On Tang Lung Road my rule of thumb (the one that says that dumpier places are always cheaper and have better food, albeit poorer presentation) is getting badly beaten around. Pho Hoa may be smaller and uglier than Pho Vietnamese down the street, but that doesn't make its food better. For slightly more honkies you get a smaller bowl of pho, you don't get size choices like L or X, and the soup IS NOT BETTER! I'm surprised and disappointed at the same time; still no stellar pho has been found!
In addition to equally mediocre soup, with less meat and less volume, the service was a little bit spotty. I came in around 2:30 to miss the lunch crowd and stood around the door trying to get someone's attention in a half-empty, very quiet room. After a minute of motioning to the empty table by the door, someone confirmed that, yes, it was ok for me to sit there. In the states this wouldn't bother me, it would probably be normal, but here I'm used to everything happening fast. It was also difficult enough ordering a glass of water that I ended up asking the other server.
Finally, no tissues provided here. Pho is something that makes me sweat, and your competition a few doors down knows this. That's why they give me tissues, and that's why you should too. I take some of the blame for this I guess; no matter how long I've lived here, I've never gotten used to the idea of packing my own napkins when I go out to eat. In the big picture it's not really that bad here, it's just really not that good.
2.5 out of 5 overall, satisfactory
pho hoa
g/f circle tower
28 tang lung street
causeway bay
$32 and up for a bowl
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