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Two Blast Furnaces

    FoodReviews

    Review: Pho #1

    by theelvee_w2oe3m September 2, 2011

    Pho #1, formerly Pho Vung Tau in Allentown, is an establishment best at serving up its namesake dish: Pho, a Vietnamese noodle dish.  In a town with an Asian population just over 2%, how does this ethnic spot stack up?

    Pho #1 isn’t fancy, and is the food.  Pho, like most ungodly good food, was born of necessity.  After the French invasion of Vietnam, various culinary influences began to build in the country.  Pot-au-feu, a traditional beef and veggie stew, started taking hold in Vietnam, a place where cows weren’t slaughtered.  Ironically, pot-au-feu was a dish born of necessity as well.  The fatty parts of the beef were usually cast aside by the more wealthy and the peasants would use this to create their stew.  The French, now the wealthy in Vietnam, cast aside the same parts.  The poor Vietnamese population took the tail and marrows and created the glorious concoction that is pho.  So, long story short, the decor is nothing to write home about.  It’s more passable than your local ho-hum Chinese joint, but you won’t find any finely crafted Mahogany armchairs here.

    The food here, well that’s another story.  I honestly haven’t tried too much off of the menu, and for good reason.  There’s no reason to get anything other than Pho.  Whatever kind you’re going for, that’s your own choice, but the Pho is a must.  There’s various kinds of preps featuring beef, shrimp, and chicken.  I’m a big fan of the beef and go for the rare.  You can also get beef balls, tendons, tripe, fatty flank, and more.  The rare comes out a beautiful red and thinly sliced.  You then dip it into the broth to cook.  The broth is made from boiling down bone marrow with a variety of spices including star anise, cinnamon, charred onion, ginger, and whatever else they feel like dumping in (most likely a healthy dosage of MSG, as well).

    Ah, and it comes out pretty. Served up plain, you get a healthy bowl of noodles (huge if you opt for a large) with your choice of protein.  The rendered fat from the marrow shimmers in globules on top and you’re presented with a platter of additions to add to your pho.  Although some traditionalists in Vietnam turn up their noses at such impurities, but infidels like me find them essential.  Some kaffir lime, thai basil, sprouts, and to add some spice, jalapeno and cock sauce.  It’s flavorful, extremely filling, great during the cold, and cheap.  $6.50 will get you a small and $7.50 will get you a large.    If you’re looking for a little something extra, check out the dau hu chien.  It’s pan fried tofu that comes with a fantastic peanut dipping sauce.

    The drinks menu invites curiosity.  They’ve got the typical espresso, soda, and thai tea.  For the more adventurous they’ve got Pennywort leaves, rendering a sweet, vegetal drink that is supposedly a remedy to nearly anything.  They’ve also got salty lemonade, just what it sounds like: lemonade with a heaping ton of sea salt mixed in.  The perfect thing to dehydrate you on a hot day.  Soy bean milk, soda with yolk and condensed milk, and various juice shakes (avocado, lychee, and durian are the interesting ones) abound.  I certainly advocate stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying something new here (just skip the salty lemonade and anything containing durian).  If you’re jonesing for some brew, they’re also BYOB.  Catch the game, too…there’s big TVs.  Don’t feel like sticking around?  They pack everything up in sturdy, nice to-go containers.

    The staff is nice, friendly, and prompt.  Any requests or questions were promptly answered or taken care of.  They even brought out samples of a the salted lemonade for us to try as we were curious.  The decor isn’t anything to write home about and you’re not going to get molecular gastronomy here, but the service was passable and the food is simple and good.  In the past I’ve heard a few people saying it used to be a dump, however with new owners and a transformation, Pho #1 stands out as a great, homey culinary fixture that anyone with a shred of love for food should get themselves to.

    Pennywort Leaves

    Dau Hu Chien

    Rare Beef Pho, sans additions

    Fresh chicken pho

    Sprouts, veggie fixins

    Beautiful pho with all the additions, ready to eat

     Final Rating:

     

     

     

     Pho #1
    1500 Union Boulevard
    Allentown, PA 18109
    (610) 432-1218

    September 2, 2011
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  • DrinksFoodReviews

    Review: Jumbars

    by theelvee_w2oe3m May 20, 2011
    May 20, 2011

    Jumbars is a quaint little restaurant that has been dishing out some of the Lehigh Valley’s best breakfast food since 2003. So how does this tiny brunch spot stack up against other valley culinary institutions?

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  • DrinksFoodReviews

    Review: Sagra Bistro

    by theelvee_w2oe3m April 8, 2011
    April 8, 2011

    Sagra Bistro in Hellertown had its roots in Easton, where the husband and wife team of Jim Zebert and Robyn Cavallaro catered and taught culinary classes. Searching for a location for a restaurant and striking out in Easton, they eventually found their footing in Hellertown. How did their eatery rate?

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  • FoodReviews

    Review: Cali Burrito

    by theelvee_w2oe3m February 10, 2011
    February 10, 2011

    Cali Burrito in Allentown serves up all sorts of Americanized-Mexican cuisine. After hearing about it numerous times from friends, both omni and vegetarian alike, it was time to give it a go.

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  • FoodReviews

    Review: Thai Thai II

    by theelvee_w2oe3m January 19, 2011
    January 19, 2011

    Even though I heard a lot of negative reviews before entering the establishment, I did my best to go into Thai Thai II with a clear head. What other people described as a terrible experience with service, despite delicious food, I found to be quite the opposite.

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  • EventsFoodPreviewsReviews

    Review: Hookah Turka

    by theelvee_w2oe3m March 29, 2010
    March 29, 2010

    There’s a new hookah lounge in town and it goes by the name of Hookah Turka. Supposed to open during Musikfest 2009 and delayed due to city of Bethlehem zoning regulations, the business finally opened its doors the weekend of March 12th with (from what I hear) a great opening weekend featuring a DJ and a belly dancer.

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  • DrinksFoodReviews

    Review: Starfish Brasserie

    by theelvee_w2oe3m December 2, 2009
    December 2, 2009

    The Starfish Brasserie is smack dab in downtown Bethlehem and is just one of the fine restaurants that can be found in the area. Starfish, as well as Edge and Apollo Grille are what I have always considered to be the triangle of upscale dining in Bethlehem, yet for some reason I never made the trip. After seeing on Starfish’s Twitter that they were doing a special $45, 3 course meal with wine pairings for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness, I decided it would be the perfect time to visit.

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  • DrinksFoodReviews

    Review: Burgers and More

    by theelvee_w2oe3m November 24, 2009
    November 24, 2009

    Burgers and More is celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s most recent foray into the culinary world, found locally at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem. Strictly burger joints and gourmet burgers aren’t anything necessarily new, but you’d be hard pressed to find anything like them in the Lehigh Valley.

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  • DrinksEventsFoodReviews

    Review: The Bookstore Speakeasy

    by theelvee_w2oe3m November 18, 2009
    November 18, 2009

    By now, if you’ve got friends that are part of the “in crowd” with the restaurant scene, you’ve heard of the Bookstore. News about this new bar has spread like wildfire, so…

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