cheap eats

January...for me it's a time of year when the last thing I really feel like doing is eating out.

I'm usually trying to detox after all the rich foods eaten over the holidays.

All I really feel like doing is spending as much time at home as humanly possible after the exhausting rounds of "lets meet up for some holiday cheer".

Well, that and how many cookies could one person possibly consume in a 31 day period?

Sick really.

So the last thing I feel like doing is eating and drinking anything decadent. It's also doesn't help when the city keeps issuing the oh so dramatic "cold weather alert".

Who wants to venture out on a freezing cold January night when you can just stay home in your pj's and eat in front of the telly watching the latest episode of Top Chef?

And let's face it- all this talk of recession-its kind of nice to take a break and not spend a ton on eating out.

 But that doesn't mean that there aren't some fantastic good cheap eats around town that are so worth venturing out into the frigid temperatures for.

One of my all time favorites is a nice hot steaming bowl of sinus clearing Pho.

Especially in the middle of winter.

Vietnamese food is so amazing.

It's inexpensive, delicious, fast and healthy.

The perfect antidote after all the rich food consumed during the month of december.

There's so many great Vietnamese restaurants around town, but my personal fav is Pho Phuong on Dundas St. west.

Many people swear by Mimi's in the East end, but trust me- this place is the best in the city.

Its super clean and quite upscale and stylish- especially for an authentic vietnamese restaurant.

Usually packed at anytime of day.

The service is great and well the food....I could seriously eat it every day.

So good.

Though there are so so many tasty options I usually end up getting the same thing time after time

We usually start out with the Goi cuon Tom Thit rice paper rolls with shrimp, vegetables and vermicelli with a peanut dipping sauce. #3.

and the #37 pho tai bo vienrare beef, beef ball and rice noodle soup.

or #70 Bun cha gio thit nuong chao tom spring rolls, grilled pork, shrimp wrapped sugar cane with vermicelli.

I also love the Vietnamese coffee, but remember to order it a good 10 minutes before you are ready to drink it as it steeps at the table.

Some of the poorest countries in the world eat the best.

It's all about simple, fresh, flavorful healthy ingredients- and that's what I love the most about vietnamese cuisine.

Now after writing all this I'm so tempted to throw on my Parka and salt stained north face winter boots and run out for a big hot bowl of Pho.
It's just that good.

Pho Phuong
1603 dundas st. west.
Toronto ont.
416.536.3030
open mon-sun 10 am - 10 pm.

Comments

[katie ~ motherbumper]

Now I have a serious Pho craving - we have two awesome places right on our block, but I must go and check this place out, I'm loving the sounds of #37.

[kgirl]

ooh, my goes there - and now I want some.

[MommyNamedApril]

OMG, I ate my weight in pho and summer rolls on sat night. Soooo good. I could do it all over again today. Mmmmmmmm.