Phởholic

Phoholic is a Vietnamese restaurant located on the first floor of the Food Court (Collage Culinary Experience) in Bloomingdale’s at South Coast Plaza. Like a Japanese ramen restaurant, there are partitions between the bar tables, making it a good place to dine alone. There are also tables inside the restaurant where multiple people can sit and eat together. I had the steak & brisket pho, which had a lot of meat and the broth was good. The Thai Iced Tea that I had with the pho was also good. Usually, after eating pho, my whole body is filled with the smell of pho, but at Phoholic, I don’t know if it’s because it’s an open space or if there’s some other secret, but I liked that the smell of pho didn’t linger on my body after eating pho. The food was good and the staff were friendly, so I plan on visiting again.

Nice addition to the mall! Pricing and menu options were exactly the same which is great. The food tasted similar, but the portion was quite small compared to what I remembered. Our order came out quickly, though. * Tái Chín Gân: 8/10 - good but more broth than noodles Located in the depths of Bloomingdale’s, they offer a nice dining area with other restaurants to choose from. This location has a unique counter seating area that would be perfect for solo diners. The workers were very efficient, but not super friendly. The place is very convenient for when you’ve been shopping all day and craving some pho. One of the only restaurants at South Coast Plaza where you don’t have to wait for a table!

Location: Look for the corner building that says “Collage Culinary Experience” at the corner of Bloomingdale’s. Go downstairs and it’s a bunch of food stalls. Phoholic is to the right. Or you can go inside Bloomingdale’s entrance. The dining room has individual bar seating separated by dividers for solo diners. Or sit in the back if you have a group at the tables. The pho here is mediocre. I find the broth better at other locations because It’s more flavorful and beefy. Although servings here are generous and in a plastic bowl not in stainless bowls like other locations. I like that it’s one price ($14.50) for whatever pho you pick, thick or thin noodles. I also appreciate that our sever was attentive to our little one. We asked for an empty bowl and scissors. He came out w a small bowl w a tiny bit of pho noodles in it! Enough noodles for a 2 year old. I normally walk out smelling like pho from head to toe but didn’t here. Which was another indication for me that there isn’t much aroma and spice in the bone broth.

The broth here is pretty beef forward, almost like an oxtail based broth, but lacks the punch of traditional Viet spices. I just wish they would skim the visible fat and oil off the top because it looks gross and makes me feel gross after I drink it. But flavor wise still above average to me. I love the thick bunched up cuts of steak they use here, it's tender and more flavorful than the flat eye round cuts at most pho places. The other toppings like tripe and tendon were well cooked and really soft. The bean sprouts and herbs looked sad and no fresh. Overall it was good enough that I'd come back only if I was nearby.

Loved it so much that we ordered two more to go. Probably the best pho that I’ve had so far.

Love this spot! Pho Holic gives you a private, cozy vibe like a Japanese ramen bar, but with authentic Vietnamese pho. The broth is rich and flavorful, the toppings are super fresh and generous, and the veggies are crisp. The best part? The fresh pho noodles, they really make it taste like home. Staff is friendly too. Perfect for a quick, satisfying lunch!

If you want a quick and comforting meal, this is the place for you. They only serve pho noodle soup and beverages. It’s perfect for fueling up after a busy day of shopping. It’s great to eat solo too. The soup was delicious and the steak meat was plentiful and super tender.