Neighborhood Eats – Pho Bistro 2

In the same sketchy building on the corner of Kalakaua Avenue and Fern Street that I talk about in my Amina Pizzeria post (which, by the way, is still surviving), is Pho Bistro 2. It’s a friendly family-run restaurant serving up pho in a casual atmosphere. It also happens to be situated at the halfway point between my place and Sister in Law 4 (SIL4)’s place, so we often meet there for dinner, as we did the other night.

Chicken Salad ($6.95) on the house – how nice!

Pho Bistro - Chicken Salad ($6.95)

An order of Spring Rolls ($5.50). This kind of reminds me of Korean food, the way you wrap it in lettuce with your favorite fixin’s…

Pho Bistro - Spring Rolls ($5.50)

SIL4′s Medium Pho Combination ($6.95), a steaming hot bowl of noodles, beef flank, rare steak, brisket, tripe, tendon, and beef balls in a savory broth. Of course it comes with a side plate of fresh bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, peppers and lime wedges to add to the soup as you please.  Both our hubbies ordered the same thing, but in the large size ($7.50)

Pho Bistro - Pho Combination ($6.95 Medium)

I had the Bun with Shrimp & Grilled Pork ($7.75), a delicious bowl of cold rice noodles, lettuce and cucumber topped with grilled shrimp, pork, peanuts and fried onion chips. I pour the sauce all over and mix it all up.

Pho Bistro - Bun with Shrimp & Grilled Pork ($7.75)

There are many places to eat pho in Honolulu, but Pho Bistro is one of the more reasonably priced places. It’s open every day and within 2 minutes walking distance from my house, so needless to say I’m a repeat customer. It’s the ultimate comfort food on any night.

OVERALL: GOOD
PRICE RANGE:$6.50-7.95 for pho, $6.95-7.75 for bun. Click here to view the menu.
MY BILL: $22.00 for two
RETURNING?: Yes

Pho Bistro 2
(Corner of Kalakaua and Fern, parking lot entrance off Fern Street)
1694-C Kalakaua Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96826
808.949.2727
Mon-Sat 10:30a-9:30p
Sun 11:00a-8:00p

Summer Rolls at Home

Boy do I love summer rolls! They’re healthy, super easy to make at home, and you can put anything you want in them. Today we went with shrimp summer rolls, but you can prepare a whole variety of ingredients like chicken, tofu, and various vegetables, and make a Roll-Your-Own Party out of it!

Here’s what we prepared:

• Rice paper (found in any local supermarket)
• Lettuce, bean sprouts, fresh cilantro and mint leaves (MUST HAVE fresh mint!)
• Poached shrimp
• Rice noodles (I was out, so I used the thick long rice I had at home instead. For rice noodles, simply boil for  a few minutes and drain.)
• A big bowl of warm water
• Peanut Sauce for dipping (I made mine with peanut butter, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, Sriracha hot sauce, and a little water to adjust the thickness)

First you dip the rice paper in the water – just a quick dip to wet the entire sheet will do.

Then you fill it with whatever your heart desires. I like mine with tons of cilantro and mint.

Wrap… (Remember to tuck the ends in like a burrito. The good thing is these rice wrappers are pretty durable and have stretch to them, so don’t be afraid to fill them up and pull tightly.)

… and Enjoy!

My Favorite Sandwich …

… in the whole wide world: Chicken and Pate Sandwich on Croissant ($4.75) from BA-LE. The crunchiness of the cucumber, pickled daikon and carrots, the rich flavor of the pate, and fresh cilantro combine together for an unbelievable experience!

BA-LE Sandwich & Bakery
Various locations  including:

• Kahala Mall (by McDonald’s and L&L’s)
• Ala Moana Shopping Center (inside Sears, ground level)
• Ward Center (by Sports Authority and Ross)