Pho Pasteur – Parramatta

Good Phở Ga.
Packed at lunchtime.
Not much else to say really.
…to be honest I only went here because Temasek isn’t open on Mondays.

I’ve come to China Town on a Friday morning because what I really want after being here one month is noodles. A hot brothy soup. As it goes, I can’t really understand the menus, I’m not sure what I want and I don’t know how to order! So I put it on hold and decide to patter through the neighbourhood to work up some confidence.
What I eventually settle on is Phở Pasteur «The Best Noodle Soup in Town». WOW Really?! I grab a chair at table number five and pull out a menu and decide on option 1, Beef Rice Noodle breaking the vegetarian diet I’ve been on for the past 3 months (but somehow its okay, right?).Before my bowl comes, I am offered complementary tea which I accept.
I have such lovely memories sitting down to eat Phở. Living in Chicago we had a lot of access to Vietnamese food. Large groups of us would go on a chilly day, splitting a bottle of wine, laughing and being loud. The restaurants were huge, with so many people crammed together. It is a stark contrast as I sit here alone, getting a little homesick that I’m not sharing with a friend… Until the bowl comes :)
Oh hot noodle beef soup, I love you! The broth is deep and rich with a sweet and salty, perfect Umami flavor. The noodles are hand cut and I pile it high with lime, bean sprouts, and Sriracha. Thank you I say silently to Phở Pasteur, as I slurp up the piping hot goodness stopping once or twice to wipe my mouth. If you are in the area, Phở Pasteur is located at 709 George Street in Haymarket, it will cost you about $ 11 for a bowl and an extra $ 2 if you decide to split. There are a number of Vietnamese items on the menu included fried chicken, vermicelli salads, teas and tofu. Also, leave those cards at home because this is a cash only establishment. Lastly, know that this isn’t fine dining. It is quick, cheap and oh so delicious!

Great Laksa and phở! It’s served fast and a great work lunch. This place gets very crowded at lunch time.

Sadly, I have to agree with the previous review. This place was very meh.
Its along the Chinatown strip in parramatta. Not much happening but a strip of restaurants. Which was fine. The ambience was fine too — typical phở restaurants. It came quickly, but what bugged me was the noodles. It was very … bland. I’m used to rice noodles at phở restaurants being very … superior. It shouldn’t be like the stuff u eat at home from instant noodle packages ! But this was. The soup was also… meh. I had a feeling it wasnt authentic, almost from a package. But my tastes aren’t that refined so I’m going on a hunch.
12 bucks. I guess this is the going rate but I can’t wait to try more to give a better assessment.

I went here with my half-​Vietnamese friend a few months ago, and it was… eh.
Never having had Vietnamese before, I went along with whatever she suggested, which happened to be beef phở, and curry chicken.
The dishes themselves were alright, nothing too special, and a little bland for my tastes, but what bothered me most was the ambience.
The staff wasn’t particularly friendly or helpful in clarifying what certain dishes were, and the tables weren’t wiped down properly.
The entire established just didn’t seem very… clean, to me.
Probably wouldn’t eat there again, unless a Vietnamese friend insisted.