Pho Son a hit with delicious comfort food

In the unofficial, official competition between communities for new, unique restaurants, Oswego has taken a step forward with Kendall County’s first Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Son.

I was intrigued when I found out the restaurant had opened up on Route 34 in Oswego. I had never had Vietnamese cuisine before, but I had heard that it was a great comfort food.

A guest and I recently went to the new restaurant and were pleased to find the spot was jam-packed at dinnertime. We took a seat at the bar and were promptly greeted and provided with menus.

I’d call Pho Son cozy; it’s not an oversized restaurant, but it’s not too small. There’s an expansive bar with seating options, as well as several tables spread throughout the cleanly decorated space.

My guest and I chose to order a small plate to start: egg rolls. Steaming hot, the two egg rolls were delivered within minutes of placing our order.

With well-cooked meat and vegetables inside a crispy shell – and sweet and sour sauce on the side – the egg rolls were a great way to start off the meal. My guest and I agreed that we easily could have eaten a dozen of them and been perfectly happy.

Soon after, we placed our orders. My guest ordered the bun rieu, crab and shrimp noodle soup, while I ordered pho ga, also called Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup.

The common theme my guest and I agreed on is that the enormous servings were incredibly delicious and incredibly filling. Filled with fresh vegetables and broth, our soups were aromatic and enjoyable.

My guest greatly enjoyed his bun rieu, filled with chunks of crab and shrimp, mixed with long, thin noodles and vegetables. He enjoyed it even more, once he poured Sriracha into the broth, adding a bit of extra spice.

For my meal, it was very obvious as to why pho ga (pronounced fuh gah), is considered comfort food. It’s the best chicken noodle soup I’ve had.

Made with bean sprouts, green onions and fresh broth, the aromatic soup was incredibly filling and delicious. I easily could have it a dozen times over and be perfectly happy.

To go along with my soup, I enjoyed a unique peach drink flavored with basil seeds that added a jolt of texture and extra sweetness to my meal – something I had never had before, but would be happy to have again.

As restaurants come and go, and towns work to draw visitors with unique concepts, Oswego has taken a leap forward with Pho Son, a hit I can’t wait to visit again.

• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Record Newspapers. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. The Mystery Diner is not intended to be a restaurant critic but does highlight the parts of a dining experience that he/she can recommend.