Pho' 79

Pho' 79
2529 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN
612-871-4602


On Wednesday night we were craving some good Asian food. Akleema wanted Chinese and I wanted Vietnamese. We decided on trying Pho 79 on Nicollet Ave. I will be honest with all of you, I love Jasmine Deli across the street from Pho 79, and I felt really guilty being in there. I go to Jasmine at least 2 times a months, but life is about trying new things and pushing your boundaries, right?

We were able to sit as soon as we walked in. Like all good Vietnamese places, it was nothing to write home about. However, our server was on top of us in a second.


The needed essentials....Fish Sauce, Soy, Sriracha Chili Sauce and Hoisin.


Cream Cheese Puffs. ($2.50)
Everyone has had cream cheese puffs. They're hard to mess up. The crispy wonton were perfectly cooked. Maybe it was the well-seasoned oil they were fried in. The dipping sauce was the classic sweet and sour, however it was a little spicier than normal (which we like). I got the great idea to put some Sriracha Chili Sauce in it and wow, what a difference.



Fresh Spring roll with Shrimp and Pork. ($3.50)
Akleema does not like fresh spring rolls too much. If done correctly, I love them. These missed the mark for me. I like a lot of fresh mint and cilantro and these lacked both. I also don't care for the peanut dipping sauce that they serve it with. For some reason Vietnamese restaurants in the US serve fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce. In Vietnam, they are served with fish sauce or nước mắm. It's a salty, sweet sauce that really makes the other flavors pop.


Vietnemese Soda Chanh. ($1.95)
Soda Chanh is a refreshing lime drink that we were introduced to during our visit to Vietnam last year. Basically it involves mixing club soda, sugar and lime in a glass and serve over ice. It's a gin and tonic without the gin. A great summer drink that truly quenches your thirst.



Erik's order: Bun Egg Roll ($8.90)
I love noodles—all kinds. But if I had to pick the most endearing noodle, both to my soul and to my palate, it would have to be bun, Vietnamese vermicelli-style noodles. Made from rice flour, water, and salt, these noodles are a beloved staple in Vietnam. If you are familiar with Pho', this is much like the hot version, however, it has no broth. Fresh herbs and a hot item (Pork Chop, Beef or Fried Spring Roll). You mix that all up in the bowl, add some Sriracha chili sauce and a lot of nước mắm. Pho' 79's version was good, however it was no match for Jasmine Deli.



Akleema's order: Sesame Chicken with Fried Rice ($6.95)
I was in a bad mood this night so I ordered the fried food dish. Really good sesame chicken is hard to find for some reason. There should be a lot of sauce, it should be red in color with lots of sesame seeds. This did not have a lot of sauce. But at least the sauce was fried into the slightly breaded chicken, I can’t stand it when they fry the chicken then pour sauce on top of it. It’s like they are not even trying. That said, It was good; sweet and spicy. Not the best Sesame chicken I've ever had but still good. I also liked the fried rice, it was definitely the right color (fried rice in my world is dark brown in color). I would order this again.