Vegetarian Pho At Falansai

It’s not easy to find vegetarian pho, even here in NYC. On the rare occasion a restaurant does offer a veggie version of this aromatic Vietnamese noodle soup, the broth itself isn’t actually vegetarian. Falansai, just a few short blocks from Roberta’s in Bushwick, offers not only a true vegetarian pho but also vegetarian spring rolls. Ever since my trip to Vietnam waaaaaay back in 2004 I’ve been searching for the same caliber of vegetarian spring rolls I found there. But when I got to Falansai a few weeks ago they were sold out of the spring rolls, so I can’t say whether they measure up. The pho, however, I was able to eat. The vegetables were perfectly cooked; the green beans and snap peas still had some crunch to them, but the okra was the real star. A little crisp on the outside, the interior slightly soft and slimy, they were a pleasure to eat. Unfortunately the broth itself was completely tasteless. I once went to a restaurant where they made the vegetarian pho with water instead of broth, and this was almost the same thing. It wasn’t water at Falansai, but it was awfully thin and flavorless. It wasn’t until my server brought me hoisin sauce and chili sauce, both of which I heaped into the bowl with bean sprouts and fresh lime juice, that I actually began to enjoy the pho. And so my quest continues…

Falansai — 112 Harrison Place