More Culinary New Year's Resolutions - Pho Quyen

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers -

Happy Day after New Year's Day!  If you read my post yesterday, you'll know that one of my New Year's resolutions was to stop procrastinating.  Or at least to stop procrastinating when it comes to fine dining.

Well for today's post, I am going to continue with my New Year's Resolution theme in a culinary fashion.  Today's resolution is a two-parter: 1) to look deeper - not just accept things on the surface and 2) to push beyond the comfortable and try new things.

I have lived in Tampa Bay for almost ten years now.  Early on, I discovered that the best pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) restaurant in town is Pho Quyen.  I would visit from time to time and would always order the hot Vietnamese soup.  I would load it up with hoisin sauce, sriracha and a fistful of Thai basil and I would be in heaven.

I never ordered anything at Pho Quyen other than pho.  Why would I?  The hearty broth was so rich and fragrant.  It was a giant bowl of comfort food.  I treated Pho Quyen as one dimensional - only appreciated them for their pho, when they have so much more to offer!    

For other types of Asian food, I would frequent China Yuen, Jo To, Thai Thani, TC Choys, Royal Thai, Thai Island and Plum Tree.  

Well a couple of months ago, for some reason I decided to actually look at Pho Quyen's extensive menu instead of just ordering pho.  I saw that they had crispy egg noodles - which I usually get at China Yuan Seafood Restaurant.  

I really wanted pho, but a little voice inside said I should try something new.  In the end, I decided to just order pho and the crispy egg noodles and take home a huge bag of leftovers.  (Evidently gluttony and excessiveness hasn't been targeted for my 2014 New Year's Resolutions!)

I was amazed at the crispy egg noodles - so fresh, crisp and with the best vegetables and chicken.  A little heavy on the sauce, but otherwise so good.  And an inexpensive, gigantic sized meal that could easily feed two people.

Chicken pan-fried noodles at Pho Quyen

I felt like an idiot that I had never tried anything other than pho at Pho Quyen - what else had I been missing?  I enjoy the crispy egg noodles at China Yuan, but I have to say that Pho Quyen's are even better.  (That's OK China Yuan, you still have my heart and my stomach for dim sum.  See pictures of China Yuan's dim sum here.)

Since my discovery I have been back to Pho Quyen four times - but now I've traded my pho obsession for a cripsy egg noodle obsession.  I have had the shrimp noodles as well as the chicken noodles.  Evidently I need to push myself again to try new things.  Maybe next time the beef crispy egg noodles or pork or tofu … heh heh.

I took my parents to Pho Quyen when they were in town for a visit.  My Mother had the whole steamed Pompano which she raved about - both in terms of freshness and flavor.

My father had the curry chicken on vermicelli.  Also fresh, tasty and a good mix of flavors.

  

Overall service is good and friendly.  Prices are inexpensive for such good food quality.  Pho Quyen also has online ordering for take out orders here.  It was already one of my favorite places, now it is even more so!

For 2014, I am going to try to experience more - try new things and not just settle for the surface … or at least I'll try to do that culinarily!  If you're in Tampa, I hope you will check out Pho Quyen Restaurant.