What are the hallmarks of an authentic Asian restaurant?
The obvious answer leads to the food. Meat or tofu topping your meal, a variety of sweet and savory sauces, and– if you’re lucky– fascinating drinks like Ramune and milk teas. The details depend on the specific cultural influence, like sashimi servings or appetizing egg drop soup.
A quieter influence, however, shines through in the atmosphere of the restaurant. Growing up as a Chinese child, my experience with Asian restaurants has been colored by elements other than just the food. The most authentic, genuine restaurants I’ve attended have a sense of home to them. Usually family businesses, with the youngest members playing openly and not stuffed behind-the-scenes. Older children often help with the business, taking orders and seating customers. It gives a sense that these people exist outside of your brief interactions– this is their home, one that they built together. For a beautiful, short time, you get to be a guest to that feeling.
PhoMac, a local Vietnamese restaurant, captures this in a very nostalgic way.
Menus come in both English and Vietnamese, a subtle promise to its cultural origins. The workers aren’t overly bubbly or saccharine, refusing the cloying sweetness of false hospitality. Instead, they were brisk but sincere. Although I didn’t get the chance to confirm anyone’s relationship with each other, they nonetheless captured the homey feeling that cemented my childhood restaurant visits in my memory.
While the atmosphere definitely stands out to me, the food pulls its weight as well. I’ve visited PhoMac on multiple occasions, typically for their tofu vermicelli bowls. The tofu has a fantastic crunch on the outside, while retaining the characteristic softness of the inside. Additionally, the light fish sauce is supplied on the side– a small detail, but a much-appreciated one for those who are picky with their sauces. (It’s okay; I am, too.)
Another guest in my party had the jasmine rice platter with pork. He enjoyed the dinner for what it was, but the true power of his meal revealed itself the next day.
“I got a [jasmine] rice plate. There was so much in that rice plate, it was amazing,” guest Philip Jensen said. “I actually kept half of it for my lunch the next day! Five stars.”
With the warm soups and fried foods, a trip to PhoMac would be an excellent winter outing.
“It was cold last night, so I wanted something warm. [The pho] was a good choice,” guest Kelly Jensen said. “It was very tasty.”
Although I am not a beef lover when it comes to my pho, I was still pleasantly surprised by the myriad of options. If you enjoy customizing the details in your food, the beef pho will likely be your friend. Rare steak, tripe, meatballs and more to mix and match as you please.
From the atmosphere to the food, PhoMac is a fantastic option for anyone interested in Vietnamese cuisine.
