Takeaway review: Generous feast of authentic Vietnamese food is great value for money

What’s on offer?

Kim Nguyen’s parents opened Pho Viet on Parnell Street in 2012. Both hailing from Vietnam, they wanted to bring authentic Vietnamese cuisine to Ireland. Kim, the eldest of five children, who learned to cook alongside her grandmother, parents and aunts, bought the restaurant from her parents in 2020 and renamed it Pho Kim. She now runs the restaurant and a busy takeaway business with her husband Joseph Nguyen and younger siblings.

There is a substantial section for vegetarian and vegan dishes, and, as you would expect, pho is one of their specialities.

What did we order?

Goi cuon, fresh spring rolls in rice paper; bun tom thit nuong, pork and prawn vermicelli; pho tai, rare beef noodle soup; and vegetarian curry.

How was the service?

Ordering is online and the site is intuitive with clear descriptions of the dishes. Our order was delivered by Deliveroo on time and in good condition.

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Was the food nice?

Yes. Everything was very tasty. Two large rice paper spring rolls were packed with noodles, crunchy cucumber, lettuce and mint, and came with a delicious hoisin peanut dipping sauce. For the vermicelli dish, small pieces of marinated, grilled pork and prawns sat on top of the noodles and a salad of beansprouts, cucumber, lettuce, fresh mint and peanuts was to the side. A tangy sauce with sliced chillies came separately, to be poured over the whole dish.

The eight-hour pho broth was delicious. The thin slices of beef were in the container with the broth, the noodles and toppings were packaged separately. Everything is added to your bowl and topped with the garnishes: fresh coriander, mint and chillies.

The vegetarian curry had a creamy coconut milk sauce with carrots, potatoes, tofu, green and red peppers, onions, and a side of steamed rice.

What about the packaging?

Our order arrived in plastic bags. The containers are rigid plastic boxes, so not ideal, but they can be reused and are suitable for reheating in the microwave. Cutlery and chop sticks are opt-in.

What did it cost?

It was €50.50 for dinner for three people – fresh spring rolls, €5.50; pork and prawn vermicelli €14.50; pho tai €14.50; and vegetarian curry, €16.

Where does it deliver?

Pho Kim delivers within 5km radius. Open Sun-Thurs, 12pm-9.30pm; and Fri-Sat, 12pm-10:30pm

Would I order it again?

Yes. Most definitely, there is a really good choice of dishes and the servings are very generous.