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Pagolac Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Vietnamese Restaurants Chinese Vietnamese, Chinese [Edit]
10566 97 St NWEdmonton, AB T5H 2L2
(780) 425-1540
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
14 reviews for Pagolac Restaurant
14 reviews in English
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Review from Matthew L.
Edmonton, AB
3/15/2012
So, I've eaten food from here twice. The first dish I tried was my wife's leftover vermicelli and vegetable dish, which was pretty tasty, probably due to an abundance of MSG. Because of that MSG and my sensitivity, I don't think I felt too great afterward.
But due to the tastiness of that veggie dish, I didn't scoff when Sarah's co-worker expressed the desire to eat here. I went for a spicy lemongrass beef dish with a spring roll this time and it was tasty once again, but somehow, the flavors left me wanting more.
The food here is fairly greasy, but tasty. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. The restaurant is crowded at lunch time. And if you're not vegetarian, there are about 300 dishes to choose from. The drink menu is also very intriguing - I wonder if Pagolac's jackfruit and durian juices are fresh. The restaurant appears to be clean, but your picky aunt who generally prefers eating at chain restaurants will still likely be frightened by the restaurant's old, utilitarian decor.
Pagolac doesn't have much specifically on the menu for vegetarians, but they can usually go out of their way to cater to those dietary needs. Pagolac has tofu, vegetables, spring rolls, and a number of vegetarian sauces they can use to cook something up. -
Review from D D.
Sherwood Park, AB
4/18/2012
A great place for Pho!! I have had pho in a few places throughout our city, and my expectations were not great for this place...boy was I wrong. The pho was seasoned so well, and there was a very healthy amount of steak, which was a nice surprise. The portion size was something I would probably expect if I was sitting at a restaurant in the US.
I guess maybe because when I first entered the restaurant and walked down this long dark corridor, my expectations started to drop, but once you enter the restaurant it's nothing fancy but nothing that blows your mind in a design aspect... This is a place you definitely don't want to pass up... -
Review from Kristin K.
Edmonton, AB
6/16/2011
Meh... As a Vermicelli bowl girl... I wasn't a big fan of Pagolac. I much prefer Golden Bird (just a few doors down on the same side of the street).
I don't know if it was an off day or what, but my grilled steak was chewy and had a lot of stringy fat... something I just cannot deal with! The spring rolls were average...
My husband had Pho... and even he wasn't super impressed. Given the popularity of this place... perhaps we should try it again?
But when we love Golden Bird so much... We can't see the reason to try again. -
Review from Ted S.
Calgary, AB
4/4/2011
We had the house special and beef satay noodle soups, satay beef on rice vermicelli, shrimp spring rolls and green onion cakes.
The soup is really good - tasty broth and succulent meat and for a great price.
The shrimp spring roll appetizer is not that great, however; the shrimp were very small so it was mostly just the rolls. The green onion cakes were also nothing to write home about. -
Review from Martin K.
Edmonton, AB
6/23/2011
Service is great and food is good, but prices just went up about 30%, so it's no longer one of the better value places in Chinatown. So I don't think I'll be a regular customer any more...
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Review from Katie G.
Edmonton, AB
8/17/2011
The food here is the reason we keep coming back bi-weekly for our soup after a Sunday long run. It's not the decor, it's not the service but it is the quick delivery of food to our table that is always fresh, hot and delicious.
For two bowls of soup with an appy you are looking at mid twenty dollar price range and in-out within an hour. The place is always busy and the same staff have been serving for as long as we have been going there.
We have tried other places in the city when we are craving a soup but we always come back to our Pagolac. I have tried multiple things on the menu depending on my mood (from quail to chicken curry soup) and have to say I have liked everything. It's worth a visit. -
Review from Arc P.
It slightly pains me to write this review because I used to be a regular at Pagolac. However, my last visit was a little disappointing. I had the Satay Pho and while I missed the chalky texture of the broth, it feels like it has lost its zing. In addition, the greens, basil and gno gai, that were to be added to broth were far from fresh. Over 60% of these leafs had dark patches on them. Even minimum service was lacking. When we needed a few napkins for our table they gave us one. All this for $10.95 for a large. In my opinion, the high premium did not match the product I received. Perhaps it was just this visit, but I was not impressed and will be looking elsewhere for pho next time.
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Review from Lauren N.
10/10/2008
My family and I used to go to Pagolac all the time when I was a little girl. Back then, I didn't know its name and always referred to it as "the restaurant with the red cow", because it indeed has a big picture of a red cow on the building. (Does anyone think it looks an awful lot like the laughing cow of the laughing cow cheese brand, or is it just me ...?)
