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Xe Lua Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Vietnamese Vietnamese [Edit]
254 Spadina AveToronto, ON M5T 2C2
Neighbourhoods: Alexandra Park, Chinatown, Downtown Core
(416) 703-8330
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
43 reviews for Xe Lua Restaurant
Review Highlights
43 reviews in English
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Review from Mark S.
Toronto, ON
5/25/2012
Hmm, Im going to keep this one short.
This place is 10 times better drunk after clubbing then perfectly sober and coming for lunch.
Guess beer googles also blurr the taste buds! :X -
Review from Susan C.
Toronto, ON
4/12/2012
Another Vietnamese restaurant in chinatown.
Service: Absolutely horrible. They always rush you when you order. When you ask for more tea, a fork, etc. they usually forget and you'll have to ask multiple times for it. One thing that was really shocking was when we asked for the bill, the waiter brought it and stood right in front of our table holding the bill waiting for us to pay. First time I ever experienced service like that! I was like kind of shocked I must say.
Food: I usually only come here for Pho. They put a lot of random stuff and random pieces of meat in your pho. Not my favourite.
Cleanness: They are one of those restaurants that have all the chopsticks and spoons out. Kind of unsanitary since I've seen what people have done to them in the past. I always make sure I clean them with some tea before using them. Plus, I question about the bowls that are used for the pho. The sides of the bowl are extremely greasy and kind of gross.
I love pho, but I will not return back to this location. -
Review from Yi Z.
4/9/2012
We've become completely dependent on Yelp but without a data plan on our Toronto trip, we had to decide on restaurants the old fashioned way. It was past 11pm and we were hungry so we decided on Xe Lua because it looked bright and nice from below.
The bf ordered a large bowl of standard pho and it's nothing special compared to the pho we have at home in the SGV. The broth and meat were good but the noodles were not cooked properly. I ordered Beef Satay with Egg Noodles and I also didn't love the noodles. The other problem was that the slices of beef in my bowl tasted completely flavorless. -
Review from Tricia Z.
Toronto, ON
4/20/2012
This is where my bf and I turn to for our bun (vermicelli) cravings. Very very delicious and sooooo cheeeeap! LOVE IT.
As for their pho, it really depends. I've had more bad than good experiences with their pho. Sometimes it can be not bad, but it can be pretty bland sometimes.
Their rice noodle rolls are pretty good! As for other dishes, I've only tried two and they seemed just okay.
Still love to come here for their bun! -
Review from Frank L.
Toronto, ON
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
#101 is my standard order. The size is larger than those in the north part of the city. The Pho noodle is smooth and tasty. The waiter/waitress speaks Mandarin rather than Vietnamese.
It is located on the 2nd floor and if you are not familiar with the location, you can miss the entrance very easily.
Given some of the reviews by Yelpers, may be that's the reason why it is quite quiet during the lunch hours. It used to be packed! -
Review from Thuy T.
Woodbridge, ON
11/16/2011 6 photos
XVC is the only place I know of that offers FRESH RICE NOODLES for Pho and makes really good BEEF SATAY NOODLE SOUP.......YumYum ^_^
Restaurant Rating:
0(Too Sad), 1(Horrible), 2(Poor), 3(Ok Lah), 4(Good), 5(Excellent)
Food: 4
Clean: 3
Service: 3
Atmosphere: Casual
Will I Return? Yes
Keep in mind all food postings is according to personal preferences and taste buds. Therefore, it's best to try the places out for yourself and see if it suites your taste. -
Review from Stefanie D.
Toronto, ON
9/19/2011
I have to say I LOVE Xe Lua for Pho!! This place is always busy and there is good reason. They have a huge selection of Pho and other viet dishes to order. I'm a consistent fan of the chicken pho and find it to be the best in the city (I have tried a LOT of pho places!). The broth is amazing and the quality of the chicken is good, in comparison to other pho places out there.
For me, a great bowl of Pho lies in the broth, and I tend to favour this more than the noodles. Everytime we go and I devour my broth, I am left with a ton of noodles. Without hesitation and without charging me extra, they always fill up my bowl, either for eat-in or take-out, with extra broth. The portions are generous, and you can order from small ranging to extra large bowls of pho. They are very generous with the noodles, as well as with the other trimmings in Pho.
