Pho Nouveau

I wasn’t sure what to think when I ordered a bowl of bun bo Hue soup and the waitress gives me a blank stare and tells me she doesn’t speak Vietnamese. It’s right there in your menu, bun bo Hue. From the city in central Vietnam that was the imperial capitol.
I almost laughed when I saw they had two kinds of bun bo Hue: Vietnamese style with slices of beef shank and pressed pork and an American style with thin slices of lean beef. What about the cubes of congealed pork blood that is a staple of this flavorful soup with a lemongrass-​based broth?
The Vietnamese style was flavorful and compares well with what can be found in Portland. The best in that city comes from the restaurant named after the soup, Bun Bo Hue. But the one from Phở Nouveau, even without the blood cubes, would fit into my top 10 from Portland.
The service on the other hand, was uneven. Not as bad as other Unilocal reviewers have experienced. But nothing to rave about. The waitress who took my order never came back to see what I thought of the soup. Maybe because a different waitress delivered the soup, she figured she was no longer obligated to me. She did bring back my bill, but didn’t thank me or ask me whether I enjoyed my lunch. Same thing when I got up to leave. Didn’t say a word.
I saw a man who appeared Vietnamese come out of the kitchen a couple of times with soup bowls in his hands. I assumed he was the cook and that he knew what he was doing. It showed in the soup.
With better service I would have given them four stars. The food really was good.

So far the best phở we’ve tried in Boise! Also the summer rolls are delicious. Definitely will be going back! It’s small inside but I still like the atmosphere.

I love this place so much. Every time we go in, we’re greeted and sat with a smile. The servers all are incredibly sweet, and usually remember our order down to the tiny details. Delicious food, great service, it’s one of my favorite places. Great job guys!

I eat here several times a month. I usually get phở. I like the atmosphere, the size (the restaurant is smallish) but the food and service are excellent. My only knock is at peak times it is hard to get seated especially in winter when you can’t eat on the sidewalk out front. If you get there early or late– you should be fine.

From the excellent soups to the spring and summer rolls to the classy décor, my favorite asian food in boise.

Pretty good place to eat phở! Although the broth was a little sweetThai tea had a little too much milk so it weakened it. Same as for coffee a little too much water. Crispy spring rolls (eggrolls) and summer spring rolls were delicious. Gave an abundance of fresh veggies, yum! Definitely recommended if you’re looking for authenticity and flavorful food

Phở-​mazing! Four stars because the service was a little slow. They seemed under staffed so I wouldn’t go there for a quick lunch. The food made up for it though. The tofu phở is phở-​king amazing!

Alternate names for Phở Nouveau Vietnamese Bistro include:
Vietnamish, What They Don’t Faux Won’t Hurt ‘Em, Phở Seau Seau, and Where’s the Beef?
10 Word or Less Review:
Maybe it was an off day?
Haiku Review:
Anice spice and broth
A single note of flavor
Wish it was nice spice
Regular Review:
The Good:
My waiter was very friendly and attentive. The place has only a few tables, but each one was full by the time I left. A large party walked in (about 11 people) while I was eating and the staff handled them graciously.
Phở Nouveau has a solid layout and a comfortable interior. It is obvious that the owners appreciate design and did well to hire professionals. Kudos to quality design and a very tasteful color palette. Phở Nouveau is as mature in it’s appearance as it is seemingly naïve about it’s staple cuisine.
The Bad:
This is barely Phở (a phocade? ba dum bum). Innocently enough, folks around boise are enjoying this because it is an okay soup. It is beef broth with what should be hints of anice, thin sliced beef, noodles, and a side of bean sprouts and basil. Phở Nouveau delivers all the baseline stuff that would come in a build– it-​yourself Phø soup kit if they offered it at Ikea. If real Phở is Hank Williams and Willie Nelson then Phở Nouveau is Lady Antebellum and the Big & Rich show.
Anyway. I’m getting off topic. Phở is in the broth. It’s built over time and the flavors are balanced. This broth was fine enough but was heavy on the anice. So much so, that it became all that I tasted. It burned my tongue and permeated the super subtle flavor of the noodles that are supposed to be a counterbalance. There were only two versions of the Phở that I saw, and the non vegetarian version had only four thin strips of beef. I ordered «meatballs» for an extra dollar and it was a single meatball cut in half. This was naked soup. No tripe, no quail egg, no other meats, no attempt at authenticity or daring.
And I guess that’s my (tripe) gripe. Nouveau is supposed to mean «modern» in a way that is an improvement on an idea (or an attempt at one), and should not be used as an excuse for bringing the bare minimum to a table of patrons who probably don’t know the difference. Thing is — Boise is growing, and people are moving in from all over the place. If you are hiding behind the ignorance of your customer, you better beware. The wall you hide behind is getting smaller by the day. I sound like I’m bashing the place!!! And I’m not. I haven’t tried the other items and I will probably be back just out of curiosity. The waiter was super friendly, and that counts for a lot. I appreciate good customer service. In case it helps the owners pick him out: he looked rock n’ roll. You know what I mean. Give that guy a raise.
The Ugly:
What the ?&$*#@ was with the music choice? Blind Melon, Blues Travelers, and The Offspring??? Yikes! The music taste there is a 15 year old kid getting onto a bus toward the mall wearing purple doc martens, a scotch kilt, a New Misfits tee, a black trench coat, rainbow mirror «John Lennon» sunglasses, and a jester hat.

When I moved from Denver I moped around because I had left my favorite Phở. The food here rivals my favorite in Colorado! Thank goodness I found you! The hotter the better! I get the usual shredded chicken Phở. I need to go outside of the box to try some of the other food. All dishes look great! We sat out on the patio and had fun people watching.

Really nice place for lunch! The bowl options on the menu with shrimp are delicious! Check this place out.

It’s alright. Maybe because I’m never really into phở. I think the pork chop rice plate is more tasty in the Vietnamese restaurant. But I’m can’t eat meat now.

This place is the Phở King of Boise! The service was outstanding. I went there on a Saturday night and was seated immediately and got my Phở within minutes. I even got to meet the chef behind the amazing broth. The staff calls her grandma and she is originally from Vietnam. It doesn’t get much more authentic that that!

I am super picky about Vietnamese food and have extremely high standards so I was so pleased when I tried Phở Nouveau. The food was amazing, so fresh and light and such great flavor. We had the lemongrass chicken wraps and pork vermicelli bowl and they were both amazing. I also had the Vietnamese drip coffee with sweetened condensed milk and it was a very delicious treat. I will certainly be eating here a lot and would definitely suggest it to others.

The phở at Phở Noveau is a hit. The broth has bursting flavors of star anise, garlic, cilantro, beef, and all the other spices that dabble in that bowl of goodness! Vermicelli noodles are chewy and add a nice texture that compliments the fresh veggies and meat. The service can be slow, but it never seems to be an issue with the quality of the food. So be patient and order an appetizer! I suggest the fresh spring rolls. They are a tasty treat before the main course! I promise you won’t be able to eat just one.

This is the best PHO place in town. Honestly I can’t get enough of this place, service is always on point, phở broth is amazing, veggies are always fresh and the beef can be served rare.
Some of the menu items I really enjoy are:
Fresh Rolls (Shrimp & Pork)
Cha Gio — Fried Egg Rolls (Vietnamese Style)
Spicy Beef Phở (w/​vermicelli noodles)
Sweet & Sour Soup — Vegetarian
This place is tucked in downtown and you’re bound to love it.

It was all delicious and VERY fresh ingredients. We will be back. I love a good bowl of phở and these guys definitely know what they’re doing!