The restaurant is kind of small and the tables aren't that big, but this is the pho I grew up on, if it wasn't my mom's or grandmother's. This is the closest thing you'll find to home-cooked pho, with the beef brisket and everything. I'm pretty sure they even use the same noodles my mom uses. That being said, I do sometimes find them a bit salty, and there might be a little too much MSG. But it's still yummy. And it's pretty cheap, so you can't complain about that. This is one of the few Vietnamese restaurants I will go to in Chinatown. -
Review from Paula K.
9/30/2008 1 photo
With its familiar sign featuring the red cow, Pagolac Restaurant is a popular Chinatown restaurant specializing in traditional Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. The word "Pagolac" comes from the Vietnamese term "Dinh Ho", which is a pagoda overlooking a lotus lake. French customers translated "Dinh Ho" into "Pago Lac." This story is explained in the extensive menu.
Pagolac always packed at lunch time, and for good reason. The prices are extremely reasonable and the food is delicious. I always enjoy a bowl of vermicelli noodles topped with sliced grilled beef that tastes absolutely mouthwatering - and veyr reasonably priced. There are many rice, noodle, and soup dishes in the same price range, featuring choices of beef, chicken, pork, and seafood. Fish sauce is served to the side with many meals, which is very traditional - and very pungent. Meals come with hot, fresh jasmin tea at no extra cost, and you can also choose from a variety of coffees, fruit juices, or blended drinks. Service is quick and professional, and portions are very generous. For great food at great prices, Pagolac is definitely worth a visit. -
Review from Mike W.
1/30/2011
I have been going to Pagolac for many years now on a regular basis. I have tried other Vietnamese places but the food does not compare to Pagolac for goodness and value. The food is excellent and very reasonably priced. The restaurant is in a rough area of China Town and the place could use some sprucing up. If you want an excellent meal, not worried about the looks and all at a decent price then Pagolacs is the place to go. The restaurant is always 50 to 80 percent full but I have never had to wait or make a reservation.
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Review from Jessica D.
Edmonton, AB
1/19/2010
My number 1 place for pho.. haven't found one to match.. The price and portion size are more then decent. Service is always quick, after becoming a regular the service also gets much more friendly. No menus and I'm eating within 5 minutes of sitting down.
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Review from Nandan F.
Ottawa, ON
10/6/2010
This vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown has some really good food. The location is a bit sketchy but the food makes up for it. I ordered spring rolls and Chicken pho. Great portions with excellent flavours. And a pot of green tea to yourself doesnt hurt either! Not a fancy place by any means but really good food.
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Review from Maria F.
10/20/2009
Several of my friends had recommended Pagolac to me ages ago, and since I followed their recommendation and tried the food there, I keep coming back. I usually stay clear from Chinatown because it's not the safest and cleanest area in Edmonton, however since this is where Pagolac is located, I visit Chinatown occassionaly.
I am not an expert in Asian cuisine but I know enough about it to come to the conclusion that Pagolac's Vietnamese food is delicious. It is always fresh and full of flavour. The menu is impressively ample but I especially recommend the pho (broth with rice noodles, vegetables and your choie of meat). Pagolac's pho is to die for:) And Vietnamese rolls with the peanut dipping sauce are heavenly. Green tea refills are complimentary which is a nice touch. The portions are generous and reasonably priced.
I have never experienced any problems with seating even when I went to Pagolac with a large group of friends. -
Review from Jennifer P.
Edmonton, AB
10/6/2008
My boyfriend introduced me to Pagolac. The Vietnamese food here is nothing fancy, but the service is fast and Asian efficient and there are tons of dishes to choose from on the menu. I tend to shy away from things like duck and other seafood on Asian menus. It gives me the heeby-jeebies, so I stick with what I know - Vietnamese soup with no mystery meats, spring rolls, beef and veggies, salad rolls, chicken and rice. As usual, tea is served as soon as you walk in and refilled regularly. The menus have numbered items, for non-Asian speaking guests and expediency's sake. The food comes fairly quickly and I've always had to retrieve my bill at the front when I'm done. The waiter/cook who served our food seemed oblivious to the fact that he was dumping the sauce on the table as he threw it down. They don't get points for congeniality, that's for sure. And if it's busy, I've heard you should expect to share a table, but so far I've never had to wait to get in or sit with a stranger for lunch. The space has seen better days, that's for sure, and good luck finding parking. Nonetheless, this place is a popular Edmonton fixture.
