Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Tucked in a secluded row of Arena Curve, GK Phở Original Vietnamese Noodle Soup is easily overlooked by most people. However, my craving for beef led me to this Vietnamese eatery.
Beef Noodle Soup (Phở Bò) is one of the best-known Vietnamese dishes. The broth is made by simmering beef bones for several hours. Although the soup is reasonably rich, I think there is certainly room for improvement. For customers who do not take beef, Chicken Noodle Soup (Phở Gà) is also available.
Beef Noodle Soup uses a type of flat rice noodle called “bánh phở”, which is very similar to koay teow (粿条). There are several types of beef ingredients to choose from. I opted for a mixture (RM10.00) of lean beef, tenderloin, beef stomach and beef meatballs. Other ingredients are Thai basil (húng quế), bean sprouts, coriander and scallion.
It is recommended to add some lime juice into the soup to accentuate the soup’s beef flavor. In addition, fried onion does a great job in improving aroma. Customers can also add chili sauce (tương ớt) and hoisin sauce (tương đen), but I feel that these condiments are unnecessary.
Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll (gỏi cuốn, RM3.00) is a roll of rice paper (bánh tráng) filled with shrimps, rice vermicelli (bún) and lettuce. Sweet chili sauce (nước chấm) is provided. In my opinion, the rice paper is too rubbery and should be made softer.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese Fried Spring Roll (chả giò, RM2.00) is filled with minced pork and then deep-fried until the rice paper turns crispy. The roll’s taste and texture are similar to lor bak (卤肉). Personally, I feel that this spring roll is too small to be enjoyed properly.
Address: 72-1-73, Arena Curve, Jalan Mahsuri, 11950 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 017-435-5136
Business hours: 10:00am-8:00pm, closed on Mondays