Among my favourites here are the chicken pho and the rare beef pho. The avocado shakes are also really delish, and a great accompaniment to any meal. The chicken fried rice with pineapple is also totally addictive, and we usually end up ordering this as a side. Open til late hours of the morning, this is a definite bonus, and keeps me coming back everytime. The prices are also really reasonable and it's a great spot to hit at any time of day to satiate your pho cravings. -
Review from Anni L.
7/26/2011
This place is one of the few places in town that is open till the morning hours after clubbing. The pho noodle soup there is pretty good. I normally order a small which is quite filling. i attempt to ask for the thin noodles (to no avail as i'm not sure they speak much english there). To order, you tick off a piece of paper from the menu which is convenient - no small talk required.
The fruit slushy drinks are pretty refereshing - the jackfruit and mango are my favorites. I heard from a friend recently that someone in China spiked the tapioca so for the time being, better order your drinks without the tapioca bubbles.
The food comes fairly quickly unless they are busy or forgot about your order. Our drink orders have been recently forgotten for some reason until the end of our meal, even during days when they were not busy.
I don't typically order other menu items however my friends have ordered the rice curry, vermicelli dishes, and other various rice dishes.
Their spring rolls (the deep fried ones) taste ok. Often it comes drenched with a layer of grease. We get them free since my friend is a regular there.
The service there is typical of an asian restaurant. They will comply with your requests if you are able to flag them down or get their attention, which is often harder than you might think. Sometimes even when they are staring straight in your direction, they don't seem to notice you.
The ambiance is also typical of any asian resto. The floor is covered with a layer of grease. They often play loud top 40 music in the background. There are bright lights shining in your eyes from the ceiling. Sometimes this place is so rammed late at night with the after party crowd.
Overally, this is a good place for a quick bite after clubbing or if you want something at an adequate price point (below $7). The drinks are around $3-$5. Because of the low pricepoint, i used to bring all my dates here. Mostly because many guys feel compelled to pick up the bill. I figured that even if we never went out again, nobody is going to be too upset if they are $6-$9 in the hole so to speak. One time, the bill was $12 including tax an tip. So moral of the story, its not always good news when your date insists on taking you to this restaurant for a first date.Listed in: Best Pho Downtown Chinatown
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Review from Vivek S.
There's late and then there is Past Late (which comes right after Pretty Late). And it's only past Past Late that you show up to joints like Xe Lua.
I visited here for the first time after the Yelp Magic 8 Ball with a group of hardcore night owls all hungry for noodles. You'll miss it if you walk too briskly up Spadina; it's embedded on the west side of the street, south of Dundas on the second floor of a Chinese commercial complex. It's a large and inviting space, perfect for your uncle Ken's 68th birthday party.
From what I can recall the food was OK. I wasn't wowed by my noodles and pork, and the broth was lukewarm and not terribly exciting. Still, I'd come here again. Even if the servers seemed like they wanted to gouge our eyes out with metal chopsticks, the atmosphere was much nicer than your typical Chinatown digs, they have a lot of options, and did I mention they were open late? They're open really, really late.
Obligatory Title Pun: What the PHO?
Menu Readability: Chock full with photos.
Need to mention: They take credit. Oh, and no "cold tea."
What this place teaches me about myself: Being open late might earn you a whole extra star.Listed in: Chinatown, Up Late In The Tee Dot, It's Pronounced Pho
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Review from Janet S.
Toronto, ON
11/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I initially had sentimental feelings about Xe Lua, because it was one of the first places Boyfriend and I went to dine together (hey man, we're poor students).
We've both decided now, that there is no reason for us to visit Xe Lua ever again.
The last time we came, we went before attending a show at Theatre Passe Muraille, but Boyfriend's food took so long that we had to leave before the food came! He ordered vermicelli...that's COLD noodles. I don't understand why it took 45+ minutes to prepare cold noodles with grilled chicken on placed on top of it. Don't they usually have a pile of cold noodles prepped? Isn't it just a matter of putting it in a bowl?
