Pho & Co

Having been opened for just a couple of weeks, fresh Vietnamese eatery Pho & Co is already pumping with customers. It’s a pretty awesome achievement for a venue that snuck up on the CBD without fanfare or advertising. In fact, they’re so committed to staying on the down low that they politely asked us not to publicise them.

Fortunately for Milk Bar readers, we believe that any venue that opens its doors to the public is fair game. It’s not that they don’t want your business, they’re just a bit shy at the moment; apparently still trying to find their feet, sort their service and roll out a fuller menu. Thing is, their apprehension is unnecessary — judging by the lunchtime crowds and quality of the dishes, Pho & Co is already running a pretty slick operation.

The venue itself looks great; drop lighting warms the cool, clean space and prettily patterned tiling adds a little flair without looking too busy. It’s reminiscent of other casual ethnic eateries around town like Miss Chu and Jimmy Grants, who have found similar success in introducing the public to an updated version of traditional cuisine.

To this extent, the menu centres on basic Vietnamese dishes — including pho and rice paper rolls — but using ingredients are a little fancier than the standard Footscray fare. Combinations such as duck and Thai basil ($4.5), chicken and pickled mango ($3.8) or tuna and wasabi ($4.5) serve to shake things up, while fusion dishes like belly sliders ($14) and barramundi salad ($22) flesh out the offering.

There’s also some lovely wine on the menu (they’ve made particularly good choices on the drinks list), which should appease the suits this side of town who are up for getting loose over a long lunch.

PHO & CO
112 Russell St, Melbourne
9654 5923
Open seven days, 11am – 11pm