In our quest to try all of the pho houses in Edmonton, Dickson introduced me to Pho Hoan Pasteur, a small restaurant located in a strip mall across the street from the aviation museum. Over our lunchtime stay, I was surprised at how busy it was on the random weekday – perhaps it wasn’t such a well kept secret as the location seemed to suggest.
The decor was nothing special, and really, with the checkered floor and red booths, the interior could be mistaken for a donair shop or a family-oriented Italian eatery.
Interior
We each ordered variants of our usual beef noodle soup: steak, fatty flank and crunchy (yes, I know it doesn’t make sense, but that’s how it reads on the menu) for Dickson, at $7.25 for a large bowl, and steak and meatballs for me, at $6.35 for a small bowl. We also decided to spring for the green onion cakes ($), and were told that they “take a long time to make” when we ordered them. As we only had an hour for lunch, we wondered what kind of setback the appetizer would bring.
Thankfully, the staff had the prudence to bring us the more timely-to-prepare pho first. The broth was easily some of the best I have ever had in Edmonton – clear and bursting with flavour, the stock had clearly been prepared with care. The meatballs were also notable – sometimes just a protein placeholder, these meatballs had actually been well-seasoned, and did not taste like they had been in the deep freeze for months.
Pho with Steak and Meatballs
Pho with Steak, Fatty Flank and Crunchy
The green onion cakes arrived, and though promising, were ultimately disappointing. Too greasy, and without many green onions to speak of, they weren’t worth the wait.
Green Onion Cakes
The only downside to Pho Hoan Pasteur is that it isn’t within walking distance of my office – there isn’t any way that I can get there without a vehicle within my narrow lunch parameters. Ah well, on to the next challenger!
Pho Hoan Pasteur
11443 Kingsway NW
(780) 761-1989
Only Here for the Food 
Although I like that Pasteur’s broth has a clove kick, I honestly find it thin (in taste and texture) and not very beefy overall.
It’s a good compromise restaurant though as I despise Pagolac and my mom does not like King Noodle, so we are both happy at Pasteur. It is the middle road in doing both pho and vermicelli bowls just okay. We just dined there tonight in fact.
We’ve passed by Pho Hoan Pasteur numerous times, always meaning to stop in – now I think we will! Thank you for the timely review!
Pasteur has better broth than many others I have tried; my difficulty with returning has to do only with the location.
You’re welcome, Dajana!
I’ve yet to try Pho Hoan Pasteur, though I’ve been meaning to pop in ever since it opened, since I live relatively close-by. Maybe I’ll make a point of going there for dinner the next time I go visit a friend of mine who lives literally across the street from there.
Pho Hoan Pasteur has a great broth in my opinion. The food is made with motherly love! If you have not tastedtheir Bun Bo Hue… I’m telling you now- You are missing out!!
Gwen – it’s been a while since I’ve been back…I think it’s time for a revisit! Not a huge fan of bun though – part of it is because I love pho so much!
They have just opened a new branch northside in Namao mall. It’s bigger, newer, and cleaner and definitely worth trying out.
Have to say I rarely venture that far north, but if I am in the neighbourhood, I will keep a lookout – thanks for the tip!