Northbridge has always been the holy grail of the Vietnamese cuisine. With household names like Tra Vinh, Phong Vinh and Phi Yen making mouths salivate with their signature Pho, lemon grass chops and curries, these places are almost no brainers. But if it is only Pho that you are looking for, there is a little somewhere more central in the city with similar credibility on its cover. This small unsuspecting cafe is called Urban Bowl.
Coming in at 10am after finishing my medical, they were still serving their signature poached eggs on baguette for breakfast. But my stomach was craving else. Something soupy, piping hot and all in all, something to fight the winter chill like a bowl of Pho. Nothing does it better than a bowl of piping hot Pho with beef balls and sliced beef. Lunch time officially starts at 11am but for the kid in shorts and tee-shirt, the chef was happy to accommodate me.
Where do I even start? I had not had Pho in such a long time that I was swept of my feet from my first mouth. Simple pleasures like the rich broth paired with the fine slices of shallots were absolutely amazing in this bowl of soupy goodness. Noodles were cooked to standard and dipping the balls in my favourite mix of sweet sauce and Sriracha was sensational. Mid-way through the bowl,I also realised the finer details aced by Urban Bowl. Its the cooked beef slices and they were super tender and meaty just the way I like it!
At $12.50, it is easily one of the better eats in town justified by their location paired with generous servings of meat balls and sliced beef. If you are ever in the city, you would probably already know about it. But for those who are passing by, Urban Bowl just beneath the Exchange Plaza serves one of the best Pho in town. Just in time for winter :)!
WenY
