Pho Cam Thu

We went for the pho but couldn't stop there

by Margaret LeRoux

Pho Cam Thu 593B Park Avenue Worcester 756-2501 Hours Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun. 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Major credit cards BYOB Handicap accessible

I love to get restaurant recommendations from readers, especially since some of my favorite eating experiences have resulted from tips. Recently, I received two wonderfully descriptive letters. They both urged me to try the same place: Pho Cam Thu, a new Vietnamese restaurant on Park Avenue. One reader, whose husband is Vietnamese, told me that Cam Thu's specialty, pho (pronounced FUH), a noodle soup, is the best they've eaten -- even compared with restaurants in Boston and in New York, where Vietnamese cuisine is quite popular. The other Cam Thu fan noted that her Asian neighbor takes her mother there especially for pho. Was this a concerted campaign to drum up business for the place? One of the readers, to whom I spoke on the phone, swears her interest is "only the gustatory and emotional kind. We desperately want them to stay open," she said.

So off we went on a recent mid-week evening to investigate the reports. And after eating at Cam Thu, I'm a fan too and completely understand why folks would be beating down my door for a review.

The restaurant is a hit on many levels. Everything we ordered was delicious. And the menu is extensive, offering something for anyone interested in Southeast Asian cuisine. The prices were unbelievable -- only one item on the lengthy menu exceeds $10 -- and the service was friendly.

My dining companion and I took the reader's advice and started with Vietnamese egg rolls ($2.75), two cigar-thick, crisp, rice-paper rolls filled with a mixture of pork and grated carrots, delicately spiced. There are also cold spring rolls with pork and shrimp ($2.25), beef fillet sautéed with garlic sauce ($3.75), lemon chicken ($2.75), and, for the adventurous eaters, bitter melon salad with shrimp, pork, and chicken ($3.95).

Cam Thu has several varieties of soup, including one of my favorites, crabmeat and asparagus ($2.25 small; $3.95 large). But pho is what we wanted, and we could choose from 10 different options, including the intricate, special combo to simpler versions like steak ($4.50). The pho special combo ($4.95; an extra-large bowl is $5.95) features thin slices of steak, well-done brisket, beef tendon, and tripe in a light broth with lots of rice noodles. It was better than we expected. There was enough in the regular-size bowl to feed two hungry people, though we weren't able to finish. The steak and brisket were tender and tasty; so too were the tripe and beef tendon, though the textures took a little getting used to. Alongside the large bowl of broth came a plate with a mound of bean sprouts, sprigs of spicy Vietnamese basil, and a wedge of lime. What a fresh, spring-like delight for jaded taste buds.

A sensible eater would have stopped there, but I'm always lured beyond sensibility by unusual items. This time it was "house of happy pancake," a heading describing a selection of four crepe-style, rice-flour pancakes stuffed with different fillings. I chose a mixture of large and baby shrimp, onion, and bean sprouts ($4.25); there are also happy pancakes stuffed with chicken, pork, and a mixture of shrimp, scallops, squid, and crab. My pancake was large, similar to a quesadilla, but thinner. It was chock full of shrimp and bean sprouts; the onion flavor was mild. A rice-wine-vinegar-based dipping sauce and sliced cucumbers were tasty garnishes.

I was also charmed by singing chicken ($6.75), a simple dish of thinly sliced chicken breast catapulted out of the ordinary by a sauce infused with ginger root and soy. It was salty, spicy, and absolutely one of the best chicken dishes I've had in a long time. We used the sticky rice that came with the chicken to sop up all the sauce. If you're not in the mood for ginger, there are also chicken with lemon grass and chili peppers ($6.75), chicken with broccoli ($6.25), with black mushrooms ($6.75), or with cashews and vegetables ($6.25). There are similar preparations featuring beef and pork, though one called shaking beef fillet with special sauce over water grass with rice ($7.95) is worth trying for the name alone.

Vegetarians can choose from a pair of tofu dishes: fried tofu with red sauce, or tofu with vegetables. They're $5.25 each.

Cam Thu serves a complimentary pot of sweetly fragrant tea, but there are many interesting beverages: salted lemonade ($1.75), soybean drink ($1), mung bean shake ($2), avocado shake ($2), and a virgin piña colada ($2.25).

There are several crispy-egg-noodle dishes -- egg noodles with seafood ($8.25), beef ($7.25), pork or chicken ($6.95) among them -- that we intend to try on a return visit.

We ate more than we needed to, and our bill was still under $20. I urge you to do the same and make Pho Cam Thu feel welcome in Worcester.