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Pho - review by DanWilkinson

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:08:15 +0000

Pho - review by DanWilkinson

Rating: 3.8

Location: 3 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 8AX, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7436 0111

Website: http://www.phocafe.co.uk

Tags: vietnamese, dodgy beef stock, good value, pretentious, crowded

First off, let me say that I rather enjoyed the lunch I had here earlier in the week. I wasn't really all that disappointed. In quality terms I'd probably put it somewhere around Wagamama, maybe a tiny notch above.

However, if you're alongside Wagamama in the quality stakes, it's probably not that wise to bang on about authenticity and stellar quality in your literature, taking a bit of a holier-than-thou approach and generally being all po-faced about it.

And so it was that, with my appetite for supersonic Vietnamese food truly whetted, and their loving descriptions of 'true' Pho ringing in my ears, I opted for the Pho Tai (beef fillet Pho), hoping to be transported to the far east in no time. Unfortunately, it turned out that I've made better Pho at home, using ingredients from Tesco and a recipe by Gordon Ramsay.

I'm no Pho expert, but I do profess to know stocks, and this was a disappointingly thin, un-beefy concoction, packed with spring onions and shreds of overcooked beef. I can't work out what the problem could be, as making stock is pretty simple really. Overdilution? Underseasoning? Made too quickly? Either way this was closer to flavoured water than proper, gutsy stock and was entirely lacking in flavour, except for the overwhelming burn of the spring onions.

Noodles lurking in the bottom of the bowl were... noodles. I'd eventually tipped the entire plate of accompanying garnish (coriander, mint, red chillis, beansprouts) into the bowl to try to coax some flavour out of it, but to no avail.

So I'm being harsh, because whilst it wasn't an unpleasant experience, and whilst I felt it in itself represented decent value and a pleasant lunchtime diversion, it's nowhere near as good as it says it is, and that really annoys me.

Pho - review by bellaphon

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 21:54:36 +0000

Pho - review by bellaphon

Rating: 3.8

Location: 3 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 8AX, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7436 0111

Website: http://www.phocafe.co.uk

Tags: lively, cheap eat, good value, crowded, vietnamese

The Pho here is certainly not the be all and end all. The beef stock is simply not beefy enough and the fillet steak slices were too overcooked. On the whole, the establishment is still very much Vietnamese and should be congratulated for introducing the cuisine to W1. The cafÃ©/canteen environment is great for quick lunches and the service was efficient and smiles all round. The Iced Vietnamese Coffee is notably 2 die 4.

If Pho had a branch in Kingsland Road, they wouldâ¬"ve been worried sick with the competition there. But then again for all those Westenders who simply cannot be bothered with the epic trip on the Route 55 bus to Hoxton, Pho will do us fine.

Taqueria - review by Lacrimosa

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:08:40 +0000

Taqueria - review by Lacrimosa

Rating: 4.0

Location: 139-143 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RS, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7229 4734

Website: http://www.coolchiletaqueria.co.uk

Tags: mexican

I've just lunched with friends at Taqueria, lured by the special lunchtime menu (a selection all priced at Â£6) and impressed by the positive reviews here on Trusted Places. It's the sort of small, independent place I would have loved to have been able heap praise on, but unfortunately our experience fell a bit short.

We all ordered enchiladas: "Three corn tortillas dipped in a sauce of your choice and rolled around shredded chicken, more sauce, crema, fresh cheese and onion". Now, I'm a HUGE fan of hot, spicy, cheesy, saucy, tomato-y comfort food, so this sounded great. Our dishes arrived and we all tucked in, still deep in conversation - so deep, in fact, that it was a couple of minutes before I ventured to say "Err... is yours cold?". All three meals were no more than tepid, but no one had wanted to be the first to mention it. Now, I prefer my hot food to be sizzling hot, so, with the agreement of the others, went off in search of our waitress to ask for our meals to be reheated. To Taqueria's credit, they were apologetic and actually cooked the dishes again from scratch, although given that this was a weekday lunchtime it might have been a good idea to check whether we had time for this. Second time around it was warm but still not very hot, so I can only assume that authentic Mexican cuisine is supposed to be like that? If so, who am I to argue? Personally, though, I'd have enjoyed my food much more if it had scorched the roof of my mouth off, leaving me begging for mercy.

