unPhogettable

With current economic conditions as challenging as they are, empty big boxes, the ghosts of retailers past, are beginning to crowd the landscape. Often, abandoned big boxes become magnets for blight, but a few lucky ones are salvaged and reused in unexpected ways. In late 2008, the site of an old Target store in west Mesa, approximately a quarter mile west of the Sycamore / Main light rail station, was reborn as Mekong Plaza, a shopping center targeting the large southeast Asian community along the Dobson Corridor. The centerpiece of Mekong Plaza is a huge supermarket, but that grocery is surrounded by a constellation of small businesses and restaurants, all seemingly geared toward shoppers of Vietnamese or other east Asian heritage.

Mekong Plaza already has over half a dozen restaurants already open or on the way, but the most obvious place to start exploring a Vietnamese-oriented shopping center is its inevitable pho restaurant. Over the past two decades, the popular rice noodle soup has crossed into the mainstream with fans of all ethnicities clamoring to enjoy huge bowls of noodles in a flavorful beef broth and an assortment of do-it-yourself garnishes. There are now so many pho-terias around that restaurateurs have resorted to clever monikers in order to attract attention. unPhogettable, named more for the soup rather than the Nat King Cole classic, is Mekong Plaza’s entry into the corny name game.

The restaurant has two entrances, one facing the parking lot and the other facing the interior corridor of the shopping center. Both lead to small, neat dining room. It’s not upscale, but it’s not shabby either. There are some interesting prints on the walls, high ceilings above, and stylish light fixtures descending toward the tables. There’s even a small counter facing toward the supermarket that is ideal for solo diners. The menu of starters is fairly limited. There are no crepes as at some other Vietnamese places – just chicken wings, soft spring rolls (also sometimes known as summer rolls), and egg rolls. The spring rolls are unusually meaty. Expect generous slices of meat and a multitude of shrimp in each one. The egg rolls are smaller and have a ground meat filling rather than slices. Meatless spring rolls and egg rolls made with tofu are also available in a vegetarian section of the menu.

After that limited range of starters, the choices broaden immensely. Obviously, big bowls of soup play a lead role here. There are 16 varieties of pho, ranging from straightforward models with brisket, meatballs, or chicken to everything-but-the-kitchen-sink soups combining multiple cuts of beef with tripe and tendon. A meatless (although not vegetarian due to the beef broth) pho comes with tofu and a generous assortment of vegetables. Other types of soup represented include mi, with egg noodles instead of the more familiar rice variety, and an impressive range of regional specialty soups, many incorporating seafood. All soups, regardless of noodle type, come with the familiar plate of bean sprouts, cilantro, jalapenos, and lime wedges. In addition, the usual lineup of sauces -- sriracha, chili with garlic, and hoisin – grace every table.

While these condiments are all standard issue at every pho joint in town, the staff at unPhogettable seem unusually helpful in offering guidance about the optimal way in which to augment the restaurant’s food. The gracious proprietor gently discourages the uninitiated diner’s approach of throwing every last condiment into the soup bowl. Instead, he offers guidance about adding herbs judiciously while also mixing hoisin and sriracha with a little lime juice on the side to create an optimal dipping sauce for the pieces of meat or tofu floating in the soup. Similar guidance is available for any of the non-soup dishes on the menu, including those that pair grilled meat and rice.

Beverages are limited to the non-alcoholic variety, although the restaurant allows customers to BYOB from the adjacent Mekong Supermarket. Among the beverages offered, the freshly prepared orange juice, limeade, and lemonade are all good options. Fountain sodas, jasmine tea, and bottled water are also available. The desserts are all of the variety that come in a glass – red beans with coconut milk, tropical fruits with Jello, etc. They’re all relatively light, satisfying, and a good end to a flavor-intense meal. There’s no French colonial influence in the way of pastries, though.

Interestingly, unPhogettable has a twin restaurant in, of all places, Virginia Beach. Reportedly, the pair are run by two branches of the same family on opposite coasts. Family is an important concept here because the restaurant does a nice job of catering to young customers. A kid’s menu with small portions of several menu items is available, along with high chairs. The atmosphere is casual and the service friendly and quick, making unPhogettable a workable place for a meal before, during, or after a Mekong Plaza shopping expedition.

66 S. Dobson Rd., #140, Mesa, AZ, 85202 Map
(480) 835-2289