Star Rating: 3.0
Most folks in the RGV are well familiar with the Chinese cuisine. In fact, the proliferation of Chinese restaurants and buffets, from Rio Grande City to Brownsville, are a fitting testament to one irrefutable fact: We love fried rice, Lo Mein noodles, and the crunchy variety of veggie and meat egg rolls that are served with our favorite dipping sauce.
So, what are the similarities and differences between Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese food? Let’s begin by referring to these cuisines by the name that binds them together - Asian Food. And, if you’re curious about more than just standard fried rice and egg flower soup, and want to know about a far wider variety of Asian dishes, then Pho#1 is the definitive place to go in Harlingen.
Established since 2014, this eatery is unique because it’s the only restaurant in town to prepare all three cuisines in one kitchen. Here, you’ll find a bite-of-something for everyone. Vietnamese/Thai cuisine is one of the jewels of Southeast Asia. This style of cooking evolved over many centuries and is a fascinating blend of ingredients, spices, and sauces that lend themselves to creating dishes that boast unique, and mouthwatering flavors. In truth, we won’t be surprised if after your first experience, you’ll find plain Chinese food, boring.
Pho #1 takes its namesake from Pho, the national dish of Vietnam. Pho is a soup consisting of a broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat – usually beef, sometimes chicken. Pho is the perfect comfort food – warm, hearty, and uniquely delicious. Pho is a popular street food in Vietnam and served in restaurants around the world.
Now let’s move on to the real reason we’re here, the food: We started with the following appetizers: Vietnamese Egg Rolls – all we have to say is “dip them” in the peanut butter sauce – delightful; We sampled the Spring Rolls – a change of pace from the usual fried variety, and a lot healthier for you as well – refreshing; We also enjoyed their Shrimp Tempura – the BOMB – if you love fried shrimp you’re going to love this dish – though they don’t use a tempura batter, as the name would imply, instead they coat the shrimp in Panko, a Japanese-style breadcrumb traditionally used as a coating for deep-fried foods. The flakes tend to stay crispier longer than standard breadcrumbs because they don't absorb as much grease – the end result, outstanding!
We then ‘slurped’ on a huge bowl of “Pho” that was fit to be a meal in itself: We sampled both The Vietnamese Rice Beef Noodle Soup with rice noodles, green and red onions, cilantro, and sliced medium-rare beef – very savory. And, the Chicken Noodle Soup with a rich broth, rice noodles, tender slices of chicken breast, green onions, white onions, Thai basil (not to be confused with sweet basil), fresh Thai chili peppers, lime wedges, bean sprouts, and cilantro. The best chicken soup we’ve had so far – even better than abuela’s recipe.
Finally, we ended our feast with two of our favorite Thai dishes: Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai; a stir-fried rice noodle dish characterized by rich, vibrant flavors, with a base of wide rice noodles, a generous sprinkle of crushed peanuts on top, bean sprouts, and a lime wedge served alongside. Different, but good, and absolutely worth trying.
All in all, the restaurant is clean, has a nice, relaxed atmosphere, an attentive and friendly staff that makes the visit worth your trip. When we’re in the mood for “Asian” cuisine, we know where to go.
