‘I’m not the only one who thinks so’: Our food reviewer finds Brisbane’s best pho

An understated eatery in the inner-city is serving up outstanding Vietnamese food, including what is arguably the best pho in town.

Is this Brisbane’s best pho? It could well be. I’m at Ca Phe Nam in West End – a modest Vietnamese eatery along busy Vulture St with just a single row of tables on the balcony fronting the footpath and a handful of tables and coloured metal stools inside where the only decoration is a photographic menu along the wall above the counter and open kitchen.

But fancy fit-outs aren’t necessary when the food – and prices – are this good.

The dining room at Ca Phe Nam, West End. Picture: Liam Kidston

The menu reads like a greatest hits of Vietnamese dishes – there’s banh mi in multiple varieties including traditional pork, bacon and egg, and even mock duck; rice dishes like those with a pork chop or crispy-skinned chicken, spring rolls, rice paper rolls, rice noodle salads, banh xeo and, of course, pho.

They also make their own drinks, including Vietnamese iced coffee that is decidedly stronger than most other versions around town, and a sweet but thirst-quenching coconut juice with thick chunks of soft, fleshy coconut layered among the ice ($5 each).

The front balcony overlooking the street at Ca Phe Nam, West End. Picture: Liam Kidston

Food arrives as it is ready, with our crispy skin pork banh mi ($9) the first to be brought to the table by the softly spoken but sweet staff.

It’s been kindly cut into two for us to share, with the crisp, flaky bread roll enveloping a liberal smear of silken pate, cucumber, pickled carrot, coriander, crackling-crusted roast pork and a generous glug of a sweet soy dressing. It’s perhaps not as generously filled as some other banh mis around Brisbane, but its smaller scale is compensated by arm-licking, smack-you-in-the-face flavour, and a price tag that is about $3 cheaper than many of its competitors. And let’s face it, I’ll take quality over quantity any day.

The banh xeo or “Vietnamese pancake” at Ca Phe Nam, West End. Picture: Liam Kidston

Next to hit the table is the banh xeo ($17). The Vietnamese pancake’s rice flour shell is ’90s supermodel thin – its golden, turmeric-stained crust bubbly and shatteringly crisp cocooning a expertly seasoned filling of pork mince, prawns, onion and sprouts.

It’s excellent on its own, but even better wrapped with the accompanying lettuce and mint and dunked in the sweet, sour, salty, chilli-free nuoc cham.

And then there’s the aforementioned pho ($17 medium/$19 large).

Pho is one of those controversial dishes where everyone has their own preference.

The rare beef pho at Ca Phe Nam, West End. Picture: Liam Kidston

For me, I so often find the broth far too delicate, subdued with as little flavour as an old tea bag. But just like the banh xeo and banh mi at Ca Phe Nam, the pho is robustly sapid.

Here the soup hums with star anise, coriander and cloves; while onions bring a sweetness and the beef a richness.

Our raw beef and brisket version is also abundant with delicate, razor-thin slices of quality meat, delicious slurped down with the soft noodles that cling to the bottom of the bowl.

In fact, the broth is so bold I don’t even think about adding the standard accompaniments of chilli, lemon and herbs for fear of messing with the perfectly seasoned soup.

Is it the best pho in Brisbane? As I say, pho preferences are highly subjective, but for me, it is. In fact, Ca Phe Nam serves up not just terrific pho, but fantastic Vietnamese fare all around.

Just be sure to get in early, as judging by the crowds, I’m not the only one who thinks so.

Ca Phe Nam

4/60 Vulture St, West End

3061 4829

Open

Mon-Sat 10am-8pm

Verdict – Scores out of 5

Food 4.5

Service 3

Ambience 2

Value 4.5

Overall 4