Lotus 1
Lotus 1
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
2 reviews
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One of the most disappointing and sadly constructed bowls of pho I have ever had the displeasure of consuming. The broth was alright. They actually provided a singular slice of lime as opposed to lemons (as seen in many a sorry excuse of Viet noodle houses in NY County). That's all that could be said in the way of any redeeming qualities about the pho here.
I went with the beef pho… there were a plethora of other broth and protein combos available (chicken, seafood, etc.), but when it comes to pho, just stick with the OG. Big mistake, as the bowl was served with a few bits of dried out beef strips and an abundance of unappetizing beef balls; I could tell that the slices of beef were cooked with the broth to give the soup a satisfactory beef flavor, but it rendered the beef into a tasteless wad of leather (blech); even worse was the beef ball… beef balls are my least favorite topping, so I never ask for them, and seeing as how I didn't ask for "beef ball pho" I assumed the best, when in reality I should have expected the worst. The beef balls were tasteless, with some gristly bits that were almost as rubbery as the "beef" parts of the ball they were found in (blech blech).
The noodles in the pho were a huge disappointment as well. They weren't long, thin, tubular noodles that were a pleasure to slurp; these were on the complete opposite end of the spectrum actually. They were cut an inch long (or short, at the most) and they were flat like linguine. Being no novice at the utilization of chopsticks with bowls of noodle soup, it was incredibly frustrating to eat the noodles; since they were short and flat, the chopsticks couldn't hold on to these one inch long pieces of slippery bastard. The splashing of the soup from the dropped noodles only added to my malcontent (please refer to my picture of the noodles' length. They really are that despicably short).
To top it off, the bowl of pho was served in a small plastic container, and all at the asking price of $9.25. Those are EXTRA large type of price points. And if you're gonna serve that little an amount, it better be the best damn bowl of pho I've ever had in recent memory.
Suffice it to say, the pho deserves a review in the 2 star (if not one star) range… however, the banh mi was actually a pleasant surprise. It was served hot, with the bread being toasted a satisfying amount; not too crunchy, but still flaky and crisp. The cucumber was a tad overpowering… likely due to being cooked a bit in the hot sandwich, but that's just fine.
The place should consider itself lucky for having a decent banh mi (and nice workers). That pho, in any other review, would have elicited a more venomous review and an abysmal star rating, from yours truly, if not for that sandwich.
I'm thrilled to see something finally open up on the corner of 31st Ave and 42nd street. I've lived nearby for almost a year and a half and was sick of seeing prime-time real estate being wasted away by graffiti and notices taped to the window. Therefore, when I learned that not only a restaurant was moving in, but a Vietnamese restaurant, I had heart palpitations due to my pure excitement.
Lotus 1 is perfect for convenience and price. A hefty bowl of beef pho comes out to $8.50, which is among one of the cheapest prices I've paid. The pho broth is better than good, however doesn't blow me away. The bahn mi could sink a submarine, and comes out to about $7. A small detail that I enjoy about their take-out pho (I know this is small, that's why I prefaced) is the fact that they give you a large plastic bowl to mix everything into/eat from. I highly dislike when the broth is in a take-out container that is only big enough for the broth, and not the noodles and accoutrements.
If I could give some advice, I would ask that Lotus 1 give out limes, not lemons, with their pho. This is small but crucial to perfect pho balance. Maybe also work on improving the intensity of the broth. All in all, I am thrilled to see Lotus 1 occupying the once vacant corner!