Pho Leeds: I tried this Vietnamese restaurant in Trinity Kitchen - and it was everything I hoped for
This Vietnamese restaurant in the heart of Leeds is very much of its time.
Soup – the very idea of it makes me shudder. Often lumpy and criminally under-seasoned, it speaks of winter, leftovers, and of ruining a perfectly good loaf of generously buttered crusty bread.
A far more appealing cousin is the Vietnamese version, and the nation’s most popular dish, pho.
Made from a satisfyingly spicy broth, it has noodles, beef (or a protein-filled alternative) and a variety of mix-and-match toppings.
It’s fresh, will make your tastebuds sing, and is so beloved the Vietnamese will have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or all three.
It’s also so good it’s got a string of Vietnamese restaurants named after it – including the one in Trinity Kitchen, Leeds.
It’s the brainchild of Stephen and Juliette Wall, who opened Pho back in 2005 after falling in love with street food on a trip to Vietnam.
It’s now grown to a string of restaurants where diners can slurp their bowl of this healthy, freshly made fiesta of flavours on their lunch hour, taking a break from shopping or out for a light but satisfying supper.
It’s very much a restaurant of its time. You can download the full menu via a QR code, it’s not only vegan and gluten-free friendly but it’s high protein and keto friendly, and you know your food is ready because a device you’re handed when you order will buzz.
Cutlery and chopsticks are wooden while bowls and plates are recyclable cardboard.
That’s not to say it’s an intimidating experience – there’s also a printed menu right by the counter that an outstandingly helpful member of staff is happy to talk you through.
Ours also checked if we had any allergies and, because my order was vegetarian, whether I’d prefer a vegan alternative to fish sauce.
The menu itself is extensive – salads, fried rice or noodle dishes, curries, rice bowls, vermicelli noodles and of course pho, all of which come as beef, chicken, prawn, pork and vegetarian/vegan.
We opted to share a portion of vegetable spring rolls, golden and crisp on the outside filled with tender veg and accompanied by a delightfully spicy, coarse peanut sauce.
Then it was on to rice noodles and tofu with a lemongrass and chilli wok-fried topping, served with a fried egg. It was heavenly – a crunchy, nutty explosion of flavour with fragrant fresh herbs and the unmistakable citrus tang of the lemongrass.
The star of the show was the egg – it pulled all the flavours together while offering an entirely different texture.
My guest opted for the beef brisket version of the titular dish and wasn’t disappointed. It was everything he’d hoped for and more, from the deep, rich flavours to tender chunks of meat, topped with fresh beansprouts and Chinese leaf.
Coming in at just over £30 for a meal for two plus soft drinks, it wasn’t outrageously priced either.
Just one tip though – if you’re going to eat pho, don’t wear a white shirt.
FACT FILE
Address: Leeds Trinity Kitchen, Albion Street
Tel: 0113 394 2415
Open: Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-5pm
SCORES
Food 9
Service 8
Atmosphere 8
Value 7