Nothing compares to a savory bowl of hot Vietnamese Pho (pronounced “fuh”) noodle soup on a chilly winter night. With the popularity of Pho restaurants on the rise, Pho Xinh is located in the Short Hills Plaza on Evesham Road in Cherry Hill, NJ.

If you did not know, Pho is a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup, consisting of a broth made from boiling beef or chicken bones, along with different spices, herbs and onions. The broth is also served with white linguine-shaped rice noodles called “bánh phở” (pronounced “ban fuh”) in Vietnamese. An assortment of vegetables, such as bean sprouts, lettuce, peppers and mint leaves along with extra sauces are also placed at your table so you can customize your bowl to your liking.

Upon walking into the restaurant, the aroma of sizzling beef filled the air as the friendly waiters did not hesitate to immediately greet and seat any new guests. The eye-catching dark wood, modern bamboo décor and dim lighting all contributed to dazzling, quiet ambience, leaving your eyes constantly wandering around the restaurant.

Open seven days a week from 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Pho Xinh is not much of a fancy restaurant; it is actually quite casual, like the place where you quickly stop by for lunch or to have dinner.

Growing up in a Vietnamese household and experiencing various Vietnamese dishes my whole life, I have to say Pho Xinh does not disappoint due to the success of the quality of food, service, ambience and prices.

Despite the variety of choices on the menu, I ordered Pho Tom (Shrimp Pho) and salt and pepper shrimp served with sautéed peppers and onions.

The food arrived to the table unexpectedly quickly. Prior to eating, I added hoisin sauce (a sweet, dark sauce made up of soybeans) and a bit of spicy hot sauce provided at the table to add an eccentric and satisfying kick to the Pho.

The prices of the noodle soup (averaging $8.00 per bowl) are fairly reasonable, as the portion sizes are large, which also allowed me to take home a portion of the meal.

If you are a vegetarian, although the majority of the menu consists of meat, there are options such as the Tofu Pad Thai, costing $10.95.

Overall, was it the best bowl of Pho ever? Of course not, however, Pho Xinh is one of my top choices of Vietnamese restaurants due to the cleanliness and atmosphere of it, as it is more on the nicer looking side of Pho restaurants in the area.

If you’re looking for somewhere to have a quick lunch or a nice, quiet dinner with your family or even a large group outing, Pho Xinh is an excellent restaurant to visit.