Since I've recently moved from the city to the Western suburbs I've been on a quest to find Pho out there. So far it has lead me to only one place, Pho ha in Glendale Heights.
This is because when I have been getting Pho, it has been for breakfast and they were the first place I found that was open in the morning out west.
I've only had a few varieties of Pho there, and I am not a pho connoisseur. I have been to almost every place on Argyle street, can tell you which ones I wouldn't go to, but I don't have enough of an understanding of Pho to be able to determine what makes it exceptional. I do look for a clear both with depth of flavor.
I tend to order Pho with raw beef, tripe and sometimes brisket. I think that they could add a bit more meat in their pho, but I'm thinking I tend to think that of all Pho so it may just be a personal bias. The one time I ordered it with meatball, I decided that I would not order the meatball again. It had a funky taste to it.
Their spring rolls are good, as is their Banh Mi. For the Ban Mi, the pickled vegetables make it, though it could use more pate. The texture of the bread makes me think it's day old, which wouldn't surprise me at 9:00 am.
The restaurant itself is a small storefront in a small strip mall. It has about 10 tables and seems to be a family run place.
Pho Ha
1971 Bloomingdale Rd
Glendale Heights, IL 60139
630-894-400
Anybody have any other recommendations for pho in the western suburbs? I recall going to another one years ago but cannot recall wehre it was. I do know it wasn't Pho Ha.