GRAND RE-OPENING OF THE HOUSE OF PHO

June 20, 2022, Stratford, CT: It was February of 2020 when Thang Le and his family first introduced their House of Pho restaurant and neighborhood bar to the town of Stratford. The ripple effect from the ribbon-cutting celebration and normal customer curiosity was short-lived as the pandemic soon took hold. After the initial shutdown lifted, House of Pho adjusted to take-out and delivery service for their Vietnamese dishes. They were fortunate to have a substantial size patio to accommodate outdoor dining.
 
Today, House of Pho is enjoying a reintroduction to the neighborhood of their family’s Vietnamese culinary culture set amid a stunning dining room backdrop, replete with brushed woodwork, gray slate stone, earthy green tones, floor-to-ceiling wine racks, and a beautiful bar. Its outdoor patio overlooks a bustling shopping center, the far ridge line of the Housatonic River, and the Sikorsky Helicopter Factory.
 

  

 
The menu sets an authentic tone with its signature Vietnamese soup dish, “pho”. The dish is rooted in the Le Family’s recipe (both parents owned restaurants in Vietnam) for the rich and herbaceous bone broth that is the foundation for the satisfying broth bowls layered with noodles and a choice of beef, seafood, wontons, vegetables, egg, and seasonal ingredients. Appetizers feature an array of flavors and textures as tasted in the soft bao buns filled with pork belly, crispy chicken, or fried tofu spiked with pickled vegetables. Fried wontons and eggrolls are filled with pork, shrimp, tofu, or vegetables and are served with sweet & sour sauce. Additional menu highlights include Saigon soy marinated chicken salad, Chef Koko’s ginger-soy salad topped with crunchy spring rolls, spicy chicken fried rice, and fragrant Hai Phong mussels steamed in white wine, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, lemon grass butter, and basil.

  

 
Exotic desserts are a must-try, including fried matcha ice cream, ube brownie, and mango crepe cake. Crafty cocktails are playful and flavorful and can be ordered by the pitcher. Customer faves include the Naked & Famous (mezcal + chartreuse green + Aperol + lemon juice), Aloe Therapy (gin+ aloe liqueur+ lemon juice+ champagne+ rosemary), and the Jungle Bird (gold rum + Campari + pina juice + lime juice). Beer, wine, sake, soju, and bubble tea round out the beverage program.