Le's Pho

The only thing that shined about Le's Pho was its overhead florescent lighting. The cheap cafeteria style dining hall with its teal vinyl seats was made even less pleasant by the slow, hostile service. To be honest, this was my first stop on a bánh-mì eating mission, but the sandwich I consumed here killed my appetite.


I imagined something that would top Ba Le and I couldn't've been further off the mark. I ordered the Bánh Mì Thit Nguoi (#28) which seemed to be the most traditional bánh mì on the menu with BBQ pork and the usual suspects (cilantro, cucumbers, carrots, daikon, mayo). And while the free tea, the fresh veggies, and the potent green chile slices were cool, the pork most certainly was not. It ruined the sandwich with its funky, slightly metallic taste and grainy consistency. And, the "bbq'ed" skin was an unsettling translucent magenta color with a gummy plastic texture.


After struggling to finish my sandwich, it became clear why the majority of the people around me slurped down pho. They knew to avoid the bánh mì. I can't say that I'll return to give the pho a shot, but if you find yourself at Le's Pho, you probably should. At least promise me you'll avoid what I tried. Oh, and one last thing: the strip mall location, though not glamorous, wasn't necessarily a bad thing - at least it's off the beaten path...

Le's Pho - Uptown/Edgewater - (773)784-8723 - 4925 N. Broadway Ave, #G, Chicago, IL 60640 - Public transportation: the Argyle stop on the Red Line or buses 22, 36, 81, and 92.

bánh mì thit nguoi (#28) - $3.25
tea - free!