Noshwellmenu

[rating:3]

Bao Chao is one of many Vietnamese restaurants that line the Hastings corridor in East Vancouver. They are, apparently, well known for their spring rolls. We were really just seeking out alternative Pho spots from our usual haunts, and this place looked just as good as any.

A distinctive yellow awning overhangs the sidewalk hovering above the restaurant entrance that appears to awkwardly lack any sort of foyer or reception area — you’re simply thrown right into the dining area. Waist to ceiling mirrors line one wall of the restaurant while the other is covered in faux wood panelling. In the back, near the bar sits a forlorn karaoke machine looking especially abandoned with a pile of plastic booster seats stacked in front of it.

(Clockwise from Left to Right: 1. Vietnamese, iced diesel fuel. 2. Pho. 3. Forget the chili sauce, take a bite out of one of these suckers.)

I ordered a small Pho with rare beef, flank and tendon. Case ordered the Vermicelli with spring rolls. We each had a Cafe Sua Da (Vietnamese ice coffee) to wake us up. My broth was pretty decent, if not a bit generous on the sodium. But it was relatively clear, lacking the typical fat scum resulting from lazy chefs that fail to periodically skim it off their brewing stock. The meat and noodles were all decent and tasty. Cases’ spring rolls, were indeed pretty good. They were fried just enough to be crispy but not overcooked. The iced coffee never disappoints and gave us a good jolt. We also ended up with a Rainbow Red Bean and Coconut dessert to go, which was okay, but they went a bit overboard with the amount of red bean, so what we got was mostly red bean on crushed ice.

Our meal came to under $27 with tax and tip, which is pretty much in the same ballpark for most Pho joints. The dining room isn’t anything to look at and the service is pretty typical. But for some solid Pho and spring rolls, Bao Chao’s a pretty safe bet.

Perfect for:

Decent Pho and good spring rolls not made from dog.

The Details

2717 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
604.251.6956

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