Where paupers eat like kings

Pho Bo Ga King boasts filling and tasty cheap eats
Ottawa XPress

Article By: Colleen Johnson
Photo By: Ben Welland

Like most pho restaurants, Pho Bo Ga King offers delicious food at very reasonable prices. It also has plenty of variety on the menu, as well as local art on the walls. On the day I visited, Guillermo Trejo’s prints of lucha libre wrestlers juxtaposed with common names of pho dishes were on display as part of the Chinatown Remixed group show.

My date and I started off with an appetizer of fried shrimp wontons, which were only $2.95. The small plate arrived with a handful of carefully folded wontons that were fried until crispy and served with a bowl of nuoc cham for dipping. I washed it all down with a sweet, frothy pineapple shake, which was just one of many flavours available.

The rare beef and shrimp satay pho I’d ordered arrived steaming hot, topped with a couple of plump shrimp, slices of tender beef, rice noodles and thinly sliced onion. It was served with a plate of Thai basil, Mexican coriander, a single chili, a pile of fresh bean sprouts and a lime wedge. The broth was exceptional and extraordinarily spicy. The small bowl, at just $6.50, is more than enough for one person.

My date’s rice dish came with cold shredded pork, quiche, barbecued pork, a fried egg and a small bowl of fragrant broth. The cold shredded pork was my least favourite on the plate, as its dry texture was somewhat off-putting. Things looked up from there, however, with a perfectly fried egg, a sticky slice of barbecued pork, a mound of rice and the most interesting take on quiche I’ve ever tried. This layered egg dish was served cold and featured a yolk-like layer on top and an egg and rice noodle layer on the bottom. Dipped in sriracha sauce, this quiche was surprisingly delicious.

For dessert, my date and I split a dish of fried banana drizzled with coconut milk and served with vanilla ice cream. This is a must-order for those of you with a sweet tooth; it was a totally satisfying end to an excellent meal.

Those of you who like to eat late will appreciate Pho Bo Ga King’s hours. They’re open until 1 a.m. most nights, and until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. So next time you get a craving for a midnight snack, keep this place in mind.

Pho Bo Ga King
778 Somerset St. W.
(613) 237-3002

Appetizers: $2.95-$3.95
Mains: $6.25-$12