Pho 79

I read a review about Pho 79 not long ago and I was intrigued. I am not familiar with Vietnamese food or with pho but I was willing to try it out.

The restaurant is located in the Walmart Way Crossing shopping center in Chesapeake. The space is large, clean and gets plenty of light. There are many tables and booths and I was surprised to see a flat screen television tuned to ESPN. Not sure why I was surprised but it just seemed out of place. Anyway, patrons are free to seat themselves and are waited on immediately. There were plenty of customers in the restaurant when I was there for lunch and there seemed to be a steady stream of them coming and going, either to eat-in or take-out.

Here is what I read in the Pho 79 menu: Pho, or Hanoi Beef Soup, has been a staple food item all over Vietnam for centuries. Enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Pho soup is widely regarded as a comfort food, a source of energy for the tired traveler, and to many Pho believers--a cure for whatever ails you.

Pho is eaten with both chopsticks and a spoon in order to get all the delicious broth. I ordered a soup with pho noodles, shrimp and pork loin and spring rolls:

The soup was filled with shrimp and large pieces of pork and plenty of greens. You can't tell by the photo but there was also a substantial amount of noodles in the bowl. I didn't think the small soup would fill me up which is why I also ordered the spring rolls. I was wrong. The soup was hot and hearty. The broth was like nothing I had ever tasted. I enjoyed it so much and I was disappointed that I couldn't finish the entire bowl. The spring rolls were also very filling. They were fresh and filled with shrimp, rice and greens and were served with hoisin sauce. The order comes with two large rolls.

The menu is very diverse and includes Vietnamese sandwiches, rice dishes and many different soups. The menu is divided into sections for beginners and for those that are more experienced, which I found quite helpful.

I enjoyed everything about Pho 79: the location, the people were friendly, all the customers looked happy, the food was delicious and the prices were very reasonable. Pho 79 calls itself The Health Conscious Choice and I have to agree. I definitely recommend it and will be returning.

1445 Sam's Drive

Chesapeake, VA 23320

(757) 547-4800