Location-wise, for us, it's not great, since we work at U of T. It's further than a few other pho places, and let's face it, my deadened Korean tastebuds can't really distinguish between the different restaurants anyway. May as well go to a closer establishment that serves the food while I'm still hungry. -
Review from Martin W.
6/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have been here a number of times, always inebriated. I like stuffing my face after a night of drinking, and this place hits the spot. Big selection of food to choose from and at good prices.
I would like to give this place a try sober to see if my opinion changes. -
Review from Mel L.
10/7/2011
This is my favourite Pho restaurant in Chinatown. I have to admit, I haven't tried them all, but definitely all the ones on that main strip of Spadina. The prices are cheap, it tastes good, and they don't skimp on the meat!!
The best soup noodle dish there: Beef Brisket Curry. SO DELICIOUS, you have to try it. It's the dish that pushed this place over the others to become my favourite.
They also got new menus since the last time I went there, so they're much prettier to peruse now. -
Review from David T.
Scarborough, ON
10/21/2011
I have been frequenting this place when it was located downstairs and nothing has changed much except the size of the place.
I only go here after a night of drinking and I want some soup to sober me up and it's one of the only pho places other than Pho Pasteur that is still open at 2am in the morning otherwise I would never ever go here for Pho.
Most of their business comes late at night from the club crowd who are looking for something to eat and to sober them up.
Some dishes are not bad but their Pho is pretty bad.
1. Their broth has no flavour.
2. They are guilty of overcooking their noodles quite often.
3. Their meat is quite suspect.
Yes, I go here but only when I'm intoxicated and I'm starting to think that the people that say this is the best Pho in Toronto fall in the late night clubber category.
If you don't agree head to Pho Tien Thanh on Ossington or Pho Linh on College St and you will notice a huge difference in what a authentic bowl fo Pho should taste like. Also, you don't see many Vietnamese ppl or families eating here, which is a true sign of authenticity.
Service: Other than Alex who has been there for years, many of the staff do not know what they are doing or what a lot of the dishes are. We asked for Canh Chua Ca one time, which is a Vietnamese sour fish soup and the guy had no clue what I was asking for until I showed him the menu number. -
Review from Lynn C.
9/26/2011
After clubbing, most of my friend disperse to either Pho 88 or this place, which is actually called "train head" in Chinese. For some reason, I always end up at Pho 88 instead.
I visited here for the first time this weekend and was a bit surprised as to why this is one of the go-to places for pho. It isn't bad, but isn't the greatest. They do, however, provide plenty of noodles and beef in your bowl.
Now, about their bowl, it's not your typical large bowl opening, but their small bowl is pretty narrow and, you know when you add all the basil in your food but you don't eat basil?, you have a hard time actually getting noodle without the basil because of the tiny circumference.
I was also irritated by the fact that when I ordered a small iced coffee with milk, they didn't give me a plate to place the filter when i had to take it off the mug and pour the coffee into the glass of ice. Needless to say, the area in front of me became a caffeinated mess.
All of this sort of points to the overall experience of the restaurant. It's not so bad that you'd vow never to come back, but there's just something askew.
A few notes:
- by default their noodles are wider than normal pho noodles, if you want normal size noodles, you have to ask for "thin noodles"
- they do serve cold tea now...according to Vivek S. in one of the June 2011 reviews, it wasnt available, but when I went this weekend, it now is. -
Review from Toronto L.
Toronto, ON
7/26/2011
The Toronto Lover system:
5 stars = Must visit!
4 stars = Really good. I take my friends here.
3 stars = Somewhat worth it... if you have nowhere better to go.
2 stars = Below average. Attend only when necessary.
1 star = Do not visit!
Xe Lua is a bit like a cafeteria for people who don't want to wait or pay much for food at strange hours. They serve decent pho and tasty soups, and everything is in the $6-10 range. The service is terrible, but your order will be taken and the food will arrive, and you shouldn't expect any more.
I like the fact that it's upstairs, because it creates a cleaner essence than other late night Spadina dives. However, I wouldn't bet that you can name everything that goes in the broth.
What can I say about this place: it serves up good stuff at good prices; it's always open; and there's always a seat. Another bonus - and forgive me if you're into political correctness - is that East Asian people do seem to frequent this place, which gives it an air of authenticity, even if it's superficial.
