Pho Pasteur

Before Eric headed home to New Jersey for winter break, we decided to have lunch at Pho Pasteur located on Brighton Avenue in Allston. In return for giving him a ride to South Station, Eric was kind enough to cover the bill.

Whenever you eat at a Vietnamese restaurant, you are bound to find pho on the menu. Pho, which is pronounced as “fuh,” is by far one of the most popular Asian noodle soups. Basic pho contains broth, boiled beef, and rice noodles – this is the way pho is generally eaten in Vietnam since the majority of locals lack access to more exotic (and expensive) ingredients and cuts of beef. However, in the US there are now all kinds of variations, any of which may include chicken, pork, raw meat, or meatballs.

Pho

Eric and I both decided to order a large bowl of pho. It was Eric’s first time having it, and I think he liked it. In fact, I haven’t met many people who do not like pho. It’s fresh, familiar, and most of all, flavorful. Pho is nothing fancy, but it is satisfying. I think of pho as Asian comfort food.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

We also had these spring rolls as an appetizer to start the meal. Carrots, lettuce, rice, and chicken filled the rice noodle wrapping, and the traditional peanut sauce accompanied the spring rolls for dipping. I’ve had them numerous times before, but they are always a nice treat.

It was another good experience at Pho Pasteur, and I’ll definitely be back again. Too bad it isn’t located a little closer to my apartment at BU because if it were, I would go more often. For a college student on a budget, a quality bowl of noodle soup for $5.95 is a damn good deal. I’ll take pho over McDonald’s any day.