Asian food is unbelievably diverse. While I may be experienced with things like Chinese or Japanese, Vietnamese food is unexplored territory for me. I will admit that I’ve had your typical Banh mi and Pho, but I would still consider myself a virgin to Vietnamese food. Arizona isn’t necessarily an enclave of good Vietnamese restaurants like Houston, so I had to venture pretty far to try this place out. Pho Thanh is the number one recommended Vietnamese place in Phoenix, Arizona according to good ol’ Yelp. As a health conscious person, I decided to opt for takeout instead of dining in. Takeout was quite quick and simple, but the concerning thing was that there were a lot of people dining in. I scampered out of there as soon as I could to the safety of my car. After driving at “potentially dangerous speeds,” I arrived home in record time.
Each of the dishes was wrapped in individual, styrofoam containers, and most of the dishes contained two sauces to go along with the food. I was specifically impressed with how they packed their pho. They gave me a big, styrofoam container for the piping hot pho broth, a separate container with the noodles, bean sprouts, limes, and assorted meats, and finally, a massive bag full of additional herbs such as cilantro and Thai basil. After taking an absurd amount of time to take pictures, I began to pig out.
Bánh Xèo
According to their menu, this dish is supposed to be “a coconut milk-infused recipe fried to a crisp shell stuffed with pork, shrimp, and sprouts.” On first 
impression, I was very surprised by how yellow its appearance was. To obtain such a hue, they used turmeric to both enhance the flavor as well as to give it that characteristic color. In theory, the dish is supposed to have a very crispy texture, but this wasn’t the case here. After the thirty-minute car ride, the oils from the dish seeped to the bottom of the container and the crispiness dissipated, leaving a soggy bottom and very little crunch behind. Obviously, this isn’t their fault since I opted to eat at home, a much safer option. Despite this little kink, the rest of the dish was great. The filing of pork and shrimp provided that umami feeling, and the bean sprouts really added another element to this dish with its crunchy texture. They also included hot sauce and fish sauce with it. Personally, I’m not into fish sauce, but I definitely understand the appeal. The acidity from the fish sauce or the spice from the hot sauce instantly cuts through the fattiness of the dish, creating a perfect harmony in your mouth.
Gỏi Cuốn
Going into this dish, I thought I would enjoy it. It looked extremely healthy, and it was beautifully wrapped. However, that was not the case, unfortunately. The 
filling was comprised of lettuce, shrimp, thin slices of pork, vermicelli noodles, cilantro, bean sprouts, and mint. The vermicelli really threw me off; I didn’t like the combination of chewing through both rice wrappers and noodles. Also, the pork had a funky smell to it. I really don’t know how to describe it, but it made my nostrils perk up. There’s barely any seasonings, so this dish is really dependent on the quality of the ingredients that you use. I would say this dish was mediocre at best, but the sauces really helped to save it. They gave me hot sauce and this minty, peanut sauce. I’ve never tried anything like it, and the combination was extraordinary. There was this intense peanut/umami flavor which was followed by a strong punch of mint. I thought these flavors would contrast one another, but they were, surprisingly, complementary of each and added to the depth of flavor.
Bánh Mì Thịt Nướng
Bánh mì is a classic Vietnamese dish with lots of French influence. The French have had a major impact on Vietnam, especially their food scene. The bánh mì 
bread is actually a baguette which is of French origin. Additionally, the pate inside also contains French origins. Although the bánh mì is a quintessential Vietnamese food, it’s actually the baby of years of French-Vietnamese relations. Anyway, Pho Thanh’s bánh mì is top notch. They’ve loaded theirs with dollops of pate, succulent grilled pork, and a medley of assorted veggies such as carrots, parsley, cucumber, and jalapeños. With intense flavors from the meat and an abundance of textures from the vegetables, it’s easy to understand why this dish is so universally popular.
Phở Dặc Biệt
I would argue that pho is the most popular Vietnamese dish in all of America. It’s a hearty dish that takes a very long time to stew and involves a very long array 
of ingredients from beef bones to star anise. All these flavors slowly combine through many hours of cooking and result in a mind-blowingly, delicious elixir. Pho Thanh’s broth was very beefy and quite rich in flavor. They also included hoisin sauce, hot sauce, sliced beef, meatballs, beef brisket, tendon, and tripe. Aside from the meats, they provided a gargantuan bag of assorted herbs, as well as typical accompaniments like bean sprouts and limes. After carefully adding all my ingredients to a bowl, the end product was brilliant. Everything was bathed in this godly elixir of life and tasted superb.
After eating five percent of my body weight in food, I was extremely impressed by Pho Thanh. Their food is of a superior standard, and I was thoroughly satisfied with everything except the summer rolls, but that’s just my personal preference. I encourage everyone to try out this celebrated establishment at 1702 W Camelback, Rd, Phoenix, AZ. It’s open every day except for Tuesdays and Fridays oddly. As for now, I’ll be contemplating on whether I should exercise or just sleep off my food baby.
