Pho Aroma

The first thing you notice at Pho Aroma is the atmosphere. What would be slightly more than average attention to decor and style for another restaurant feels all the more luxurious when you compare it to most people's expectations of a pho house.  We'll just get this out of the way first: If you want to introduce someone to Vietnamese food who may be more culturally wary, and possibly put off by the often un-adorned, and sometimes cafeteria level appeal of some pho restaurants, Pho Aroma is your choice (outside of the International District). It has more charm and welcoming character than the Broadway Than Bros has manic brightness and cheap grandeur with its gold and red and mirrors everywhere.

If you really want to go for a smooooth vibe with Vietnamese, Tamarind Tree is your best bet in Seattle, but where Tamarind Tree turns it up with low lighting and formally clad waitstaff, Pho Aroma opts for a more tasteful yet homey feeling. It doesn't hurt that the family that runs it together lives up stairs. You are usually served at one of the 10 tables by any of the younger members of the family, while the elders run the show in the back of the house.

Pho Aroma has a pleasantly long menu that opens with 6 kinds of Pho, including a vegetarian option. Additionally you can choose from a selection of stir fried noodles (mi xao), rice plates (com dia), a kids menu, a family dinner option, and some standouts such as a half dozen non-pho vegetarian items, and the special crepe.

Tea is offered if you want it, and they set you up with ice water with a wedge of lime as standard.

As is my tendency I opted for cafe sua da (iced coffee), and was told that it would be a few minutes so they could brew it fresh for us. I appreciate both the freshness, and being told why it isn't showing up immediately. I have no problem with waiting, but having ones expectations managed is just as refreshing as making sure the product is fresh.

The pho has great presentation here, not something you often get in my experience. You can tell someone is considering how the meal looks before they send it out, and I appreciate that. The thin rare steak is slivery, and evenly floating about the central noodle mass, and the bowl if filled near the rim.

Pho aroma's broth is savory and solid. Its hard for this not to sound like an insult, but I find there to be little about it that is remarkable, except that its always very pleasant. Nothing stands out. But that also means that I want for nothing, and I don't feel as though I'm missing out. There are places with more unique broth and when I'm in the mood for something more interesting, Pho Aroma may not be my first choice, but  it is a solid choice any time, offering a delicious and perfectly capable pho broth.

 The onions are few in number but large pieces, so that flavor is not missing.  The limes, parsley, and basil are noticeably fresh, and one would hope that would be the case everywhere, but sadly it is not.

My only complaint about Pho Aroma really is that they regularly have smooth jazz or some other obnoxiously 'inoffensive' music playing that is really not for me. But, with a good partner to dine with, conversation can take care of that.

One other feather in the Aroma cap, is that they are open until 9, which beats all the other options I can think of, barring one, by at least an hour. It is nice to know that if you get hungry late, or just need some last minute comfort food in the Delridge corridor, you have at least one quality option available.

Pho Aroma
5605 Delridge Way SW
Small Pho Tai: $6.25
Iced Coffee: $2.75



All loaded up with sriracha and hoison:

My lovely dining companion had a lemon grass beef noodle bowl: