Restaurant Review - Pho Dakao

Pho Dakao

593 Park Ave
Worcester, MA 01603

(508) 756-7555

After my review of , a Vietnamese restaurant in Worcester on Park Avenue, I was pressed to try another Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Dakao. Pho Dakao (named for soup and for the name of the family’s village) is just down Park Ave, and is more “upscale.”  When compared to Anh Thu, the Pho Dakao restaurant is larger, there is an attempt at outdoor seating, and there’s a full bar.

The Celtics were playing the night we visited, and the large TVs allowed for enjoying the meal and keeping an eye on the game. This is a restaurant with some TVs, not a pure sports bar.

You are greeted at a hostess station surrounded by bamboo, immediately giving you a Southeast Asia feel. Quickly seated, we quickly ordered spring rolls, and were presented with a large menu.

Our waitress, Thanhmai (Mai) was delightful, and quickly provided a “consult” to navigate the menu.

Using my, “What is the one meal I have to have here?”, Mai quickly asked for my preference (fish, chicken or beef  (tofu had been dismissed while ordering appetizers.)) 

Mai directed me to a number 40, a Rice plate with grilled chicken. The rice plate is served with sliced cucumber, tomato and lettuce with some homemade (fish) sauce. The chicken was superbly prepared, and was not dry. Its flavoring very much reminded me of “barbeque” in Tokyo, a welcomed flavor.

My dinner companion had a number 104, a vegetarian dish of tofu sautéed with lemongrass, with roasted peanuts sprinkled on top. The entrée was advertised as “hot”…and while there was warmth it was not uncomfortable.

Overall, dinner was very good. In and of itself, the meal would take me back.

Then we had the D1. The D1 is the “Tri-Colored Dessert.”  From the menu description, “Chopped ice mixed with red bean, sweet mung bean, and jelly sweetened with syrup and coconut.”  I probably wouldn’t have ordered based on the description, but there was no question in Mai’s mind which dessert we were having.

The dessert has a very nice presentation, immediately whisked away as you stir the ingredients together at the table. What’s a word beyond delicious for a dessert?  While I will busy myself thinking about superlatives, suffice to say the dessert is unique and very good.

Hours

• Monday - Friday             11:00 AM to 10:00 PM   
• Saturday - Sunday          11:00 AM to 11:00 PM

Pho Dakao

gets a GREEN LIGHT…go and enjoy.

About the RAG scale:

       Green Light – Go and enjoy

       Amber Light – Use caution

       Red Light – Save your time and money

The Author

Gary Kelley has lived in Westborough since 1994. His reviews are what he would tell friends, and are not an academic analysis. You can follow him @glkelley or www.garylkelley.com