Last week I wrote about IGK's Pad Thai. I've been there two other times, and I figured I would combine the two write ups together:
I've been on the lookout for a good Midtown pho restaurant for the longest time. I tried Boi Noodles in the past, but their pho, while it satisfies a craving, isn't really the best. When I found out that IGK served pho as well, I knew I had to try it.
Beef Pho
It's a good sized container of soup and noodles. The broth is good, but it's not as rich as some of the better pho places that I've had in the past. I didn't expect it to be since those places really specialized in pho, and it's not economical to make a hearty and rich broth every day. The noodles were nice and thick and had a good chewiness to them. I noticed that they used the same noodles for both pho and udon. They throw in the noodles first with some beef, then they throw in bean sprouts, basil, onions, sliced chili peppers, a lime wedge, and some more beef, and finally they top it all off with the broth. I was a little annoyed that the lime wedge went into the broth as by the time I got back to my desk to squeeze it out, it had soaked up a ton of broth and was way too hot to handle. I probably should have thought of that prior to burning my fingertips off, but I was hungry. Another thing that was missing, at least for me, was the hoisin sauce and sriracha. While they are not necessities for pho, I've found that over the years I've enjoyed adding them for an added dynamic to the dish. Also, they make a nice dipping sauce for the meat. Speaking of which, the beef was all well-done and not a mix of well-done and rare. It was a mild disappointment, but I have yet to find the rare beef mixed in outside of an actual Vietnamese restaurant.
It's a good sized container of soup and noodles. The broth is good, but it's not as rich as some of the better pho places that I've had in the past. I didn't expect it to be since those places really specialized in pho, and it's not economical to make a hearty and rich broth every day. The noodles were nice and thick and had a good chewiness to them. I noticed that they used the same noodles for both pho and udon. They throw in the noodles first with some beef, then they throw in bean sprouts, basil, onions, sliced chili peppers, a lime wedge, and some more beef, and finally they top it all off with the broth. I was a little annoyed that the lime wedge went into the broth as by the time I got back to my desk to squeeze it out, it had soaked up a ton of broth and was way too hot to handle. I probably should have thought of that prior to burning my fingertips off, but I was hungry. Another thing that was missing, at least for me, was the hoisin sauce and sriracha. While they are not necessities for pho, I've found that over the years I've enjoyed adding them for an added dynamic to the dish. Also, they make a nice dipping sauce for the meat. Speaking of which, the beef was all well-done and not a mix of well-done and rare. It was a mild disappointment, but I have yet to find the rare beef mixed in outside of an actual Vietnamese restaurant.
Overall I like this pho more than Boi Noodles' offering, and for the price it's more than worth it. I think next time I might ask for some hoisin and sriracha on the side to see if they have it, but if not then it's not the end of the world.
Chicken Ramen
The ramen comes in the same-sized container as the pho so it makes for a filling lunch. I got the chicken ramen for no reason other than I wasn't in the mood for beef. They ladle out the broth into a pot with the chicken and add the ramen noodles in to warm. After the broth is bubbling for a while they dump the entire steam content into the container, throw in some mushrooms and scallions, and then close it all up. The noodles they use are actual ramen noodles, and they're "fresh" as opposed to the deep fried blocks we all fell in love with during college. The broth is nice and seasoned. It's not as salty as those aforementioned college ramen packs, but it's definitely saltier than the pho broth. Aside from the overriding concern of sodium content, this ramen really hits the spot. It has all of the subtle ramen seasoning that makes it great, and it comes at a great price as well. If only I could get some of those swirly white and pink fish cakes with it too...
The ramen comes in the same-sized container as the pho so it makes for a filling lunch. I got the chicken ramen for no reason other than I wasn't in the mood for beef. They ladle out the broth into a pot with the chicken and add the ramen noodles in to warm. After the broth is bubbling for a while they dump the entire steam content into the container, throw in some mushrooms and scallions, and then close it all up. The noodles they use are actual ramen noodles, and they're "fresh" as opposed to the deep fried blocks we all fell in love with during college. The broth is nice and seasoned. It's not as salty as those aforementioned college ramen packs, but it's definitely saltier than the pho broth. Aside from the overriding concern of sodium content, this ramen really hits the spot. It has all of the subtle ramen seasoning that makes it great, and it comes at a great price as well. If only I could get some of those swirly white and pink fish cakes with it too...
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