Pho King

My friend was in awe of how fantastic the food is.

4 of us just had lunch here about two hour ago (Sunday about 1130AM). Two of our friends were dying to come back from their last visit a year ago, since they really love the bun bo hue here (spicy beef/pork noodle soup) but the place was closed for months for remodeling. For two of us, it was our first time.

As it turned out, we verified that the original owners have moved and opened their own restaurant about 4 blocks away at 207 E. 18th St under the SAME name - Pho King! We'll have to go give them a try another time.

We ordered a spring roll (goi coun), a beef pho, two bun bo hue, and a bun rieu (crab noodle soup). My friend really liked his bun bo hue, he said it was one of the best he's had in Oakland (nearby Ao Sen restaurant's bun bo hue is his other fav).

For me, unfortunately, I was very disappointed with the bun rieu - it was one of the worst I've had in the Bay Area. The bun rieu was overly greasy (you can see a lot of grease in the pic). The primary flavor/taste of bun rieu is supposed to be crab and tomato, which are the primary ingredients of this dish. This however, was more pork tasting - they even included chunks of pork, which I've never had in this dish at other restaurants. The other highlight of this dish is supposed to be the chunks of crab meat, egg and pork balls but the ones here you can barely taste any crab and was on the bland side. Definitely would not order bun rieu here again because it's too greasy and porky as opposed to a rich crab and tomato based broth/flavor profile of good bun rieu.

Warning - kitchen staff may NOT follow requests. Waiter wrote down my request for no pork blood cubes but my bun rieu came out with them anyways ;/ Service was so-so - understaffed and folks who bring your food hurried away and didn't want to help if you asked them for anything (another sauce dish etc.). Likely will not come back here and go give the other Pho King a try.

Saw the old pho king spot is open for business again!
Owner is changed, and interior remodeled... But nothing really matters.
All I care about is taste! Let's try it out to taste the difference!
Ordered a special pho(dac biet) and a bbh:

Pho dac biet: it's very good! The broth is packed with favor, a little bit on the oily side but acceptable. All cuts off meat are in decent size. A big improvement from the previous. it's up for contention for the best pho in e14!

Bbh: you get everything you want plus pork knuckle bone. The broth is not as sweet and spicy as the old. Good if you like a more natural favor in your bbh.

Down side: the bowls are packed with noodle and meat and all those goodies... but I need more soup! Can't really cook through the bean sprout and basil after I put it in. Feeling like the big body missing its spirit .. may be it's because I ordered small? But I need more soup! (There goes a star)

Overall: I'll come back again and ask for more soup!

Food is good and the place is clean.

Tasteful bun hue soup