Pho at Trinity Kitchen

Dave Cartwright once again proving there is no pun so bad he won’t Phorce it for a free lunch … quite an ePhort …

I have to start this review with a Pho-nominal pun and though some of you may think it Pho-oey, my intentions are to draw serious attention to this delicious new addition to the Leeds dining scene. Nestled within the vibrancy of Trinity Kitchen, all three members of Manic Chord Theatre perched on high stools, being served the very best in Vietnamese street cuisine.

Named after it’s signature dish, a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup, ‘Pho’ opened in Clerkenwell, London in June 2005. The chain which boasts being ‘London’s first Vietnamese street food restaurant‘ has now braved the cold and ventured up north to become, what I believe to be, Leeds’ first Vietnamese restaurant.

The three of us were all newbies to Trinity Kitchen and absolutely adored the bustling, neon, asiany (I know that’s not a word but it’ll work to help set the scene) ambiance which the collection of restaurants has created. With it’s open kitchen, paper trays, big soup bowls and long tables, Pho captured the orient street feel wonderfully. It was lovely to see a lot of Oriental students embracing the new joint in town too (a good indication if any that the flavours are top-notch.)

We were treat to a myriad of starter dishes from chunky pork and lemon-grass meatballs to tender, crispy fried baby squid. Each dish was complimented with small pots of fragrant dips. The north-Vietnamese Halida beer helped wash the food down and after a few bottles provoked some interesting discussions about theatre. Sad to say, those discussions were left in Pho, but the satisfaction of a good hearty meal, the recognition of a great, new, fresh place to dine and the sincere desire to go back and actually sample what looked like authentic and yummy Pho soup results in a high recommendation to all readers to do the same. The prices are much more affordable than many other Asian restaurants in the city and from initial observations there is no compromise on quality or quantity. My final conclusion from my evening out with the lads is friends or Pho…sorry lads, i’m going Pho all the way.

2 comments

  1. Viet Thai in Stanningley has been around for ages. The owners are Vietnamese and I’ve had some great Vietnamese food there.

    1. Also, I think the pronunciation of ‘Pho’ is closer to ‘fur’ than ‘foe’ so I’ve been reading your puns with a bit of an East Ridings accent

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