Pho Station, The new Wellesley Hills restaurant at 352 Washington St. keeps its menu simple at first. It offers pho, pho and more pho.
For lunch and dinner, you can choose from four varieties of pho, a Vietnamese soup, that vary in the amount of beef included (and there’s a kid’s portion called Wonder Pho). Prices range from $12 to $22.
Seasonal and special offers may apply.
On our first visit to Pho Station for dinner, we ordered Joy Pho (sliced steak, beef fillet, beef brisket) and Delight Pho (sliced steak, beef brisket). In addition to the meat, some of which was still simmering in the hot broth in true Pho fashion, the Pho included red onions, spring onions, Thai basil and lots of traditional rice noodles. A side plate came with jalapeño slices, bean sprouts and basil, along with a selection of sauces for salting (hoisin) or spice (Sriracha).
The restaurant is owned by Wellesley couple Juan and Yuanfei Bellido, and Yuanfei explained the menu to us before we ordered.
When I first ordered, I suspected that a bowl of soup wouldn’t be filling enough for a big guy like me. But I needn’t have worried. The tasty broth and its contents made for a satisfying meal.
The hardest part was handling the noodles with the plastic chopsticks provided (one insider confessed to using a fork). But with the chopsticks and soup spoon provided, we got better over time and didn’t splatter our clothes too much. Our table manners at Pho definitely need work, though, and we’ll watch a YouTube video before our next visit.
“How does it taste?” Yuanfei asked as he passed by in the middle of eating. “Delicious,” we both replied.
The Pho Station attracted a steady stream of customers, some coming to eat on site, others getting takeout.
The restaurant’s interior design, including hardwood floors, was familiar from predecessors CrepeBerry and Dorset Cafe. But new plants, wall hangings and a more open kitchen layout have breathed new life into the 20-seat restaurant. Two tables around a planter provide more outdoor seating, though we arrived after a rainstorm, so those spots remained unused during our stay.
Soft pop music plays in the background, so you can easily understand conversations in this restaurant.
We also heard another customer ask about vegetarian options, and indeed, Pho Station is considering adding a vegetarian pho to its menu. “We want to make sure it meets the high standards of quality and authenticity that our customers have come to expect,” say the owners.
Authenticity is important to the owners. We asked about the reference to “Saigon 1988” on Pho Station’s menu and were told that “it highlights the year the original recipes for our Pho were developed in Saigon. It’s a nod to the authenticity and heritage of our dishes.”
So far, things are going well for the new restaurant owners. “Things are going great so far, thanks in large part to the community support and positive response. We want to bring the best Pho experience to Wellesley and are grateful for the warm welcome.”
As a new business, Pho Station is working on building an online presence. Hours are Monday to Friday from 11:30am to 7:30pm and Saturday from 11:30am to 3pm, but you can also call (781) 992-1094 for reconsideration.
More: Where to eat in Wellesley
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