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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Thursday, March 28, 2024

Pho & I offers good food, good times for good price

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Pho and I is located near Northeastern University and offers good food at affordable prices.

Located across the street from the Huntington Theater, the plain, windowed exterior of Pho & I blends in among the rest of the restaurants lining the block. The menu, on the other hand, which offers a mishmash of Thai and Vietnamese dishes, manages to stand out. Occasionally straying from traditional fare with options such as gyoza and shumai, the menu still includes classic options, such as spicy and sweet curries and, of course, pho, so a customer looking for a favorite dish will not be disappointed.

Pho & I has established itself as a draw for students. Around lunchtime, nearly every table was filled with students from nearby Northeastern University and around Boston. Even the one table without students was taken by a student’s family.

The restaurant's proximity to the Huntington Theater also makes it a prime spot for the pre-theater crowd -- the no-frills, speedy service is a godsend for anyone rushing to beat the curtain. However, it's also ideal for those who want to enjoy a slower meal; once the food disappears -- usually all too quickly -- customers can leisurely pay the bill or enjoy dessert.

In fact, “no-frills” seems to have been the motto of whoever designed Pho & I’s seating area. There is nothing particularly pleasant or unpleasant about the space; the interior is bland but clean, with sparsely decorated yellow walls and lighting that is neither dim nor bright. Pop music of the last half-decade wafts almost inaudibly in the background, which means, thankfully that can be ignored as it dissipates into the din of conversations and the clanging of the kitchen. Overall, the dining room cannot be described as anything more than a decent place to have a meal.

Fortunately, the food does not reflect the blandness of the atmosphere. “Fresh Rolls” of cabbage, beansprouts, pork and shrimp wrapped in rice paper crunch satisfactorily; the accompanying peanut sauce, with a dollop of chili paste on top, adds the perfect additional flavor to the dish, which may even work as a standalone snack.

The “Pho Ga” was par for the course as far as pho goes. The warm and tangy concoction can heat even the coldest bones on a winter day, somewhat owing to the sheer size of the steaming, heaping serving. One order of pho comes in a bowl larger than the average human’s head and is probably more than enough for two people to share, especially with an appetizer. When Boston's ancient heating system cannot hold up against the cold weather of New England, pho is an effective and delicious line of defense.

The menu also offers an assortment of curries, ranging from mild to wild in spiciness, and available with a choice of protein (vegetarian options are also available). The “Thai Red Curry” is, surprisingly, more of a yellowish brown color -- but as its name suggests, it is packed with capsaicin. One second the sauce is rich and creamy, the next it is fiery and bright. The heat factor is just enough to make the server with the water a regular visitor to the table, but not enough to necessarily warrant a glass of milk.

The “Vietnamese Coffee” might be a good alternative to milk for those who are sensitive to spiciness. A blend of coffee with condensed milk, this is coffee for people who do not drink coffee. The thick, cloyingly sweet substance mellows out the bitterness of coffee that can turn people off, making for a decadent and energizing drink.

There are many more offerings on the menu, but to make it through them all would require several trips to the restaurant, not to mention several more stomachs. While it is a considerable trek off campus, Pho & I is nevertheless worth a visit, especially on the way to the theater.

Pho & I is located at 267 Huntington Avenue and is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Summary While it is a considerable trek off campus, Pho & I is worth a visit, especially on the way to the theater.
3 Stars