Pho Darwin: Worst in the World

Pho Darwin is part of the TPOL Down Under Trip Report.

Come to Darwin for the crocs (see Crocosaurus Cove: Swimming in THE CAGE OF DEATH!). Do not come for the pho. As a pho explorer, I put Sydney on my original list of one of the best places to get pho (see Pho Sho, Fu Uh Sho: The Top Ten Places to Get Pho!).

Darwin will not be on that list. Even underwhelming New York is better (see Pho No). Like pho in Warsaw (see Mama Pho Warsaw? More Like Mama Huhu), the bad pho was surprising because of the number of Vietnamese restaurants. For such a small city, there was an abundance of choices. The first was called My Friend’s Restaurant. It was the worst place I’ve ever eaten pho. It was so bad that I had one spoon of broth.  Then, I sat there for twenty minutes trying to figure out if I should ask for it to go so as to not offend the restaurateur or send it back so as to not offend myself. I opted for the latter. The waiter asked me if I ever had pho in Darwin. I said no and he said this is how it tastes. Apparently, pho in Darwin tastes terrible.

Since there are no pho options near my home in Puerto Rico, I decided to try another pho restaurant. I should’ve listened to My Friend who warned that this is how pho tastes in Darwin. While it was not absolutely disgusting like his friend’s place, it was not good. For some reason they add ginger to the broth. That skews the taste. They also overcooked the beef.

Overall
Craving pho when you’re in Darwin? Hop an a plane to Vietnam.