Filling up at Wellesley’s new Pho Station restaurant
Pho Station, the new Wellesley Hills restaurant at 352 Washington St., is keeping its menu simple at the start. It offers pho, pho, and more pho.
You can select at lunch and dinner from four varieties of pho, a Vietnamese soup, that differ based on how many types of beef is included (and there’s one kid size portion dubbed Wonder Pho). Prices range from $12 to $22.
Seasonal and special offerings might be added.
For our first visit to Pho Station for dinner, we went with one order of Joy Pho (sliced steak, beef tenderloin, beef brisket) and Delight Pho (sliced steak, brisket). In addition to the meat some of which, in true pho style, was still cooking in its hot broth, the pho contains red onions, scallions, cilantro, and lots of traditional rice noodles. Served on a side plate as mix-ins were jalapeño slices, bean sprouts, and Thai basil, plus a choice of sauces to add saltiness (hoisin) or spice (sriracha).
Wellesley couple Juan and Yuanfei Bellido own the restaurant, and Yuanfei walked us through the menu before we ordered.
When first ordering, I suspected a bowl of soup wasn’t going to be a filling enough for a big guy like myself. I needn’t have worried. The flavorful broth and its contents made for a satisfying meal.
The trickiest part was using the plastic chopsticks supplied to wrangle the noodles (one insider confessed she uses a fork). But between the chopsticks and soup spoon supplied, we got better as we went along, and didn’t splash our clothing too much. Our pho table manners definitely need work, though, and we’ll be consulting a youtube video before our next visit.
“How’s the flavor?” Yuanfei asked, when stopping by partway through our meal. “Delicious,” we both replied.
Pho Station drew a steady stream of customers, some for dining in, others doing take-out.
The restaurant interior, including the hardwood floors, was familiar from predecessors CrepeBerry and Dorset Cafe. But new plants, wall hangings, and a more open kitchen set-up have breathed new life into the 20-or-seat restaurant. Two tables sandwiching a flower box provide more seating outdoors, though we arrived following a rainstorm, so those seats remained unused when we were there.
Soft pop music played in the background, making this a restaurant where it’s easy to hear each other talk.
We also heard another customer ask about vegetarian options, and indeed, Pho Station is exploring the addition of a vegetarian Pho to its menu. “We want to ensure it meets the high standards of quality and authenticity that our customers have come to expect,” the owners say.
Authenticity is important to the owners. We asked about the “Saigon 1988” reference on Pho Station’s menu, and were told that “highlights the year when the original recipes for our Pho were crafted in Saigon. It’s a nod to the authenticity and heritage of our dishes.”
So far so good for the new restaurants owners. “Things are going wonderfully so far, thanks in large part to the support from the community and the positive reception we’ve received. We’re committed to bringing the best Pho experience to Wellesley and are grateful for the warm welcome.”
As a new business, Pho Station is working to establish an online presence. Its hours are 11:30am-7:30pm Monday-Friday, and 11:30am-3pm on Saturday, but you might want to call (781) 992-1094 to double check.
More: Where to eat in Wellesley