102-915 Fort St
Victoria, BC

Open:
Tues to Fri 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. and 5–8 p.m.
Sat and Sun 12–8:30 p.m.

Menu: phowisdom.com
Phone: (250) 384-2971

Every time I take a stroll along Fort and count the number of Pho operations that exist along this street, I have to ask the big question: which one tastes the best and who in the right mind wants to challenge neighbouring competitors? Although I can’t answer the former query just yet, I’d say Pho Wisdom is the smartest of the bunch to not be so close. Plus, in addition to nearly everything that’s traditional in a Vietnamese menu, they got Thai too! 

In the next two weeks, they’ll be offering five different curries for the lunch and dinner crowd! I’ll certainly have to find time to return, as they’re claiming to be as genuine as this dish can be. 

During my recent visit, I kept my meal fairly simple. I got an appetizer which comprised tender, crispy squid and a hearty bowl of their signature noodle soup. The latter is much heartier when it’s mostly made from beef ingredients. The colour of the broth differs from other operations and in what makes this dish stand out is the tenderness of the rice noodle. There’s a satisfying texture that comes from every chew, and honestly, I think the slices have a lot more fat to make even a regular size bowl filling. What’s included is brisket, tendon and beef ball alongside your standard complimentary side dish of jalapeños, cilantro and bean sprouts. 

Unlike the block where there are five adjacent operations that aren’t always filled to capacity, this place is much quieter. As a result, it made for a relaxing night with my friend Shanon Sinn. He’s been quiet on the social media front for the simple reason he’s been studying hard, learning the craft of comic book storytelling/illustration at Camosun College. It’ll complement the ongoing work he’s still knee deep in research on, and he promises there will be a sequel to The Haunting of Vancouver Island. Aas for whether there’ll be more publications under his new label, Black Cat Books, all I can say is please check out the self-titled work of supernatural stories with a Vancouver Island flavour! I even contributed a tale to it!

We got together to catch up, and the server was very kind to let us chill for some time after our meal. We don’t get together that often, and when we do, our preference is for a quiet place so we can chat. This place has the right vibe to let us do that.

And I definitely have to return to rate the banh mi. Not every place gets this sandwich right, and this quest needs to resume now that Spring is here.

4 Blokes out of 5