ConsultingGirl was craving for some pho, but wanted to avoid a few of the horrible places in Burnaby, so we drove a bit further to go to Bao Chau. Since it was another game day, everyone was out Downtown or glued to their screen at home. This is my favorite time to head out since there are no lines and the restaurants are empty.
This place was indeed empty. Only a few tables were occupied. The decor is quite dated, so don’t expect too much from their interior.
I started with the Bao Chau House Special Beef Noodle (Smaill – $6.50). I chose this because it has a little bit of everything. Tendon, tripe, beef balls, and other slices of beef. This is one of the better pho I have had. The broth is quite clear and it’s not too murky.
ConsultingGirl had the Pho Tai Bo Vien – Rare Beef and Beef balls noodle (Small – $6.00). The beef is indeed rare and you can tell when it arrives at the table. What people usually do is to let it sit in their hot soup so it cooks.
The sides of basil and bean sprout were very fresh and it did not look like it was reused or old. I am very picky when it comes to these things because some pho places do like to reuse old customers bean sprouts and basil. This scares me.
We also ordered the 2 Spring Rolls ($3.50). The spring rolls have vermicelli, carrots, a bit of beef and mushrooms. We found the spring rolls to be a bit under cooked. The outside was nice and crunchy, but the inside was a bit doughy. The wrapping was a bit different from other spring rolls and also it is sprinkled with salt and pepper on the outside.
We thought this would be the best spring rolls, but it fell a bit short. In the past, these were spot on, but I guess the quality isn’t too consistant.
Overall, we did like the pho, but spring rolls were a bit of a disappointment.
Words of Wisdom:
- Free parking in rear
- Under $10
- Any of the pho with rare beef tastes pretty good
We Rate Bao Chau: 
Address:
2717 E Hastings St
Vancouver, BC
2 Comments
Yum, I’m always on the look-out for great pho places around Vancouver! I’ll definitely have to try this one out, as well as a lot of other restaurants in the Burnaby Heights/Hasting area!
The spring rolls here can be a bit hit or miss. When they’re good, they’re fantastic. Too bad they’re so inconsistent. Pho in Burnaby is also hit or miss. If you want a definite hit, check out Green Bamboo. Always solid. Always too much food. Huge, amazing spring rolls. BTW, if you want a simply phenomenal bowl, spend a dollar more and get their Curried Pho. I’m having trouble going back the regular version…it’s just that good. Just up the road, Pho 24 Express makes a great bowl, too. Happy Eats!!