Pho Hoa: Where pho is fun

"Mom, can we go to McDonald's?" No. "Burger King?" No. "Subway?" Maybe, but I'm not buying the chips or the soda pop.

When it comes to fast-food and chain restaurants, I am no fun at all. But there's one chain that I'll always say "yes" to: Pho Hoa, which has seven locations in Puget Sound. My family's favorite is on Rainier Avenue South, just south of Alaska Street.

The menu: It starts with rice-paper rolls, fried or not ($1.50). Then there's an array of grilled chicken or pork with either rice or vermicelli noodles on the side ($6.18-$6.99). But really, there's no reason to look beyond the pho — Vietnamese rice- noodle soup served, as is customary, with bite-size bits of beef or meatballs and a side dish of basil, bean sprouts, green chili peppers and slices of lime ($5.59 regular, $6.53 large).

What to write home about: Pho Hoa's noodle soup is as good as any we've tasted in this pho-filled city — fragrant, slightly tangy and nourishing. It's soothing and satisfying to chilled little- leaguers, ravenous high-schoolers and harried parents alike. Throw in basil, lime and hot sauce for a truly celestial concoction.

The setting: The dining room at Pho Hoa is a bit worn, with blue-gray Formica tables and fake flowers on the walls, but it's filled with light; the windows look out onto Rainier Avenue South. A small TV with the sound down low broadcasts the game of the day — an improvement over some pho spots in Rainier Valley that crank the flat screens up to top volume. (See? I'm a killjoy when it comes to TV, too.)

Summing up: Our check included the cost of appetizers, dinner for two adults and two fast-food-deprived kids — plus one yummy strawberry bubble tea with tapioca balls. The total? $41.34, including tax and tip.

Now as far as I'm concerned, that's fun.

Lynn Jacobson: 206-464-2714

or ljacobson@seattletimes.com