South Bay: Pho Pasteur

You would think that after being friends with T since the sixth grade, I would know where to get all the good Vietnamese food in the Bay by now.  Alas, it wasn't until recently that T introduced me to Pho Pasteur.  Tucked deep, deep, deep in the Lion Supermarket plaza, Pho Pasteur is located in a food court:

If T had not brought me there, I would've never known that hidden food court existed.  Due to COVID-19, there's no dining allowed indoors, however there's a wide open space right outside with plenty of tables.

The photos from my first visit to Pho Pasteur came out red-tinged thanks to the red awning overhead.  But because I loved Pho Pasteur so much, I brought my mom, Abby, and UK there later and was able to redo all the pictures.

My go-to Pho Pasteur is the pho tai dap, which is pho with rare slices of steak ($12):

I ordered the same for my mother while UK got the pho tai bo vien, which has rare steak and beef balls ($12):

Abby can't help but order bun rieu ($12) whenever she sees it on the menu:

There's just something about the crab paste and tomato-based vermicelli soup that she can't say no to.  The thing about bun rieu is that you should really only order it in restaurants that are known for it.  Otherwise it's just going to be mediocre, as it was at Pho Pasteur.

The pho, on the other hand, was amazing.  The pho broth itself was rich and flavorful.  We asked for fresh rice noodle (for an additional $1) and they were thick and bouncy:

  As an extra treat, we also ordered the bot chien gion or flour cake with eggs ($11):

If it wasn't clear enough, I am a fan of Pho Pasteur.  Not only is the food fantastic (besides the bun rieu), the people are super friendly.  The prices may be a bit higher than at other pho places, but I'm willing to pay the two dollar difference for that broth and for those fresh noodles

Bonus fact!  The pandan waffles at Pho Pasteur are no joke.  Crispy on the outside, fragrant and chewy on the inside...it's actually better than the waffles you get at some dessert shops.  If you're in the area but are too full for a bowl of pho, you should still stop by Pho Pasteur for the waffles.  Your taste buds will thank you.

And then you can thank me for the pro tip.  Hehe.

Pho Pasteur

1818 Tully Rd

San Jose, CA 95122

(408) 841-2718