While doing time in Texas (and oh yes, living in Texas is like doing time in prison), I got hooked on Vietnamese cuisine. I lived in Austin (Note: Austin is not in Texas, it is surrounded by Texas.)
A large hippie movement ensued through the late sixties and early seventies throughout Austin. Janis Joplin was a product of this Texan town. She would play acoustic at the Armadillo (a local college kid hang out and “newspaper”) while attending University of Texas. Many soldiers returned to the Austin area after the Vietnam War. I am guessing that’s where the surge of Vietnamese restaurants came from.
I would frequent two said restaurants. One on The Drag (street bordering the UT campus with college kid-like shops and restaurants) and the other closer to home. Both were equally good and both served the heavenly Pho.
Pho (pronounced fuh) is a traditional Vietnamese dish, equivalent to the American Hamburger. Everybody in Vietnam eats Pho and every family has their own recipe. Pho is a beef noodle soup. It is served with finely juilenned cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, and cilantro. Typically the beef is flank, but in more traditional establishments the meat would include tripe and tendon. It sounds so simplistic, but yet it is so addictive.
So, while on a mission to North Tampa via Dale Hell Mabry, I drove through a little section of Waters Ave where all of the business signs change from English to Vietnamese and Korean. Tampa’s own little Vietnam/ Korea Town. This is where I discovered Pho An Hoa.
I decided on my way back, I would give it a go. 1 ½ hours later (Dale Mabry!!!) I passed it up twice trying to find it again.
The little plaza Pho An Hao rests in is nothing to brag about. It could use some paint and a good scrubbing, but I ventured on, because what’s my motto? Yes, that right. If the place is consistently packed then there most always is a reason.
Greg and I walked in to find a trendy looking; tattooed couple sitting enjoying two hefty bowls of Pho. Two Vietnamese women sat at another table enjoying the remnants of their steamy bowls.
The inside was unremarkable. Tiny space, white walls, brown tables. We sat at the end of a community table and were promptly greeted by a tiny woman who handed us menus and smiled through every word she said. On the back of the menu, she showed us they had Bubble Tea.
Now, if you have never had Bubble Tea, you have to try it. It’s like an Asian Milk Shake. It comes in a huge variety of fruit flavors and has tea pearls (or Black Tapioca balls) in it. The same pearls you would find in Chai Tea. If you prefer to stay away from caffeine, your safe with this drink at this restaurant, but ask at any other establishment because sometimes the Bubble Tea is used with caffeinated tea.
Greg ordered the Green Apple Bubble Tea, due to a communication barrier, I ordered a 7up.
The menu was filled with the traditional Pho and other Vietnamese staples. At first, we both thought we would go for the Pho, but then saw the other side of the menu, filled with other traditional Vietnamese dishes like Pork In A Claypot, Beef & Lemongrass, and Pork, Egg roll, and Vermicelli.
We ordered a round of Spring Rolls and the Pork, Egg Roll, and Vermicelli. When you walk into these little joints that don’t look so pretty on the outside or on the inside, a good rule of thumb is to steer away from the seafood dishes until you see many other regulars eating the seafood. Why? Because, raw seafood has a short shelf life and smaller establishments aren’t as likely to throw iffy seafood out until the whole thing is borderline, at best. HOWEVER, every once in awhile I will gamble with food poisoning because I am less susceptible than most. I am a culinary professional who has eaten tacos on the side of the road in Mexico. I have eaten things most Americans wouldn’t dare look at. I ask you to consider this statement the next time you find yourself in an iffy situation. If you feel you must, discreetly smell the seafood before consuming it. The nose knows.
With that said, the Spring Rolls arrived.
Two large silken rice wraps filled with the biggest shrimp and freshest cabbage, carrots, and cilantro I have seen in awhile. The Spring Rolls were served with a Peanut dipping sauce that very well could have been made that morning. There would be no risk of food poisoning here. The shrimp was sweet and fresh. It was cooked perfectly without any unnecessary seasoning. It allowed the shrimp to actually be a flavor.
The wrap was tight and light. I could have eaten 12 of these babies. This is the kind of food your body likes. It’s happy when you feed it things like Spring Rolls. Everything is in it’s raw state and again, it is very simplistic but the combination of raw flavors create a superfluous taste sensation.
The Pork, Egg Roll, and Vermicelli
was just as good and just as simple. The pork was sliced very thin and sautéed with chopped peanuts very quickly at a very high heat. Just high enough to allow the natural, healthy oils of the peanuts to meld with the paper thin pork. It is then served atop cooked vermicelli rice pasta. Along side the pasta is more raw cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, grated ginger, and cilantro. One fried and sliced egg roll finishes the dish. A small ramekin of fish sauce with scallions is also served to create a broth. The concept is to pour the fish sauce into the bowl and mix the veggies with the pork and egg roll. Upon mixing, it becomes a complete dish. Simplistic and delicious. All of the ingredients were very fresh and cooked to perfection.
I can’t say that Pho An Hao is the best Vietnamese in Tampa, because I haven’t tried any other places. I can say Pho An Hao has exceptionally fresh, traditional, delicious food.
As we sat enjoying our lunch, many regular patrons filled the tiny restaurant, most of them Vietnamese Americans.
If it’s not the best in Tampa, then Tampa has some pretty damn good Vietnamese restaurants.
Go explore your South East Asian side. Your body will thank you.
4 Possums
Pho An Hoa
1420 W Waters Ave suite 106
9 AM – 10 PM Closed Tuesday
Cash Only. Very Inexpensive