Have a soup, and enjoy those noodles. I can't recommend anything else.
2 stars -
Review from Tong J.
I like the loft-inspired space of Xe Lua, spacious and open. Right away the high industrial ceiling grabbed my attention. Great windows throughout the space. Booths were very inviting, lined along one wall and the remaining tables and chairs were modern in style.
After a quick scan around the restaurant, I told myself not to expect benevolent service here. What ever happened to service with a smile?
Wide range of affordable items on the menu. I was impressed with extensive choices of Pho and Bun. I thought the "Snacks" section on the menu was interesting, for example, Chicken Satay and Deep Fried Vietnamese Sausage.
I ordered a Large bowl of Pho with sliced raw beef and beef meatballs, vermicelli with grilled pork, and chicken satay.
- Pho with sliced raw beef and beef meatballs: I found the broth very bland, something was missing. I think it was the lack of spices. Noodles were overcooked and mushy. However, raw beef was tender and meatballs were very tasty.
+ Bun, vermicelli with grilled pork, was excellent. The best part of this dish was grilled pork. It was well seasoned with lemongrass, crispy and yummy. Shredded lettuce, carrots and cucumber were fresh.
- Chicken satay was different from what I grew up with. I like my satay seasoned with herbs and spices, this version was also tasty with red chili sauce.
Overall, it was an average experience, food was decent and came out quickly.Listed in: Asia On My Mind
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Review from Karen L.
Toronto, ON
6/3/2011
I was considering giving this place 0 but that's not possible. oh well.
I came to this place for bun. It was pretty disgusting that my rice noodles tasted like they were soaked in dirty dishwater.
Enough said?
If it was an "off" day, they officially turned me OFF from ever returning. -
Review from Thomas H.
10/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
The pho here is pretty good. Probably the best in China town.
However, the best thing is actually the CURRY. I highly recommend getting the beef brisket curry, it comes with some french bread.
Absolutely delicious, extremely cheap, AND open at 3AM after the clubs.
Obviously don't expect amazing service. It's a low budget / high turnover operation. -
Review from susan c.
6/8/2009
The super-shiny decor and barely legal servers should have alerted me that there's "TROUBLE AHEAD!" but I was fooled by the packed tables and the rumble in my tummy. The S.O. and I ordered spring rolls, pho tai for him, and bun with grilled shrimp and meatballs for me.
The S.O. got his pho right away then the sullen teen server brought out the spring rolls WITH my bun then disappeared. Okay, no bigs, we'll just eat our starter together with our mains. But it was obvious that everything had been pre-cooked then heated back up. Seriously, how fricking lazy are you that you can't be bothered to stick 4 spring rolls into a deep fat fryer or throw a shrimp on the barbie? If I wanted bad microwaved food I would've saved myself the trip and had Lean Cuisine at home.
The pho was meh and not worth the price of admission. To add insult to injury the nuoc cham dipping sauce was so sweet I felt a toothache coming on AND the pot of tea was tepid.
Don't expect to find your server when you need him because he's disappeared and probably gone to cut himself.Listed in: My Time in 'Nam, Don't Believe the Hype, The Emperor's New Blows
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Review from Tammy Y.
Updated - 6/23/2010
Yeeps! What happened?
I came back to "Train" after a long hiatus (I was on pho overload), and was disappointed to see that service had gone from distracted to absent, cleanliness sat somewhere between tolerable and suspect, and food quality was altogether below average. Their #1 pho special which once brought me so much joy was made up of thick rice noodles and overly chewy beef slices, and came with the saddest plate of bean sprouts I'd ever seen. Are they trying to cut corners with their sprouts?
And so, old friend, it'll be a while before I come back here. I have other gastro-love affairs to tend to in the meantime.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/1/2009
The best thing this place has going for it is the fact that it's open around the clock. 4 years ago,… Read more »
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Review from Jennifer M.
Toronto, ON
9/1/2010
I used to live right by here, and would "train" all of the time. New train is better than Old train for anyone that remembers Xe ula pre-renovations. Once at old Train I asked them to make me bun (vermicelli) vegetarian, just noodles and veg no pork etc and they gave me Vietnamese pork sausage for my vegetarian meal, with a side of pork spring roll. At least Xe ula now has some options for non beef/pork/chicken eaters.
