Seafood Pho ($11)
What: There’s a new pho spot in town. AI Pho & Vermicelli is a recently opened Vietnamese restaurant in the former Big Chef space at 515 Jersey Avenue.
Interior: The restaurant is wide and spacious with plenty of room to move about. There are a few paintings on the wall, but otherwise it’s a no-frills kind of vibe.
Fish Hot Pot/Casserole ($14)
The Menu: AI Pho specializes in pho ($10 to $11), vermicelli dishes ($10 to $15), and rice dishes ($9 to $11). Most dishes can be ordered with beef, chicken, pork, seafood, or veggies only. The drinks menu lists durian shakes and avocado shakes, but neither were available when we tried to order them. On the plus side, AI Pho is BYOB friendly.
We Loved: The ingredients take center stage at AI Pho. The dishes we ate had plenty of fresh veggies and herbs. The broth in our seafood pho was clear and aromatic with an earthy taste courtesy of the broccoli and mushrooms. The noodles were nice and tender and the accompanying plate of bean sprouts gave our soup a nice crunch with every bite. The Fish Claypot had a tangy and sweet taste with hints of ginger and a small amount of spice. The complimentary house tea is a nice touch and service was always very friendly and attentive.
Could Be Better: AI Pho has the potential to be a cozy neighborhood restaurant, but it currently lacks character. When you’re seated, you’re given a paper take-out menu instead of a traditional restaurant menu. If you go during off hours, be prepared to sit in silence because there’s no music whatsoever. (To be fair, I hate restaurants that blast music, but some sort of atmosphere is always welcome). Lastly, if you’re not a fan of raw onion, you might want to ask them to hold the onions because they’re a little heavy-handed with the raw onion.
Final Take: If you want a quick, healthy dinner with fresh ingredients and lots of flavor — AI Pho is the place to be. It’s perfect for those times you don’t want to be bothered with long lines or loud people.
Crispy Squid ($10)
Seafood Pho ($11)
Veggie Summer Roll ($5)
AI Pho | 515 Jersey Avenue
