Restaurants
Golden Turtle
I live near a stretch on Ossington (between Queen and Dundas) overflowing with vietnamese eateries. I'm a regular customer of one of them, a place called Golden Turtle (otherwise known as Rua Vang) and in my experience this place serves up the best pho in the city.
While I'm also a fan of previously reviewed pho joints (and 2005 Best of Indie Toronto Nominees) Pho Hung and Pho 88, there's something about the flavours in the #13 Pho Rau Cai Tau Hu (Tofu & vegetable in noodle soup - $6) that make it, um, addictive; and the perfect meal on a rainy day like today.
Usually I get takeout and that's what the picture above shows. Everything's packaged in the standard way - soup in one container, rice noodles in the other, and a plastic bag with bean sprouts, lime and other additives.
Golden Turtle lacks the bustling and vibrant atmosphere of Pho Hung, and to a lesser extent Pho 88. It just never seems to get quite as busy, but does fill up around dinner time some nights.
For the non veggie or even non pho aficianados, there's plenty on the menu to choose from - over 160 options ranging from duck congee to grilled shrimp and pineapple with vermicelli.
Golden Turtle Restaurant, 125 Ossington (at Argyle). 416-531-1601.
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Hands down, the best in the Toronto. If not the best in the GTA, period. I only eat the Pho Dac Biet, Pho Tai Nam or Pho Ga, pending on what I'm craving for.
I could totally see myself in a Harold & Kumar-like movie about me trying to get to this place after hitting up some mary jane, haha.
A++++++++++++++++++++++
The best place for me so far, is Pho Dau Bo in Mississauga on Dundas St....IF you're willing to make the drive. The soup is fantastic and flavourful, and the beef slices are good. Just make sure you come well before closing time (11 pm) for the best bowl.
Pho Linh is not that bad for Toronto pho. Sometimes it disappoints, but if I were in T.O. and I needed a pho fix, I would go there. Palace is ok too. and Pho Hung is ok.
Pho Dau Bo is the best pho period.
I have never been to this place though, however your picture looks like a disgrace to pho everywhere!
Looks more like Won Ton Soup to me.
great stuff, the pho was really good with small beef balls.
And this area isnt ghetto, its so nice.!
If you're looking for good value, beautifully clean fresh design, a true authentic taste and ambiance of Vietnamese & Thai cuisine, check out this place at 769 The Queensway, Etobicoke(at Royal York) its called MOSAIC ASIAN KITCHEN + WINE BAR. They also have a great selections of wines & martinis!
Impressions:
*the pho portions are smaller than other places but not so small that you feel you're being ripped off. It's a "healthy" small.
*pho is not the best in the City...the broth is too MSG flavoured for me to accept this as quality pho...however, it's BETTER than most Pho 88 or Pho Hoa franchises where the MSG flavouring is in excess.
*the spring rolls are oily, but delicious beyond anything I've ever had before. These spring rolls can compete for the BEST spring rolls in Toronto. Pho Hung, Pho 88 are decent but these springs here were fantastic - so much so that after the first bite, when the flavour erupts, you will pause to enjoy that moment.
Overall, a nice dining experience. With the exception of the spring rolls (which were out of this world), the rest of what I ordered was acceptable-good, but not a clear winner by any means.
it's just on the second level and the name of the place is xe lue aka the pho train.
http://www.blogto.com/announcements/2009/01/getting_on_the_pho_train/
i go number 17 small. rare beef on the side (yes, i am bad like that)
I ordered the usual..the Pho Tai Nam my broth lacked flavor.
The meat was high quality. The Service sucked and they take cash only.
They literally screwed me!
There is a very good reason why this place barely has any Asians (especially Vietnamese) eating there anymore.
Yes- its true, non Vietnamese can have a very good palate for Vietnamese food too. But non of them go there anymore? There has got to be a reason.
. My gf and I went to Rua Vang AKA The Golden Turtle Restaurant at 125 Ossington Ave in Toronto. My gf and I went there because we heard and my gf has gone there before and they are always busy. But we are not sure how the manager Hoang Nguyen, was feeling today before we walked in. When we were asking for suggestions on a rice dish if their chicken or beef dish was preferred ,more by their clients, we got the response " some people like chicken and some like beef." We laughed lightly unsure if the waitress did not understand the question and chose chicken. We clearly said out loud we wanted to chicken.. Despite incorrectly writing down the wrong item and got shrimp instead. We have all made mistakes in ordering at other restaurants before and would have anticipated and appreciated if the manager's daughter who came to our table once our dishes were ordered would have said, despite incorrectly writting down the wrong order and discovering I had a seafood allegery as I addressed it to her. You would think the daughter who spoke english better than the waitess would be like, oh miss, dispute our policy or not throwing out food, we understand and we will give you the chicken dish as you stated it out loud to the waitress or just be like, you made a mistake and we are sorry for this but our policy does not allow for us to change your order and it be on us. However, no, tnone of these scenarios did not happen. Not only were we told, the restaurant does not waste food and that it was our fault for writing the wrong number down and you can pay your own mistakes even if you can or cannot eat the meal. When we received the bill, the manager personally came to our table to ridicule us for writing down the wrong number and told us in a fairly rude and uncalled for manner to make sure we write down the right dishes we want. I understand initially,my gf and I may have written down the wrong number, but we said outloud to the waitress we wanted chicken. The waitress could have asked us to confirm our order as we did say out loud "we want chicken." And the manager at the end of our experience did not have to come over and make us feel stupid and ruin the overall dinner experience. I have never had an experience where I felt the need to share with others how poor this manager, Hoang Nguyen of Rua Vang AKA The Golden Turtle Restaurant on 125 Ossington in Toronto made me feel. I have been to other restaurants were the manager has come out but despite making an error, they turned the situation on a positive note and made me feel, that, hey I think I'll come back and try something else on the menu.
Worst restaurant experience and poor customer service and leadership skills from Manager Hoang Nguyen!!!! Do not go, unless you want to made a fool of. Go to Pho 88 in Mississauga, great staff and whether it be your first or you are a regular, the staff laugh and smile and try to make your customer experience leaves you a smile and overall good impress of their establishment.
Please share with others and tell them to avoid this spot!!
also, their "we are not responsible for bugs in your food in the summertime" is a bit off-putting, not to mention completely illegal.