On the side
PHO AVA ★★1/2 2430 Cerrillos Road, Suite 2430, Santa Fe, 505-557-6572
With a focus on fresh vegetables, herbs and clean proteins, Pho Ava has a plethora of dishes to choose from.
Spring rolls are my favorite as they are naturally gluten-free. We sampled the Tofu ($5.50) and Grilled Pork ($5.50) Spring Rolls. Hand-rolled with care, each rice paper spring roll is filled with soft vermicelli noodles and plenty of fresh herbs — stuffed with either tofu, grilled pork or shrimp.
On a snowy day, pho was what we wanted to warm us from the inside out and it did the trick. Beef broth provides the backdrop for nine different types of pho. Prices range from $12.50 to $15.50 and one serving will likely provide you with your meal and plenty of leftovers.
For those not wanting soup, the Vermicelli Noodle Bowl is another good-for-you option. One of my guests thoroughly enjoyed her dish with Chicken ($13). Made with light and dark chicken meat, my friend bragged about the boost of flavor the fish sauce adds to this yummy combination of cold vermicelli noodles and vegetables.
Vegetarians will relish choosing from nine different dishes on the menu including Vermicelli Noodle Bowls, Stir Fry dishes, Pho, Fried Rice and Tofu & Egg Roll Vermicelli Patties.
Being that the Vietnamese Sandwich is a widely-recognized global treasure, we were not disappointed with the Grilled Pork ($10) Báhn Mì. A French baguette is filled with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, pickled carrots, onions, jalapeno and cilantro and a ton of grilled pork.