Fast Pho, Ultimo
Thursday, September 29, 2016
True to its name, let me tell you that Fast Pho serves up your dishes really fast! We never wait more than 5 minutes for our food. I really love this place and its a go-to for my boyfriend and I, usually after uni or when we are in the city craving some cheap Vietnamese food. It's in Ultimo, just a shop down from Max Brenners making it really close to where I go to uni at USYD, and also UTS, Tafe and Central Station.
You will spot the place by this sign.
We discovered this place when Jasmine invited the girls to come here and try it with her. I never got around to it with the group, but did go by myself and I found it extremely good for it's extremely cheap price. I have previously thought I found the cheapest Pho in Sydney at Pho Mumum at $10 a bowl, but here at Fast Pho it is $8 a bowl and I think it is much tastier.
Their other menu items are also very affordable with nothing being over $10!
Each table has utensils, tissues and the bare minimum of condiments being hoisin sauce, Sriracha, and a mini soy sauce bottle. No sauce dishes, pickled chilli, sate or anything else you would normally find on the table at a Vietnamese restaurant. Absolutely fine with me, but if you are one of those people who needs that you might have to ask the staff.
Also they don't actually serve you the complimentary tea/water. You have to self serve by collecting your own tea/water jug and cups. These are located (in the above picture) in the corner near the counter.
The place is quite small and a bit tight due to all the tables. The lighting is dim and there isn't a lot of decor or feel for the place, but I admit I find it a little cosy this way. The picture menu is hung on the wall which is nice and visual, but they also hand you a large menu in case you don't want to crane your neck and look at the wall menu hehe.
Service is also fast so don't expect it to be all smiles and friendliness. Little things like this can be compromised when you get your food much faster 😌 😌
Hello Fran!
So we come here a lot and generally the quality and quantity is VERY consistent. However one time I visited this place on the weekend for dinner and I found it not as fresh. Just thought I would mention that, but it hasn't deterred me from coming back.
… and another picture of the same meal on a different day…
Crispy Chicken and Tomato Rice $8
A must order at this amazing price! This is quite possibly the best crispy chicken in Sydney. It is such a generous portion, and the chicken is always tender and juicy on the inside and satisfyingly crispy on the outside. The fish sauce is the perfect complement to the chicken. The rice is soft and fluffy with a nice flavour from the tomato sauce. And the salad always looks very simple, but it's the addition of Vietnamese pickled veggies that brings it all together. Yum! Please try this, guys!
Beef Noodle Soup $8
So this is what we call, Pho. You also get the complementary plate of bean sprouts, basil, and lemon. For this price, the broth is really tasty! For an extra $2 you can get the special combination beef noodle soup that comes with different cuts of beef and tripe. This one comes with the "cooked" brisket slices of beef and they are always a bit tough. I prefer the "tái/raw" beef slices because I like to cook the beef myself and have them slightly rare. The ratio of noodle to broth is like 1:2 which is good if you're a soup lover or you don't eat a lot. It definitely leaves me wanting a bit more but I feel like for the price, you can't complain. Oh and there's also not a lot of coriander, green onion and brown onion in it. Take it how you will, but that's cool with me.
Plus Fran and I always swap half way through our meals so that's how we get full hehe
Crispy Chicken and Noodle $10
As mentioned before - the crispy chicken is bomb! This noodle is kind of bland though. I was thinking it would be like Hu Tieu Nam Vang broth because the menu didn't specify, but what it turned out to be was just a simple chicken broth with some flat rice noodles (like pho noodles), and veggies. Nothing special, I'd go back to the pho. On that note, this is what the chicken noodle soup (chicken pho) is like as well except with shredded chicken in the soup. Not at all how Vietnamese Pho Ga should be.
If you are nearby and looking for some cheap Vietnamese eats, then Fast Pho is the one. I recommend trying the crispy chicken and tomato rice, and beef noodle soup when you do!
Thanks for reading, everyone! xx
TL;DR:
Price: Everything under $10, affordable!
Quality: Consistent
Service: Quick and efficient
Ambience: Small and dim-lit place, cosy
Fast Pho
84 Mountain St,
Ultimo NSW 2007
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