Pho Ao Sen Restaurant

Pho Ao Sen is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant located in the East Lake District that has been around for 20 years. Ao sen means “lotus pond,” as lotus is a symbol that represents Vietnam. The restaurant started out with limited seating, but over the years they have expanded to accommodate hundreds of guests. There is also another location in Albany.

If you are just starting to venture into Vietnamese cuisine, Pho Ao Sen is a good place to start because it has a many different types of traditional dishes. Start your meal with the Nem Nuong Nha Trang appetizer. Nha Trang is a beach city that’s famous for its nem nuong (grilled pork spring rolls with fresh vegetables and comes with a dipping sauce). For main courses, you have a few classic options here. You could choose pho, a classic beef noodle soup that Vietnam is known for. If you want to eat noodles but not in the mood for pho, try bun thit nuong (grilled pork over rice vermicelli) or bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle soup with lemongrass). Pho Ao Sen does not just serve noodles! They also have fantastic rice plates. Com tam is translated as “broken rice,” where the rice seeds are smaller and less sticky than regular rice. At Ao Sen, you can eat this traditional meal with different toppings. Finish your meal with a one-of-a-kind dessert: che 3 mau, a dessert made up of three kinds of beans, jelly, and coconut milk. It’s a refreshing end to a hot summer night.

Street parking and lot parking are easily accessible. You can take bus number 11 or 1 to get to the restaurant. Language capacity is English, Vietnamese.