Bonus points:
Hot tea
Can accommodate Large Groups
Open very late
Shredded Tofu on the Bun
Cheap and Clean
Huge Menu, an entire section of vegetarian options.
Good Avocado Milkshakes
Good Location
Negative:
Clearly sometimes Quality Control has the day off.
'tude from the late night servers.
I really like the shredded tofu what can i say. -
Review from Heather M.
5/25/2010
I think this is likely the best pho restaurant in Chinatown.
Funnily enough, I think EVERY pho place in Chinatown has at least one review in their window touting that they are one of the best pho restaurants in Chinatown, so it's hard to choose. However, I have to say that Xe Lua has never done me wrong. I always order the 101 Chef's Special Pho, broth is always piping hot, onions and beef are thinly sliced, and the noodles are always the Vietnamese version of al dente. Staff are what you would usually find at a pho restaurant - brisk and somewhat brusque but they get the job done. Not sure what you would expect otherwise for a $5 dinner!
Side note: don't ever go to 88. Shudder. -
Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 11/25/2009
I don't know what happened, but my last two trips to Xe Lua have been mediocre at best. One wait time hovered over the half hour mark, with later-arriving tables being served before us.
Blood. Boiling.
It's still a conveniently located after-hours spot, but as long as I have the energy, I'd rather open up a package of 39-cent ramen and kick back at home.Listed in: Toronto: Meals under $10! (And…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/7/2008
Xe Lua, affectionately known as "The Train" to those who have no clue how to pronounce its real… Read more »
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Review from Wai T.
Scarborough, ON
11/3/2010
I'm told by my hardcore pho friends that this place is the place to go for pho. I keep coming here but have never been impressed at all.
As soon as you walk in there is this waft of foul odour that is not coming from the beef broth. It stinks of dirty dish water. GROSS.
The best part of the pho was the noodles. The broth, as some have pointed out does not have that rich beef flavour. The noodles from their pho and bün are not over cooked which is good, but that's about all that's good. I had the BBQ chicken and porkchop and I'm sure the chef does not know how to cook meat. The porkchop had a thick piece of fat that was not trimmed or rendered off. The chicken's skin was flabby and not crispy at all.
The service was atrocious each time. They throw the menu and order forms at you. Some of the servers are really unprofessional, i.e. there is this kid server who dresses like a punk, pants falling off, and wears his hat barely on his head. Out of no where he starts swearing out loud "oh shit! Oh shit".
This will be my last time here. -
Review from Angela L.
7/9/2009
The Choo Choo Train, as my friends and I call it, just ain't the same anymore. Ever since it moved upstairs into the larger, but blander space, the food has gone down hill. I went in for lunch the other day since my friend who used to live here had chosen it for old time's sake.
This lunch was actually within 12 hours of my late night visit to another pho joint just around the corner, so I opted for some snacks instead. The deep fried wontons were just that - way deep fried. It would've been nice if they were more crispy and less borderline chewy from all the oil. The shrimp salad rolls were trusty as they have always been. One thing that Xe Lua has always done well though, are their shakes. My first ever avocado shake proved to be super creamy with just the right hint of sweetness.
My friend really enjoyed his ridiculously large bowl of pho. I generally don't have that much to complain about when I order pho either, but I did notice that the plate of bean sprouts and basil accoutrements were much less lively than the ones at the restaurant the previous evening.
I guess it was a busy lunch, but the large dining room is hardly ever less than half full, so I often wonder aloud why the service is so non-existent sometimes. We had to wait forever to even get a sheet to order with and basically gave up on getting our tea pot refilled.
On this last visit, I also witnessed a pretty funny thing. When another patron wearing a red shirt was leaving the restaurant, he was mistaken for a server and was flagged down by a frustrated lady trying to pay her bill. It was awkward and hilarious when he revealed that he didn't work there. -
Review from Neil T.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 10/4/2009
Ok...update time...
The pho here has gone noticeably downhill (so have the noodles) my last several visits. My previous review stuck up for them, but I can't do it anymore. The broth has gone from a nice authentic flavor to a watered down mess. Even their signature fat fresh noodles are not as silky smooth as they once were.
