Ah, Bloomfield in spring!
I can never say enough about the fantastic dining possibilities in Pittsburgh. As if it wasn’t enough that we have the Steelers, Penguins and even the lovable Buccos, we also have the three rivers, CMU, UPMC, all the culture anyone could want for a lifetime, AND a slew of the greatest restaurants a palate has ever sought!
I have written about this particular restaurant before, it’s one of my favorites. Pho Minh. Located on Penn Avenue in Bloomfield, it not so secret hot spot for townies in the know. The staple of the Vietnamese menu is Pho, a Vietnamese style soup. The soup is served in oversized bowls and one bowl is plenty for two people. The broth is always just perfect, full of flavor yet not too salty. There are a variety of hard to pronounce variations on the recipe. The springrolls are arguably some of the best in the city.
The Duchess and I found ourselves recently feeling hungry and frugal. We had had a long day of philanthropy, jousting and visiting local orphanages and we were just starved. She suggested roasting one of the hens that we raise in the back courtyard, but I was just too tired to chase one down so I mentioned a quick jaunt over to Pho Minh. The Duchess grinned excitedly over the prospect of gritty, authentic, ethnic dining and immediately put down the grant proposal she’d been working on for a Disadvantaged Libyan Immigrant (DLI) program she’s involved with and went to start the Toyota. We were so hungry and lucky for us the Toyota thrust us directly to Pho Minh without us even touching the gas pedal! Recall Schmee-call! (OK, this pot was boring me, I had to spice it up. Love it!)
We stuffed ourselves for only round 18$. Here’s what we had…
This soup is Pho good!
Spring Rolls have Sprung!
I'd tell you what this is but I can't pronounce it. Pasta, shrimp, pork, Vietnamese Magic!
Our tea leaves say we'll be back.
So there you have it. Don’t go to Eat n’ Park or Denny’s or any other family chain and certainly not to a fast food joint. You’ll just be wasting your money on processed food barely fit for a dog. Stuff twenty dollars in your pocket and run to the nearest privately owned ethnic chow hall and have some authentic, ridiculously nutritious grub that may be made out of dog! Holy crap, calm down, it was just a tasteless joke. What isn’t tasteless is the wonderful Pho at Food Minh, er, food at Pho Minh.
Go.
FV
Hey, humor me and leave some comments about YOUR favorite dining spot, or any other favorite thing about Pittsburgh. Thanks.
Eat This NY
The Duchess of Amboy
All the puns in your header aside, Pho Minh is soooo great. One of the only places I know of where you can get a good FRESH (not fried) spring roll. Nice pictures of the food. Do they know about all the free press you’re giving them?
I am foamin’ at the mouth for PhoMinh!
We also love another ethnic place that’s within walking distance (Bloomfield area). It’s called Thai Gourmet – right on Liberty Ave. near the cross street Ella and Del’s is right across the street. The family that owns it are really nice and accommodating. The food is fresh and wonderful. And the prices are very reasonable IMO, and I normally enjoy 2-3 meals out of one dish!
MJ & Tom
MJ – my friend Alison swears by that place. I’ve only been once, I’ll have to try it again.
Hey, Pho Minh sounds great, but don’t lump Eat’n Park in with Denny’s and the rest of the family restaurant crowd! We’re family owned and operated in the ‘burgh since 1949. Also, processed food isn’t where we’re at. We hand-bread our fish, make our stuffings and prepared salads from scratch, hand-cut our lettuce and vegetables, bake our Smiley cookies and baked goods fresh every day. And that’s just a start. We get much of our produce straight from local farms in season. In fact, we helped invent the distribution system that makes it possible for local farmers to get their product to market.
Those are just a few examples. Give us a try and you may find that Eat’n Park is a lot better than you think. It may even bring a smile to your day.
Kevin,
I’ve been a dishwasher, cook, baker, baker trainer, server, opener (Franklin, PA) and manager for Eat’n Park Restaurants. I even had a small stint with Parkhurst Dining (I’ve only drove past SixPenn, I’ll get there soon). I personally don’t think that I’m too far off base on my evaluation of Eat’n Park’s menu. It has been years, things may have changed. I accept the challenge though, to eat my words. I propose an opportunity to show me that the Eat’n Park menu avoids hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup (It’s definitely in your soda), preservatives and a slew of other ingredients with a less than nutritious value. My offer comes with no malice. Call Jeff or Mercy, or who is ever at the helm these days (is it Mr. Sites?) and let’s put this long time community favorite to the test. I would love to be wrong, but usually low cost and long shelf life means preservatives, added sugar and oils and meat raised in substandard conditions. This has become the American way.
Please let me know if you think we can work together.
FV
Want to taste great Italian/Polska chicken soup try a bowl Zia’s! Yours might be Pho real but hers is to die for. Best I have ever ate and I thought my mom’s was tops. Nope Zia got her beat by a mile! It’s so good our neighbor Tyler never turns down a bowl. He calls it broth. But with pastina and some Regiano Parmesano it’s smatcznego!
Jim!
Love you’re blog and the duchess too! I know this is an older post, but my favorite spot in the ‘burgh was always Ali Baba’s on Craig in Oakland/N. Oakland — if it’s still there. The Fasooli (or green beans in tomato sauce)
with rice is the best. Also- Khalil’s if it’s still there has amazing kababs. Don’t forget your middle eastern cousins!!! Xoxo
I am familiar with Ali Baba’s and of course I love it. Also, I grew up practically in Khalil’s parking lot.
I’m hungry
I’ll save you a bite!
Thanks, cuz! Keep on reading, tell your friends, alert the media!