On the plus side, we enjoyed our drinks - jugs of tap water, Pacifico lager and some really yummy Clamato, which had been presented like a Bloody Mary with black pepper around the rim of the glass and a stick of celery. Meanwhile some chaps on the next table, who clearly knew what they were doing, had ordered a selection of smaller dishes from the regular menu. These looked a good deal tastier than what we had, although I could hardly shimmy over to their table and stick my elbow in their food to test the temperature.

Aside from us, there were very few others in the place during the couple of hours we spent there, and there seemed to be some maintenance work going on which might have been better left to outside opening hours. I'd try Taqueria again, as it seemed good value and all those excellent reviews are still ringing in my ears, but two strikes and it's out.

Pho - review by blondie_wandie

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:20:20 +0000

Pho - review by blondie_wandie

Rating: 3.8

Location: 3 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 8AX, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7436 0111

Website: http://www.phocafe.co.uk

Tags: lively, good value, vietnamese

I work round the corner from this place so though I would give it a try when it opened. Not a great fan of Vietnamese but was bored of the usual lunch haunts.

The service was great, everyone was really friendly and the menu was good. The drinks menu was cool with Vietnamese beers etc. Everything came very quickly, useful for lunch trips! They were very open if you wanted to change bits and bobs ( I was very awkward and with my noodles wanted no prawns, extra chilli and extra peanuts) and it all arrived exactly as we had requested!

Taqueria - review by sue

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:57:10 +0000

Taqueria - review by sue

Rating: 4.0

Location: 139-143 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RS, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7229 4734

Website: http://www.coolchiletaqueria.co.uk

Tags: mexican, notthing hill, good value

Popped into Taqueria one afternoon for a quick, late lunch. It is a no-frills type of place, with basic dÃ©cor and smiling staff. Not the venue for a romantic rendezvous, but perfect for good value snack or meal.

After quite a while perusing the menu, and a couple of questions to our helpful waiter we ordered a few things to share - the Pollo Tostada; the Choriqueso Tacos; and the Carne Asada Tacos; along with sides of Frijoles de la olla and PlÃ¡tano frito. And of course a couple of beers.

While we enjoyed the food, it didn't particularly thrill us, though I would consider returning again to try some more dishes.

Taqueria - review by nopstar

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:29:17 +0000

Taqueria - review by nopstar

Rating: 4.0

Location: 139-143 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RS, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7229 4734

Website: http://www.coolchiletaqueria.co.uk

Tags: tacos, taqueria

Since leaving San Francisco earlier this year, I have been suffering serious taco withdrawal. My lnch repertoire included a weekly visit to my local truck for some carnitas and carne asada tacos. Iâ¬"m happy to report that Iâ¬"ve finally satisfied my taco fix.

I stumbled across this little gem this past week. For those looking for an authentic taco experience, I whole heartedly recommend you get to cool Chiquita Taqueria. They serve up good â¬Sstreet styleâ¬ tacos. No crunchy pre-formed shells, red meat and dodgy orange cheese here... only the real deal.

I order some tortilla chips and salsa for an app. Check the price before ordering... the chips came with a healthy dollop of Guac, Salsa, beans and an Â£8 price tag!

Taqueria - review by moorej

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:23:47 +0000

Taqueria - review by moorej

Rating: 4.0

Location: 139-143 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RS, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7229 4734

Website: http://www.coolchiletaqueria.co.uk

Tags: lively, good value, crowded, mexican

For those seeking dribblingly delicious Mexican fare only ('Old El Paso' lovers need not apply - there's nothing remotely resembling a chimichanga here!) Famous for bringing real tacos to London, I'd put this marvel of a place in my top 10 London restaurants - and would willingly walk the marathon on my hands to keep this place open. Don't expect a romantic setting or a quiet meal. This place is bustling with smiling, salivating customers.

Pho - review by nopstar

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:35:16 +0000

Pho - review by nopstar

Rating: 3.8

Location: 3 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 8AX, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7436 0111

Website: http://www.phocafe.co.uk

Tags: lively, Pho, cheap eat, good value, vietnamese

If you go to the Pho Cafe website theyâ¬"ve got a quote that sums it all up... â¬SPho is much more than breakfast in Vietnam: it is the soul of the Nation. A contribution to human happinessâ¬ BTW its pronounce fuh (rhymes with duh) not Foe.

I have to agree wholeheartedly, itâ¬"s one of the only things I crave when Iâ¬"m under the weather and Iâ¬"m not even Vietnamese!

