Pho Lena, a favorite among Anchorage pho (pronounced "phah") fanatics, recently added an East Anchorage restaurant to complement its well-loved Spenard eatery. The new location is run by Pho Lena founder Lena Morisath's sister, Biponh Morisath, and opened in May.
The two restaurants share menus and pho is the focus. There are 17 varieties of the famed Laotian and Vietnamese soup available. The meals combine an in-house base (the same at both spots) with generous portions of meats and vegetables and a plate of cilantro, lettuce, Thai basil, green onions, jalapenos, bean sprouts and lime wedges for mixing.
Traditional choices like pho beef brisket and beef meatball ($8.95) are available as are more novel dishes like pho Alaska ($10.95), a soup loaded with smoked salmon, vegetables and a choice of egg or rice sticky noodles.
Pho Lena also has Thai dishes such as pad Thai with beef, pork, chicken or tofu ($8.95) and pad ka pao moo korb ($10.95), stir fried pork with onions, bell peppers and basil served with jasmine or sticky rice. Biphonh is also looking to add heartier items to her menu, including pork spare ribs with a barbecue sauce she developed herself.
I began my meal with Lao style stuffed chicken wings ($8.95). The wings were stuffed with a blend of chicken meat, vermicelli noodles and green onions and came with a sweet chili sauce for dipping. The tender wings absorbed the sauce perfectly, and the combination created an almost honeyed flavor that earned cries of "best wings ever" from my lunch partner. At that price for just three, we felt a bit of a burn from something that wasn't the spice on the wings, but the flavor quickly made us forget.
For my entree, I chose the pho kuwchup with roasted duck ($10.95). The soup is traditionally served with rice flake noodles, but I was told Pho Lena was out and standard rice noodles were used in their place.
I was initially excited about the quail eggs and the roasted duck in the dish, but I found myself most impressed by the base. It absorbed the flavors of all of the ingredients, from the bite-sized bits of roasted duck to the additions of bean sprouts and cilantro I made, into a fusion of concentrated flavor. I also added a small portion of sriracha (a common Thai hot sauce) for a bite of heat.
Pho is not a meal where you expect small portions. Yet, even for a big eater such as myself, finishing the bowl was a chore. Not that it was a problem, with that kind of flavor, the more, the better.
My friend ordered up the kaeng kaerie ($10.95), a yellow curry served with roasted duck, potatoes, onions and a side of rice. The curry was flavorful with a hint of spice, and each element absorbed the essence of it perfectly. While heavy on the onions, it was one of the tastiest curries I've had in Anchorage.
During my second visit I ordered Lao spring rolls ($7.95) and banh xeo ($10.95) for take-out.
The rolls had rice paper filled with grilled chicken breast, shrimp, vermicelli noodles, green onions, cilantro, romaine lettuce, fried ground pork rinds and Thai mint and served with sweet chili sauce. Unfortunately, the green onion and Thai mint added a crunch and sharpness to the mix that mitigated the power of the other flavors.
Thankfully, the banh xeo was a stunner. A Vietnamese crepe stuffed with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts and green onion with sides of cilantro, lettuce and sweet chili sauce, the dish amplified the wait by 10 minutes, but it was worth every minute. The crepe was more like a thin, buttery omelet and its crisp edges paired excellently with the tender shrimp and pork to create a savory flavor. The meal was the standout of my Pho Lena experience.
Biponh said business has been steadily building, with word of mouth spreading news about the restaurant to the nearby military audience and beyond.
While it can be tricky to find outstanding culinary options amidst the eastside's strip malls, surprises can be found on any given corner and Pho Lena's new location is a perfect example.
• Got a restaurant tip, a new menu, a favorite dish or a chef change? Send an e-mail to play@adn.com.
Pho Lena
*** 1/2 $$
Location: 360 Boniface Parkway #11-B
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 12 pm.- 10 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m.- 10 p.m. Sunday
Phone: 279-9777
By David Harper
Daily News correspondent