Arlington Heights' Pho An Heights introduces diners to Vietnamese street food
Pho is a popular street food in Vietnam. Depending on where you are in the country, people might be eating it at every meal of the day. At the new Pho An Heights in downtown Arlington Heights, you can enjoy a casual, fresh taste of Vietnamese, Korean and other Asian street foods for lunch or dinner.
The husband and wife team of Sylvia and Mark An opened Pho An in May, and the sleek, modern space seats about 30 to 40 diners. Recessed lighting illuminates the soft neutral colors and floor-to-ceiling windows. Clean-lined wooden tables and a wall bench add a touch of warmth to the room.
A few families and couples occupied the tables when I stopped by recently for dinner. Pretty white, modern dishes let the fresh, colorful ingredients shine in the modern, minimalist setting. Plus, I appreciated that the chopsticks were reusable and not the typical disposable wood ones.
Our server was attentive although a bit uninformed about the menu; the restaurant is newly opened, though, and sometimes it takes time to work out any wrinkles in service.
To start, we ordered the shrimp and fresh vegetable spring rolls, which were satisfyingly light, crunchy and flavorful. We also tried the Pah Jun, a crispy Korean-style pancake with seared scallions and other vegetables. Dipped into a sesame seed and onion soy sauce, it's a light, fried, crunchy and yet tender dish.
We split a salad; it's large enough that it could easily be eaten on its own as a light lunch or dinner. The Bun Bo Xao, a Vietnamese salad with noodles, comes as a fold-it-yourself dish. A wide noodle bowl is filled with segregated, colorful portions of fresh sliced carrots, cucumber, delicate fried onions, shredded lettuce, thin cold rice noodles and marinated sliced beef. Add the accompanying slightly sweet/hot nguoc cham sauce as a dressing to taste. Using chopsticks, mix at will and voila: You have a dish of noodles slippery with spicy dressing and bursting with flavor from the crunchy fresh vegetables and spicy, savory beef and onions.
For my entree, I chose the namesake Pho Combination. Pho is a traditional dish of flavorful broth, clear rice noodles, meat, vegetables or seafood. The broth is flavored with beef knuckles or leg bones and spiced with onions, ginger, cinnamon, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, star anise, whole cloves, cardamom pods, fish sauce and a bit of sugar. In Pho An's version, the savory, spicy beef broth is served with rice noodles, sliced beef, brisket and tendon. It's garnished with fresh bean sprouts, mint, lime and basil.
On the tables, you'll find a jar of chunky chile sauce similar to salsa, a container of hoisin sauce and Sriracha to further customize your meal. A dollop of hoisin adds a tangy kick to the broth if that's your thing.
My friend chose one of the two Bahn Mi sandwiches on the menu. The traditional sandwich is made by splitting a shortish, soft baguette and stuffing it with spicy meat and vegetables.
We tried the Pork Bulgogi Bahn Mi, a true taste of fusion as the Vietnamese dish is stuffed with the Korean pork bulgogi. The sandwich is labeled spicy on the menu but offers just a touch of heat. Add the optional jalapeño slices for a real kick. It's chewy, crunchy, tangy, savory and sweet all in one bite. The marinated pork is layered with shredded fresh onion, bean sprouts, cilantro and cucumber all drenched with a marinade of sweet and sour carrot and daikon. At $6, it's an ideal lunch when you're on the go. And it's not messy, although each bite is juicy. The French roll soaks up some of the sauce, and it's not so stuffed you feel your jaw crack as you take a bite. It's the perfect ratio of roll to filling.
As with everything we tried, flavor profiles are multidimensional.
Other specialties include Bibimbop, steamed rice with sauteed beef and vegetables; Shumai, pan-fried and steamed shrimp dumplings served with a spicy yuzu sauce; and Korean seafood ramen, with shrimp, mussels, calamari and cilantro with vegetables. Or try a side of kimchee.
Desserts include green tea ice cream and Mozzi ice cream bonbons of green tea, chocolate, strawberry or mango.
Soft drinks, teas, sparkling waters and juices are on offer. Coffee, smoothies, including tapioca drinks, and Vietnamese iced coffee round out the menu.
Pho An Heights offers a tasty introduction to Vietnamese and Korean favorites and an invitation to return again and again.
Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
Pho An Heights
6 S. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights, (224) 735-2158,
Cuisine: Casual Vietnamese and Asian cuisine — traditional Pho, noodles, salads, soups and sandwiches
Setting: Modern clean lines, sleek wooden tables and a bench add a bit of warmth
Prices: Starters and sides $1 to $12; Pho $9 to $11; sandwiches $6; specialty entrees $8 to $10; desserts $3; kids menu items $5
Hours: Lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; dinner 5 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday