Food Quality: 4
Service: 5
Business Meeting: 3
Value: 4
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
I’ve always liked the kind of ramen you buy at the grocery store that comes in little orange packages because it’s cheap and tasty. It’s also a favorite meal among broke college students everywhere, though there are much healthier options.
But several restaurants, such as Pho-Ramen’L, now serve more upscale versions of the traditional noodle dish. These eateries give diners the option of adding various meats, vegetables, spices, and other ingredients to their noodles and broth.
My wife, Rebecca, and I have visited other local pho restaurants, such as Pho Bac and Banh Mi Dang, so we were familiar with the concept, but I had a little trouble deciding what to order. Pho-Ramen’L, located at 990 Broad St. on the corner of 10th and Broad near Tacocat, offers a variety of menu items, such as appetizers, noodles, and sandwiches.
We started with a plate of smoked pork eggrolls, which, besides meat, contain cabbage, carrots, shitake mushrooms, and scallions. It’s rare that Rebecca and I order the same entrée, but this time, we did. We both chose The Beef, a mixture of braised beef, marinated short ribs, onions, rice noodles, and pho broth. Chiles and herbs are served on the side.
We enjoyed our meals, especially the egg rolls, which were delicious. The bowls were very large. Our server was friendly and attentive, and our appetizers and entrees were delivered to us at the same time.
Pho-Ramen’L is a nice restaurant, but Rebecca and I thought the atmosphere was a little unusual. The eatery offers indoor and outdoor tables, as well as a series of dimly lit booths, clearly designed to promote an intimate dining experience. But it was so dark that, at one point, she asked me to hand her the table lamp so she could read the menu.
Pho-Ramen’L would be a good location for a business meeting, but I would recommend meeting at a table, not in a booth. As for value, it’s a little more expensive than other Vietnamese restaurants we’ve visited, including Banh Mi Dang, but Pho-Ramen’L’s portion sizes are much larger than those of its competitors.
For example, at Banh Mi Dang, the beef soup costs $16.49, and at Pho-Ramen’L, it’s $20. To me, it was worth paying a little more for more food and a truly memorable meal.