The Gerrard location has a much better, more consistent output for pho. Luckily, the other menu items, like the banh cuon, are still a-ok.Listed in: My Vietnamese Food Rankings, Gettin' My Eat on in Slanty…, My ROTD's
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/14/2009 ROTD 9/19/2009
Wow, I am really going to have to disagree with a lot of the previous reviewers.
1) They use fresh… Read more »
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Review from alfred i.
North York, ON
8/5/2011
excellent pho -- one of my favorite pho-places in the city. Great for late nights too.
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Review from Garry C.
Whistler, BC
9/5/2010
I've only ever had the tea here.
We came in with a friend because she raved about the place. However, two of us were vegetarians. There was nothing on the menu that was even remotely vegetarian. We asked what they could make that didn't include animal products and the only thing they could come back with was fried rice - even then I was nervous.
Steer clear of this place if you're vegetarian. -
Review from Karen S.
12/2/2009
Group sports activity aftermath = pho. Wings and beer would seem to be the more obvious choice, but my mates and I could throw any number of suggestions out there, and pho is the only option that we could all come to a consensus on.
At 'Train', the hefty quantity offered in a large bowl of pho (currently $6) is enough to leave me stuffed with no room for anything else, including my favourite avocado shake. *sniff* What a dilemma deciding between eating less pho, or skipping out on a thick, creamy shake!
This place is consistently a good value for money, is always open and I like the newish colourful menus, however, I'm still thinking of the time I went and the table was cleaned with a smelly cloth.
Conclusion: Train is a solid restaurant if you're short on ideas or if it's really late. Also, it doesn't skimp on its portions. Otherwise, there are better options out there. -
Review from Wing H.
Toronto, ON
7/2/2010
Xe Lua, aka the Train is a great restaurant in Chinatown if your looking for something affordable, quick and the menu is quite extensive.
If I had to choose one dish that you must try here it is the chicken or pork on vermicelli noodles. Their Pho is up to standard, but I don't think it is the best out there, not sure if there is such a thing.
There's probably about 4 decent Vietnamese restaurants in Chinatown and I would have to say Xe Lua is the best overall based on, consistency of food, number of dishes and food quality. -
Review from Jonathan W.
Calgary, AB
Updated - 8/18/2009
I agree with Neil.
People, you don't expect fancy decor and personalized service at the Pho restaurant because you're paying $4.50.
Be my guest and shell out the extra money and get the service. I care about the food and it's consistently solid here.
The Pho is among the best and fresh. A deep broth. Great meal for great value.Listed in: Good for Groups
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/17/2009
This place is fast and solid. The food is done very well and the pho is above average. The… Read more »
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Review from Paul F.
Toronto, ON
9/6/2009
If you like pho, you can't really go wrong with his place. I've been to this Chinatown location and the one in Richmond Hill. I actually like the Richmond Hill one a little better. Some of their dishes are quite different than the Chinatown one.
But what you really need to know is the pho is good, the other stuff they have on the menu is also pretty good, and the prices are reasonable. A lot of the other reviewers say that the service sucks but if you get out of that mentality that you have to be pampered to the extreme, the service is actually pretty good. You mark down what you want on a piece of paper and off they go. I've always gotten my stuff pretty fast there and they always get you what you ask for if you flag them down.
I recommend this place not only for the food but for their big variety of drinks and shakes. Try some, you won't regret it. -
Review from Jake S.
4/25/2009
Errr...what? This place is good? Unfortunately, that wasn't my experience.
So to start with, the prices are reasonable and the portions are a good size. Also, the spring rolls here were quite good.
The pho though was a disaster, and was some of the worst I've ever had. Broth is absolutely the most important part of pho, as that's where all the flavor comes from, but the broth at Xe Lua tasted very watery. I actually think it may have been made with bouillon, as I noticed water and this mysterious brown powder were separating from each other after a few minutes. This is a big no-no - pho broth should come from simmering beef bones and spices for several hours, not from tossing some powder in a pot of boiling water.
I'll be coming back to Toronto as often as possible because I really enjoyed my short time there, but I will definitely not be going back to Xe Lua. -
Review from Thomas B.
