Review: Noodles Pho U

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jul 21, 2010 6:40PM

The Halsted strip between 31st and 35th in the wunnerful Bridgeport neighborhood is slowly adding to its meager litany of dining options, and it certainly isn't known for Asian cuisine beyond standard Chinese. The latest entry worth at least a cursory critical glance is Noodles Pho U, an aspiring chain of pun-titled Vietnamese restaurants; a soon-to-open Glenview location will join this an a Lombard outpost. While it's nice to have an option for bánh mì and phở that doesn't require at trip to Argyle Street, the food at Noodles Pho U, while solid, isn't swaying the argument in that direction.

Noodle's Pho U's phởs are good, mind you. They just aren't so good that they make us forget places like PHO 777, Pho XE Tank or Hai Yen. A good phở starts with a savory broth, which Noodles Pho U's watery version lacks. Lucky they provide the proper accoutrements of basil, bean sprouts and jalapeno peppers to give it some spice. Their summer rolls suffer from the same fate, with bland vermicelli muting any flavor from shrimp, greens and even the peanut hoisin sauce used as a complement.

Noodles Pho U isn't resting solely on Vietnamese food. A second menu of Chinese, Korean and Thai staples are available for folks who think a bánh mì or ca kho to (braised fish in a clay pot) is a walk on the wild side. Which is just as well - let the crab Rangoon lead locals to phở.

Noodles Pho U, 3417 S. Halsted, 773-523-8868.