Pho Rùa Vàng Golden Turtle Restaurant – 125 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J 2Z2
Country: Vietnam
Seating: Indoor and outdoor dining
Must-try dish: #65 Spicy Beef Satay and Lemongrass with Vermicell
The high: Great value, great price for the portion sizes
The low: The menu is quite large and can be overwhelming

Since Andrea and her brother Curly Guy have a local Vietnamese joint that they have been enjoying Pho and Vermicelli for years, it was a natural progression to grab some food for an official review. It’s steps away from Trinity Bellwoods Park on Ossington so it’s the perfect spot for a quick meal to help keep you warm during a cold fall day. They do takeout, and as long as patios remain open, Golden Turtle has an enclosed patio to satisfy any level of hunger. 

As Mandrea Bike sat down and browsed the menu, Mat was a bit overwhelmed with the immense number of plates available. Therefore as one does when unsure of their mains, we put in an order of #39 Cha gio (Deep Fried spring rolls) and #41Goi cuon (Fresh Salad Rolls with Shrimp). They were equally delicious and we recommends getting an order of each, because why not? 

The fresh rolls were refreshing and served with a peanut sauce while the deep-fried rolls had a hard shell that melted once bit in and was paired with a fish sauce infused with daikon.

As Andrea is a regular at this eatery, she helped guide Mat through the menu and the duo ended up getting the #65 Spicy Beef Satay and Lemongrass with Vermicelli and the #85 Grilled Herb-wrapped Beef & Springroll with Vermicelli. Once in front of you, it’s up to your palate to choose the sauces to season the dish. The beauty of both meals is that they are both great without adding any additional toppings, but not surprisingly, Mandrea Bike is a bit saucy and couldn’t resist doctoring them up with hoisin and hot sauce.

Although we didn’t order Pho during this meal, Andrea has ordered it on several occasions and if you’re feeling like Pho she recommends ordering one with rare beef, or the chicken is always reliable when you feel a chill coming on. Or go for both proteins together! 

All of the Pho’s are served with fresh herbs and can be topped with additional Sriracha and Hoisin Sauce to reach your desired flavour.

Even on a crisp afternoon, it was a no-brainer to end the meal with a mango smoothie. This creamy, sweet and rich smoothie was the perfect end to a tasty meal. 

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)