The set lunch menu prices changed from 38RMB to 48RMB and 58RMB for the “small” and “big” lunch sets, respectively. I can only imagine what changes were made to the dinner menu. There was not much difference between the cold ban with house specialty house chicken or pork with the third listing on the menu, which was basically the same without the option of choosing pork (just chicken) and lacking pickled vegetables. I checked out the dish from the guy sitting next to me and it looked quite plain, so I opted for the pho again. All this menu told me was that you were getting 10RMB more worth of rice noodles with the big lunch set.
Out come the fried spring rolls on a small bed of thin rice noodles atop a large lettuce leaf next to the bite-sized tofu bun and pho fixings. The spring rolls were less satisfying this time around. The wrapper was thicker and the filling had less carrots and more “filler.” It also was significantly oilier and you could see the oil drip onto your plate after the first bite.
The pho came out in small and big bowls, with the contents of the smaller bowl looking more impressive only because the meaty bits were not drowned by excess noodles. There was raw beef, but no tendons. The broth this time was oilier and more bland, lacking the much needed rich, but light depth found in a good broth.
I had great hope for Pho Real. At the opening, the restaurant had the potential to go in the direction toward a legit Vietnamese pho with its set lunch menu. However, the food has turned in the direction of Pho Sizzling, appealing towards the market palate instead of upholding its promise of authenticity.
Phở Real. No. 166 Fumin Lu, near Julu Lu 富民路166号，近巨鹿路 Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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