Boston's Zagat Rated Sucks.

For those of you who don't know, I currently reside in Boston... often compared to the likes of New York City. Now I have never lived in NYC per se, but I went to school at a state university that was literally within reaches of NYC, and so I often visited the City on weekends... this is especially true since the Boyfriend hails from Manhattan, which will be referred to as the City here on forth. I've been to many places of NYC, from Chinatown through Little Italy up to Time Square and the Upper West Side. When I say I love New York, I mean literally if I could live anywhere in this world, it would be New York. So when I left NY fro Boston, I dreaded much but also had high hopes because well, Boston is the New England's answer to New York City.

Now here for more than several months, I can honestly say... the only love I have for Boston seems to be that it has the feel of classic New England and is a haven for young people of my age... early 20s and seriously, no grey hair ever grace the wind of this place.

Well... maybe this helped ease the pain a bit.

Which naturally bring me talk about food, because people of my age likes to wine and dine. I haven't tried much wine, but let me tell you I've searched high and low for a decently good restaurant, both in Asian and Italian... the Boyfriend isn't friendly to non Italian cuisine.

In my previous blogs, I've review several places and I will repost them here... but each time my heart just cracks a little more. I am a huge believer of Zagat, that is until today, sitting on my bed chipping away at the mountain of disbelief and writing up this vent post. Seriously, Zagat brought me to The Curry Club of Long Island, Thalia of New Haven, CT.... and now this horrifyingly awful Asian experience in Boston.

I love my Indian food; I've always joked that I've half Indian on the inside because I adore Indian food like I adore my nifty card case and god knows, my home cooked Vietnamese soups. But seriously, all the places I've tried here in Boston makes me regret ever giving into my cravings for a good biryani or lamb curry. So I've come to reconcile with the differences that Zagat Boston for Indian is sadly misinterpreted... so I settled for Oriental Asian...and because I deeply crave for Vietnamese food.

Let me just say, it's hard to go wrong for me in terms of Vietnamese food... especially when I crave just for the familiar taste. However, those Zagat plastered windows of Pho __insert___ really makes me want to throw a punch in the air and whoever from Zagat for giving such an awfully bowl of Pho, of noodles a thumbs up. When you bite into a meatball and all you can really taste is bland hard as rock meat... nothing will ever be as hard to swallow then the fact that you shell out 9 dollars for some lousy dinner. We're talking about Vermicelli noodles with meatballs, and yet the only thing that ever came out wonderful about such a dish was that the mint and cucumbers refreshed your taste buds... now seriously?! Who taste tested this place?

 The fish sauce that's suppose to be blended with a slight bit of vinegar and a wash of sugar tasted like fish sauce from a bottle, salty as sea water. I simply couldn't finish it and threw 3/4 away. If you're wondering, it's Pho Hoa in Chinatown. Their window was plastered with Zagat Rated stickers for years and years, and sadly failed to even make the simplest dish in Vietnamese Cuisine. Fail doesn't even describe the fact that I dish out 9 bucks for it.

The redeeming point, they make one hell of an Advocado shake. It was delicious!

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Information:

17 Beach St
(at Knapp St)
Boston, MA 02111
Neighborhood: Chinatown

(617) 423-3934

Pho Hoa Webpage