Vietnamese restaurant Pho Heaven just soft opened in Pearl Highlands Center. The eatery is the sister business of Hot Pot Heaven, which is located in McCully Shopping Center.
Customers can get 15% off during soft opening week, which is Oct. 27 to 31. The eatery is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
A limited menu is available, but there’s still a variety of dishes to choose from.
If you can’t decide between banh mi and pho, the pho dip ($16) is the best of both worlds. This pho-style French dip features a crispy baguette filled with sliced beef brisket, saute onions, bean sprouts and Thai basil. It comes with a side of hot pho broth for dipping.
We loved the umami flavor of the concentrated pho broth, along with the satisfying crunch from the crispy baguette and savory brisket.
Of course, traditional banh mi sandwiches ($10) are also available. Toasted baguettes are layered with pickled daikon, carrots, cucumber, fresh cilantro and filled with the customer’s choice of protein. Options include grilled pork, roast pork, lemongrass chicken, char siu pork belly and pulled pork.
The beef rib pho ($24) features housemade beef stock, hearty pieces of short rib and white onions. It’s ideal if you want something savory and meaty with lots of umami flavor.
The banh mi shumai ($14) is one of the more unique menu options. A crispy baguette is served with juicy pork shumai. The baguette is meant to be dipped into the tomato-like sauce, and the pork is designed to be spread on top each piece.
The dish’s bright, slightly acidic flavor reminded me of spaghetti and meatballs — especially because the shumai are a generous size.
The eatery also has a grab-and-go section with pre-packed options like summer rolls ($9) and banh uot ($10). The latter comprises soft, steamed rice noodles served with Vietnamese ham, fried shallots, bean sprouts and fresh herbs, along with a side of tangy nuoc cham.
Pho Heaven’s menu will also eventually include build-your-own pho bowls. The customizable option will include the eatery’s signature broth topped with onions, cilantro, Thia basil and bean sprouts, along with one ($16), two ($18) or three ($20) meat options.
For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.
CONTACT
Pho Heaven|
Pearl Highlands Center
1000 Kamehameha Hwy. Ste. 226, Pearl City
808-788-7155
Instagram: @phoheavenhi
Open daily, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