I love you Pho, there I said it... now itâ¬"s out in the open, and Iâ¬"ve professed my love affair with Pho. Iâ¬"m going to preface this review by stating that most people will find this review overly critical even bordering on nitpicky. Thatâ¬"s fine as long as you know where Iâ¬"m coming from.

This was one of my first London Pho experiences since moving here in February. The prices are definitely right. Â£6-$7 for a bowl seems reasonable almost inexpensive.

The broth:
The distinguishing factor that setâ¬"s pho apart from other Asian soups, is the broth. The broth is typically a blend of spices (star anise, ginger etc.) boiled with beef bones and other beef parts. This is a process takes hours to complete.

I found the broth at Pho cafe to taste like salty beef broth; I didnâ¬"t get a hint of any of the delicate flavours of the spices at all. Maybe it was a bad batch... Iâ¬"m going back to give it another go.

The Noodles:
The rice noodles tasted and felt like they were using dry rice noodles. The kind you and I can get at any Thai grocer. If youâ¬"re asking yourself does it really make a difference? Then just stop reading here.

Meatballs:
If youâ¬"re the type of person whoâ¬"s afraid of fat on your beef, then get the chicken pho. Typically the meatballs in Pho are made from the not so choice cuts of beef. Youâ¬"re going to get a fairly firm texture with some chewy bits. It is what it is... The meatballs that were served to me at pho cafe were clearly meant for a more upmarket clientele. Theyâ¬"ve used regular ground beef to make the meatballs, and to be fair Iâ¬"m sure the majority of people eating their enjoy that.

To me itâ¬"s doesnâ¬"t taste and more importantly feel right. You can try to go up market with it, but it doesnâ¬"t necessarily make it better.

I was slightly disappointed, but I would go back. If youâ¬"re on the fence, I would recommend getting off the fence and going, you will still enjoy it.

Pho - review by Coffeegeek

Sun, 04 May 2008 18:51:44 +0000

Pho - review by Coffeegeek

Rating: 3.8

Location: 3 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 8AX, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7436 0111

Website: http://www.phocafe.co.uk

Tags: lively, cheap eat, vietnamese

Pho is a new Vietnamese place on Great Titchfield Street, they make fresh Vietnamese street food.

They specialise in Soup Noodles which are fantastic. The noodles come with a side plate of fresh herbs to tear up and add to your own taste. Really good tasty food. You feel like youâ¬"ve eaten healthily but your still very full. The starters are interesting too, we had some great meatballs with dipping sauce and the spring rolls were very fresh tasting.

I spoke to the owner who said the secret is in the stock they make on the premises. It takes 12 hours to cook and keeps all the fresh flavours in the stock. Tastes great.

The dÃ©cor is fairly basic whitewash walls and a couple of pictures but there is a good atmosphere with a lively local crowd gathering their most nights. Once this place gets into the guide books I expect itâ¬"ll be booked up weeks ahead so get in there now while itâ¬"s still new and not well known. Expect to pay about Â£30 for two with some beer.

Iâ¬"ve been to â¬Ünam but never had food as good as Phos.

Will be back regularly.

Taqueria - review by Hugo

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:10:59 +0000

Taqueria - review by Hugo

Rating: 4.0

Location: 139-143 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RS, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7229 4734

Website: http://www.coolchiletaqueria.co.uk

Tags: lively, original, fun, mexican, tasty

Went here about a year ago and have been meaning to go back.

Taqueria is an authentic but desperately tasty Mexican gastronomic adventure.

I confess that I cannot remember the names of all the dishes I had (maybe the beer was a little tasty too) but I was struck by how tasty and original the food was. I have since moved out of the area but need an excuse to go back...

Taqueria - review by mikezoomf

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 18:21:27 +0000

Taqueria - review by mikezoomf

Rating: 4.0

Location: 139-143 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RS, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7229 4734

Website: http://www.coolchiletaqueria.co.uk

Tags: cozy, texmex, cheapish, good value, mexican

This place hasn't been around that long. The owners started out selling authentic tex-mex ingredients in Borough Market. So many people thought they should start a restaurant, they went and did it.

They won't have nachos or the pub fare in the UK that tries to pass as mexican. This is the real stuff.
It's a small dining area and it's like eating at a tapas bar, where you buy lots of plates and share.