North Bay, ON
5/22/2009 1 Check-in Here
Not the cleanest or nicest venue, but the food is great if you can ever manage to order it :P (trying to say the service isn't the best).
Also, my first time there they screwed up our order and I had to spend 25 minutes arguing with a Chinese gentleman who could barely speak English. And I speak absolutely no Chinese... :S Maybe I'll learn... -
Review from Melissa J.
Toronto, ON
11/16/2008 5 photos
Xe Lua is a chain of Vietnamese restaurants around the city (and, possibly around the world? I saw locations in NYC and Vancouver on Google). For some reason, we just call this place Pho Train, probably because they serve pho and their logo is a train.
And do we ever love Pho Train. There are several great things about this location:
1) It's open 24 hours. So when you are debating if you should get some hangover McDonald's, you can say, "No, I think I will have delicious pho to help cure this illness" and it doesn't matter if it's 10 pm or 4 am. Pho Train will be there for you.
2) Speedy service. Your food will generally arrive in about 2 minutes. It's unreal.
3) Delicious milkshakes with tapioca...Mmmm..
4) Oh, right, their pho is actually amazing. The broth totally hits the spot and they have all the usual fixings that you can use to customize the flavour. I love the lime juice and hot sauce, personally.
The only bad thing about this Pho Train location is that it's a popular choice for after the clubs on Richmond Street close. So if you're going anytime after last call, expect lineups of huge groups of skanky girls and guys in dress shirts and too much cologne.
But, sometimes, you gotta have pho. I've waited before and it was worth it. Pho Train just does it so well. -
Review from Es P.
Toronto, ON
6/19/2011
Xe lua's food quality is pretty consistent. Pho and rice dishes are solid. They renovated around 4-5 years ago and it only took about 2 months after for the place to look run down again. Get a table as far as you can from the service counter. You can smell the toilet from there. Not too appetizing. Best bet is order take out.
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Review from glenn c.
North York, ON
4/18/2011
You know it's authentic when the decor is shabby and the place is a little grimy.
The pho is cheap and you get pretty good value for it. They use a wider sized noodle than most other pho places. The regular size is a good-sized portion (about equal to the large size pho at Ginger), the large is like an extra large, and the extra large is too much for me to handle. The shakes here are good too.
Service is ok (you may need to get the staff's attention). Food comes as they make it... when I come here with friends, the person getting their food last is usually wondering where their order is.
In my opinion this is the best value pho in the Chinatown area. Pho Pasteur is slightly better quality though the jump in price isn't worth it in my opinion. Open late. -
Review from a t.
3/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
The restaurant was bigger than I expected after climbing up the flght of stairs. The pho broth was a little watered down and bland. The satay noodle was not very flavourful.
Over all not too memorable but the price was right...for the quality. -
Review from Melissa F.
Toronto, ON
8/11/2009
ok, so evidently this place has terrible service. of COURSE it does, it's asian and it caters to young, cheap, poor students that and the drunk club-goers at 5am.
So yes, lets get beyond the obvious- service sucks.
BUT,
1) the food is excellent. Get the pho or the rice and meat dishes- won't be disappointed.
Second best restaurant in Chinatown I have been to (first is Asian Legend)
2) it has a CLEAN and modern interior- so no gross plastic table liners and bugs crawlin around
3) It's on the second floor (which in chinatown makes for a MUCH cleaner restaurant- really)
4) it's cheap. oh so cheap.
5) It has insane hours- I've been here til 6am in the morning as they are cleaning up.
So yes, the servers walk around like they hate their lives. but it has everything you need in a proper chinatown restaurant. I always come here when Asian Legend is closed. -
Review from Christine L.
4/10/2009
located in the art of chinatown, xe lua is often called 'choo choo'. it doesn't help that their symbol is of a train or the fact that 'xe lua' with all the appropriate symbol accents literally means "train". YEAH!
open 24 hours, priced pretty well, and yummy! nothing like home, of course, but it's been a pretty close comparison. they don't give limes for their pho, only lemons, which is a bit odd, but it's alright. their broth was beyond delicious and the shrimp rolls were good, the sauce was good, and their tapioca balls were beyond chewy but firm and just delicious as well!
love love love.
(well, for canadian pho, yes.)
