Pho Nguyen Special Beef Pho (Đặc Biệt Nguyễn) and Grilled Chicken with Vermicelli (Bún Gà Nướng) via Angela Maffei 

Angela Maffei 

Contributor 

If you take the Saint-Mathieu Exit of Guy-Concordia metro and cross the bustling

intersection on De Maisonneuve, continuing down the street, you will stumble upon a family-run Vietnamese restaurant called Pho Nguyen. I first discovered this diamond 3 years ago as a broke college student on lunch break, looking for something affordable and satisfying to eat near Dawson; It was love at first sip of that soul-healing broth. A waitress, who is also one of four sisters working in the restaurant, told me that their family originates from Northern Vietnam, but she and her siblings were born in the southern city of Saigon. They’ve been serving up warm bowls of comfort in this Montreal location since 2003. 

The place is often packed with people of all ages, mostly students and corporate

workers, chatting about drama, school projects, or the latest movie they’ve seen amongst pop music shouting from the speakers. Some arrive in large groups, others dine as couples. Many solo eaters also come to silently savour their food while watching a YouTube video or simply in their own company. It’s funny to see such an array of people, different in every observable aspect, crammed next to each other enjoying the same food.

Although the dining room is small, they make maximal use of the space, filling it to the

brim with wooden tables and chairs to accommodate plenty of hungry customers swarming in from surrounding offices and campuses. Several artworks adorn the walls, one of which is a wooden diagram depicting a map of Vietnam. From behind the counter, you get a direct view into the tight kitchen. Here, the workers are seen rapidly, yet caringly, assembling plates and pouring the liquid gold broth into simple beige bowls filled with noodles and meats. The ingredients are basic, but there is something magical in that broth. Steam emerging from the large metal pots infuses the air with an aroma of spices that have been simmering for hours, enveloping the restaurant in their savoury scent.

During rush hours, sounds of clinking plates, delivery drivers on the phone, noodles being

slurped, water being poured, paper bags being stapled, and workers shouting in Vietnamese

permeate the room as you wait in anticipation for your order. The waitresses do not ask you any

questions as you chow down, only silently fill your cup of water with a slight grin, letting you

relish the moment unbothered.

Sometimes in the colder months, people leave the sliding door at the entrance open,

allowing a cool draft to creep in. This can be a little annoying, seeing as you go into the place

seeking shelter from the cold. However, it tends to make you enjoy the food more, feeling its

heat spread from your stomach throughout your whole body, quelling the goosebumps.

The fresh, aromatic food that never fails to provide me with the solace of a home-cooked meal and the simple yet cozy interior have made this restaurant my refuge in times of academic stress. It is a place where people gather to unwind, catch up on work, or laugh with friends over a delicious meal. Pho Nguyen is a true third space for many, a place outside of school, work or home where you can go to interact with individuals in your community or focus on your own pastime. This restaurant  has become a spot I will always revisit to escape the rush of daily life with a kick-ass bowl of pho.