word of mouth. The building has sign naming it “Richlane Mall” and the first floor is occupied with restaurants that are a step above food court with private dining areas and store fronts.

This was my second visit to Lemon Grass and the food is consistent. The BF and I split a small House Special Pho and a Curry Goat Brisket Roti. While ordering the pho the server asked if we’d like our bean sprouts cooked or raw, which was nice to have a choice. The pho arrived piping hot with the rare beef still pink and fresh. A minute in the broth and the beef was perfect. Toppings also included tripe, beef balls and tendon. The broth itself was tasty but not as savoury and a bit flat compared to Pho Dau Bo’s. I was still pretty full from a late lunch that day so only had a few bites of the curry. What I did taste was rich with just a touch of spice. The curry also wasn’t overly salty and the roti held up to generous scoops of sauce. The goat brisket was lean and tender. There is a reason we keep ordering this dish. I might be in the minority but I loved that they had potatoes in the curry. My taste buds enjoy a good piece of curried potato or carrot as much as any protein. I was expecting to be thirsty after the meal and was pleasantly surprised.

Service was minimal since we knew what we wanted to order. Our food arrived hot from the kitchen, pho first, followed with the bowl of curry and plate of roti. Utensils, sauces and small rice bowls are set up on each table so you’re pretty self-sufficient once the food arrives. I asked for an empty bigger bowl to split the pho and that was provided. Note that there is an additional charge of $0.50 per take out container.

I like my pho with everything, especially tripe and tendon. The broth needs to be scalding hot to cook the rare beef slices and flavourful without adding any of the condiments (hoisin sauce, hot sauce, lime, basil, etc). My order at Pho 88 is always the special combination bowl that comes with a little bit of every meat option. On a normal night, the small size is perfect for me and I drink most of the salty soup, I can still comfortably finish a medium but will leave a lot of soup. The noodles at Pho 88 are not overcooked and the temperature of the soup is hot enough to cook all the ingredients. Portions of beef are generous and the basil and bean sprouts are fresh. Service is quick and friendly and while the restaurant is always busy, I’ve never had an issue getting a table on weeknights.

At every Vietnamese place, I always try the cold shrimp roll and coffee with condensed milk. Both were ok, as expected. The prices for appetizers are a bit higher than places downtown or in Markham but still reasonable. Pho 88 is easily one of my go-to places for dinner and will continue to be so.