Town Center- Pho Air One

[ejillparker]

I noticed the other day that a new sign went up at Town Center for a Vietnamese Restaurant called Pho Air One. Does anyone have any scoop on this? I'm excited!

[metro]

Maybe the radio network Air One owns it?

Air 1, The Positive Alternative

J/k

[bombermwc]

I noticed that as I walked by a few weeks ago. I've never heard of that name before. I'm guessing the name is totally local to relate to Tinker....I can't find anything close in a web search. The only bad part will be parking. There's very little parking right there on that street. There are plenty space around the corner, but you know the lazy farts...don't like to walk 10 feet. Most of the other food places in the area sit near a lot larger parking area, but like I said, it's just around the corner anyway.

[Lauri101]

Ok - I drove through twice today (hey, the wind chill is 22!) and can't find it - which end is it on or where is it next to?

I don't mind walking when it's warmer - we can walk from home to Target in less than 10 minutes.

[bombermwc]

Just south of Hallmark, right on the center of the "town center" area.

[ejillparker]

I drove by there today and took a picture, in case anyone cares to see.

[ejillparker]

Another picture from a little further away to put it into context:

[Lauri101]

Thanks - it's good to have something new!

[raspberryswirl]

I went there tonight because I got an invitation for their "pre-grand opening dinner". Apparently they are opening tomorrow. I hate to say it because I was really looking forward to this place, but tonight was one of the worst dining experience I have ever had.

First, they didn't seem prepared at all for this special dinner they were offering. They only had three things on their menu (despite seeing other people eating sushi, I asked if any was available and I was told it wasn't). They had chicken fried rice, shrimp fried rice and chicken noodle soup. I ordered shrimp fried rice, and a water to drink. I waited for about an hour as other people came in and were served. Some people ordered the soup and the rice, and were served both even though they came in after I did.

Eventually, the waiter (who was an inept and nervous teenager) came and asked me what I had ordered again. Apparently they have lost my order. So then he disappears for a while and comes and tells me later that they are cooking the shrimp. Then he comes back a minute or two later and tells me they are out of rice, and asked if I'd like the chicken soup. I ate a little, but it was barely warm and I only ate a little. Who knows how long it has been sitting there waiting for someone to order it.

Meanwhile, fried rice continues to come out of the kitchen.

Sorry, people, but if this is how they treat people they are trying to impress then I am not going to give them my business. The service was awful, the chicken soup was lukewarm and unexceptional, and I was lied to. And they are going to be open to the general public TOMORROW. They couldn't even serve three items tonight.

Stay away from this place- unless you like lukewarm chicken soup!

[bombermwc]

Well my advice to anyone would be to never go anywhere the first couple of weeks they are open. Always give them at least a month to figure out what they're doing.

[JuJuBeans]

I agree.

[anorman]

I went a week and a half ago got chicken stir fry and sushi, it was ok not great but I try to give places 2 chances so I went back this past Tuesday and I got a spicy beef plate and it was very good, service was better then it was in my previous attempt (although I did go after lunch this time when there were only 2 tables). I will go again just after 1230

[kay]

We tried it out this week and did not enjoy it. The floor was filthy and more sticky than a movie theater floor. The the decor was half finished and very much slapped together. It doesn't look at all like new construction. If anyone in your party is not crazy about pho or sushi you might as well starve since there are no stirfrys or chinese favorites. Kids menu?.. ya might as well forget it. The three of us ordered egg rolls, chicken fried rice, sushi and pho. Each dish came for each person at three different times. I had to wait more than 10 minutes after the pho was served to receive my sushi. The egg rolls came unfried, spring roll style. I asked the waitress to take it back and give us the fried eggrolls. The manager came to argue with us that they were cooked and I explained that I knew they were cooked but I wanted FRIED egg rolls. He brought what I wanted but what happened to the customer is always right? The chicken fried rice was completely inedible because it was way overcooked and tasteless. The sushi was falling apart and not very good. How does one mess up something that's not even cooked? The pho was just pho. You can't mess that up too bad. We were completely disappointed. The prices were too high and the service and cleanliness completely put me off. I will not go back. It's too late in the game to chaulk it up to the just-opened-factor. I think once people have tried it just because it's new, it won't do so well. The Noodle House on Reno and Sooner is a much, much better choice for pho and sushi. In fact the sushi is the best I've ever had, including my own. The crunchy roll is to die for. Just my opinion.

[bombermwc]

Does the place at Reno and Sooner have sushi? I walked by there heading in Chelinos (ugh) and was wondering.

[kay]

Yes, their sushi is as good, if not better, than their pho.

[ejillparker]

I gave them two tries. The first time I went there for lunch with my Mom. The Pho was OK. The sushi was horrible. They were also having a lot of staff communication problems and the waitstaff was obviously put off by the management (eye-rolling and such.)

The second time I went back, a few members of the wait staff were visibly arguing with the managers, and the manager on duty was way too engrossed in figuring out receipts to talk to me for a second. He came across as aloof and uncaring. The Pho was also different from the first time I was there, and not in a good way.

I think I will drive the few extra miles to go to my favorite places in Little Saigon. Too bad.

[bombermwc]

Sounds like this place won't last long then. Especially since Pink Swirl seems to be doing everything right.

[mikeypayload]

I'm sure it can't compare to Pho Lien Hoa (formally Pho Hoa), Pho Lien Hoa is well worth the drive every single time. Apparently the owner of it wants to start doing franchises, so hence the change of name.

[JerzeeGrlinOKC]

Well this is a bummer to hear...I agree that Pink Swirls is very good, and so if the other must go, so be it. Plenty of other Pho places in the metro too.

I thought with a name like "Sushi Boat" that it was going to be one of those places where individual sushi pieces float around a moat and you pick them up at different prices per item. Sometimes the sushi doesn't even have to be that good to have a fun time with this sort of theme. Guess not.

[andimthomas]

Apparently the owner of it wants to start doing franchises, so hence the change of name.

I asked the waitress of the name change and that's what she said. Well, at least that's what I think she said. My Vietnamese isn't the best. But I did get the part that they changed the name because there are a lot of other Pho Hoas in the nation. So they will probably open more locations in the future.

[Tex]

Seriously, the name of this place is retarded. If they are trying to tie it with Tinker why didn't they name it Air Pho One?

[andimthomas]

Seriously, the name of this place is retarded. If they are trying to tie it with Tinker why didn't they name it Air Pho One?

That....sounds like the same thing.

[Tex]

That....sounds like the same thing.

Well I wouldn't choose either of them... I'm just trying to help them out with what they have right now. I don't know where the owner was trying to go with this name. Maybe trying to emulate Air Force One? That's why I suggested Air Pho One, rather than Pho Air One.

Owner no speak good engrish perhap.

[DirtyPillows]

If anyone in your party is not crazy about pho or sushi you might as well starve since there are no stirfrys or chinese favorites.

You do realize the name of the place is Pho Air One, right? Who in the world would go to a pho restaurant and actually expect to be served stirfrys or Chinese food? It's a PHO restaurant, after all, not a Chinese one.

[kay]

We did go there for pho and sushi. But you have to admit pho and sushi are an aquired taste. There was one person in our party who didn't like either one. At most all of the pho places I've been to they did have other options on the menu. But the point is mute because they can't even make pho or sushi right. So they are no longer even on my radar.