PHO # 1
Neighbourhood....... North End Address......... 141 McPhillips St Phone.............. 204-943-7449 Entrées.................... $ 16 –$ 20
Sprawling menus have largely given way to abbreviated offerings as restaurants streamline operations, but Vietnamese noodle houses continue to prove there is another way. Pho # 1’ s recent move to larger quarters brought every one of its 200-plus dishes along for the ride, reaffirming the enduring appeal of a format built on abundance rather than restraint.
The much-anticipated relocation, only minutes from the original restaurant, drew immediate line-ups. Inside, dark stone walls, pendant lighting and greenery soften the dining room, creating a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of the original space. Chef Thu Nguyen remains at the helm in the kitchen while husband Bui quietly oversees the dining room, the couple having served Winnipeg for more than 15 years.
The menu spans Vietnamese signatures alongside Chinese and Thai influences. Though daunting at first glance, it is thoughtfully organized into categories with photographs thoughtfully placed to guide diners toward signature dishes. Its breadth, however, is rooted in thoughtful composition rather than excess. Look closely and the menu reveals its own logic: the same fresh herbs, noodles, vegetables and carefully tended broths reappear throughout, simply arranged in different combinations and accented with new sauces, proteins and seasonings. It is an elegant system that keeps every visit feeling different.
Pho remains the cornerstone. The deluxe beef rice noodle soup pairs tender beef, rice noodles, basil and ciao! reviews
onions in a delicately flavoured broth, while the special chicken rice noodle soup offers a lighter variation on the Vietnamese classic. Beyond the soups, deluxe Vietnamese vermicelli layers cool rice noodles with charbroiled pork, spring rolls, pork balls, pork hash and crisp herbs.
Sharing dishes reveal another dimension. The charbroiled pork platter arrives with rice paper, fresh vegetables and herbs for assembling your own rolls at the table. Equally satisfying, the spicy coconut pork rib hot pot draws its savoury depth from broth enriched with dried shrimp, balanced by the richness of coconut.
The magic of Pho # 1 lies in its ability to create remarkable variety from a simple culinary foundation. Through the careful balance of broths, ingredients, seasonings and techniques, familiar elements are transformed into distinctive dishes, giving every diner the chance to discover their favourites and make the restaurant their own.
BARO ETHIOPIAN AND ERITREAN
Neighbourhood........ West End Address........... 810 Beverley St Phone.............. 204-421-5944 Entrées.................... $ 20 –$ 50
Some restaurants encourage diners to share. At Baro Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant, sharing is simply how the meal unfolds. Platters arrive layered with injera and, as hands reach across the table, tastes become part of the conversation. This style of dining has long been central to Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine, where food connects people as much as it satisfies an appetite.
Baro brings that tradition into a colourful space of handcrafted details, dark wood and aromas of simmering stews and layered spice. Meals are presented on traditional woven trays, creating an authentic experience for those new to the cuisine.
The agilgil platter offers an ideal introduction. Designed for curious diners, it brings together a selection of dishes atop airy, gluten-free injera, the spongy fermented flatbread that serves as both accompaniment and utensil. It is a hearty meal that reveals the cuisine’ s signature flavours.
Lentil samboosa makes a perfect start. The delicate shell cracks beautifully, revealing a filling of tender lentils seasoned with fragrant spices. Timatim fit fit transforms tomatoes, onions and jalapeños into a distinctive Ethiopian expression. Torn pieces of injera soak up lemon juice and the bright vegetable mixture, for a dish with refreshing acidity and satisfying texture.
The kitchen’ s slow-cooked specialties reveal the depth of the cuisine. Doro wot, a beloved chicken stew, builds its richness through hours of simmering onions, berbere and niter kibbeh, creating a deeply flavoured sauce that coats tender chicken and a hard-boiled egg. That same attention to time and seasoning appears in gomen be sega, where silky collard greens provide an earthy counterpoint to brisket so tender it nearly falls apart on the fork. The greens are finished with a buttery, spice-infused sauce that lends richness to their earthy character.
The experience extends beyond the meal with Baro’ s traditional coffee service. Presented in a clay jebena alongside espresso cups, sugar, popcorn and burning incense, the ritual invites diners to slow down.
The fragrant smoke fills the air as coffee is poured, creating a memorable moment that engages sight, aroma and taste. At Baro, even coffee invites diners to linger.
ciao! / aug / sep / two thousand twenty-six 25