Pho 777

On our way back from Semiahmoo, it looked like we'd need to stop for dinner somewhere along the way home.  Seeing how White Rock/South Surrey was the first place we'd pass after the border crossing, that made the most sense.  In fact, I had remembered an email from a reader suggesting that we try out Pho 777.  Yah, Pho and White Rock are not necessarily the first 2 things that come to mind.  But we were hungry and not really in the mood to figure anything else out.  As we approached the front door, we could smell BBQ lemongrass wafting towards us.  A good sign if you ask me...

We ended up sharing a few items starting with the Grilled Minced Pork, Lemongrass Chicken & BBQ Short Ribs on Rice.  This monster plate of food was covered in meat with chewy rice underneath.  Unlike other places, the lemongrass really came through in terms of aroma and taste with the moist, well-charred chicken.  The ribs were smoky and well-seasoned with a balance between sweet and savoury.  Firm and bursting with hits of salt and sugar, the minced pork was a touch dry.  Our next item was the Pho Dac Biet which featured a impactful broth.  Laced with MSG, there was a pronounced sweetness as well as meaty and anise notes.  The meats were sliced super-thin being tender.

Next up was the Grilled Chicken and Spring Roll Vermicelli Bowl.  This was another well-portioned dish consisting of nicely charred chicken that was still moist inside.  The spring rolls were crunchy and hot with moist filling that was mildly sweet.  Interestingly, the vermicelli underneath was smoking hot where we had to wait for it to cool.  As a result, it got a bit soggy though.  Lastly, we had the Banh Mi Dac Biet which was stuffed with a good amount of meat.  The bread was crusty, yet a touch dense. There was sufficient pate, but it wasn't very pronounced.  The same could be said for the pickled carrots as they were only slightly tart and sweet.  A few drops of fish sauce helped bring the sandwich alive though.  Okay, I gotta hand it to the person who recommended the place...  The food is indeed good while the portion size and prices hit all the right notes as well.

The Good:
- Above-average eats
- Large portions

The Bad:
- A touch heavy with the MSG
- Restaurant layout inhibits the staff from seeing if certain tables need attention