Pho Capital

Pho Capital is one of the newest Vietnamese restaurants to pop up in Burquitlam and has been around for almost a year. Having visited before during the grand opening, the food was nothing special and I never wanted to revisit. However, my friend claims it is not bad for the area and since we were looking for a light late night dinner, I caved.

The restaurant is fairly clean and has booth seating along the wall, and the tables in the centre. When we walked in, the owners were friendly and throughout dinner, the husband tried making small talk. He told my friend to replace his phone because the screen was cracked and asked who his service provider was. In addition, he mentioned Rogers is practically next door and said my friend should get a new phone as soon as possible LOL. As for myself, he asked if I found the rice platter pretty because he noticed I was taking photos of it. If only he knew I thought the opposite…

BUN BO HUE, THICK VERMICELLI WITH WELL-DONE FLANK, PORK HAM AND CHICKEN BALL, LARGE ($8.50).

The bun bo hue has a nice mild spiciness, a light taste of lemon grass along with a faint hint of roasted shrimp, and perfectly cooked noodles. If anything, the broth could have been more flavourful and spicier. As for the ingredients, there are a couple of sliced chicken balls as well as ham, and tender slices of beef. If comparing Pho Capital to other Vietnamese restaurants, the restaurant has less meat as well as noodles.

PHO TAI, NOODLE SOUP WITH EYE ROUND STEAK, FATTY BRISKET, SOFT TENDON AND BEEF TRIPE, LARGE ($7.90).

The pho has a clear tasty beef broth and the noodles taste perfectly cooked, soft with a new chewiness. As for the meat, the slices taste tender and the tripe has a nice crunch.

FRIED CHICKEN WINGS ($7.25).

The wings have a nice crispy skin and the meat tastes moist. In addition, the flavourful fried spices taste great with the wings. I love them.

MARINATED GRILLED LEMON GRASS CHICKEN AND PORK SLICES SERVED WITH STEAM RICE, SAVORY SAUCE, SESAME SEEDS, BROTH AND FISH SAUCE ($9.25). 

Wondering if the restaurant offers shredded pork, I was quite pleased when the owner pointed to the words "pork slices" and said yes, so we ended up ordering the rice platter. Although unfortunately, the pork slices are actual pork slices and the restaurant does not offer shredded pork. Nevertheless, the pork has a tasty marinade and tastes tender. As for the chicken, the meat could have been marinated longer and does not taste flavourful enough. In addition, both meats seem like a fast grill job and has no nice charred taste. 

AVOCADO SMOOTHIE ($3.75).

The smoothie is well blended and has a thick creaminess that takes a while to suck through the straw which I enjoy, along with a slight sweetness. If I was in the area, I would probably drop by to grab a drink to go.

TOTAL: $40.05 + TIP $5.95 = $46.00.

Overall the food is decent and the highlight for myself are the wings and avocado smoothie. As for the area, Pho Capital is the better Vietnamese restaurant (with only Pho 99 as a competitor), and the owners are extremely friendly and welcoming.

POSITIVES
- Friendly owners
- Clean restaurant
- Better than Pho 99 on North Road

NEGATIVES
- Rice platter could be better

Food: 2.5/5
Service: 2.5/5