Review: The best banh mi in Illinois is made at suburban, immigrant-owned PhoLicious

Earlier than devouring my favourite banh mi within the state, please pause and really admire its magnificence.

Look at it from the aspect, and spot how the various sliced forms of meat — ham, head cheese, pork roll and roast pork — are proportioned so precisely that you just’re contractually assured a style of every with each chew. Then spot the shock of inexperienced from the contemporary cilantro, cucumber and jalapeño, together with a pop of orange from the pickled carrots.

Choose it up. Hear because the tiniest squeeze of the bread triggers hundreds of tiny crackles. Lastly, take a chew, and marvel at how the crispy bread offers solution to a lightweight and fluffy inside that comfortably cradles the parts, together with those you couldn’t see earlier than, just like the creamy liver paté and dashes of funky fish sauce.

I’m not the primary to wax poetic about Pholicious’s banh mi. Steve Dolinsky’s identify is already plastered on the menu with a glowing advice. However that doesn’t make the sandwich’s success any much less spectacular, particularly once you be taught that is Jon and Jeine Tran’s first restaurant.

Each have been born in Vietnam earlier than their households moved to totally different western Chicago suburbs. “I met her as soon as once I was youthful, however we didn’t discuss a lot,” Jon Tran stated. “However we met once more in 2009 and 2010, and three youngsters later, right here we’re.”

Whereas they have been constructing their household, Tran stated they abruptly additionally felt the urge to open their very own restaurant. “She’s an excellent chef,” Tran stated of his spouse. That’s despite the fact that, as Jon Tran admits, neither had labored in a restaurant earlier than they usually didn’t know the place to begin.

First, they traveled. “We visited quite a lot of locations with massive Vietnamese communities, like Texas, California and Australia, earlier than going again to Vietnam,” Tran stated. “Then we might go residence to our kitchen and attempt to determine it out.”

This helps to elucidate why the banh mi bread is so astonishing. Based on Tran, they spent two years testing out the recipe. “Solely a handful of Vietnamese eating places make their very own bread,” Tran stated. “It took years for us to get that flaky, fluffy texture on the within, whereas additionally a crispy exterior.”

After seven years of analysis and planning, the 2 lastly felt able to open up Pholicious in a strip mall in suburban Bloomingdale. They thought they’d all the things found out. The one downside turned out to be the opening date of Feb. 24, 2020. Inside weeks, the pandemic fully upended the whole restaurant business, they usually needed to shut their eating room and work out hold their fledgling enterprise alive.

“It was tragic for us,” Tran stated. “At first, we misplaced quite a lot of confidence and perception in ourselves. However we arrange curbside pickup and did some promoting. Fortunately folks stored ordering. Now we really feel like nothing can break us.”

Confidence exudes from the prolonged menu. Whereas the banh mi is unstoppable, the pho isn’t far behind. The second the bowl hits the desk, waves of spices equivalent to star anise and cinnamon waft round, tempting you to dig in. As soon as once more, Tran has a easy clarification for why the meat broth is so good. “There’s nothing arduous about it, it simply takes time,” Tran stated. “It takes over 16 hours to make the broth. And we use quite a lot of beef.”

Whereas the pho bac, which brims with sliced ribeye, brisket, meatballs and tripe, would arise proudly to any pho on within the metropolis, it’s the quick rib pho that floored me. The bowl arrives with a titanic bone set within the center. Whereas spectacular trying, it’s additionally lined in loads of supremely tender short-rib meat that shreds into tender strands on the slightest contact. High with a handful of contemporary basil and bean sprouts, with possibly a slice or two of jalapeño, and you’ve got the most effective bowls of pho in Chicagoland.

With phenomenal variations of each banh mi and pho, the Trans may have rested simply, but the menu has six pages of dishes and drinks. This proved an excessive amount of to knock out in two or three visits, although I can vouch for the crackly cha gio, the Vietnamese egg rolls stuffed with pork and greens. And whereas a contact candy for me, the bubble teas are properly made.

Although Pholicious is technically preparing for its three-year anniversary, it’s clear the house owners aren’t resting. Whereas largely targeted on conventional Vietnamese recipes, the 2 are beginning to get extra inventive. “We’ve our basis, however we like so as to add issues,” Tran stated. “So we’ve got a lobster banh mi and smooth shell crab salad. We’re by no means going to cease developing with new concepts.” In addition they have a “secret” menu, which you will discover all about by following them on social media.

Whereas there’s little question the Trans deserve credit score for his or her perseverance, Jon Tran is obvious the continued success of Pholicious is dependent upon the area people. “That was the factor retaining us standing,” Tran stated. “Our prospects have been superb to us. It’s a blessing.”

nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com

369 W. Military Path Street, Ste. 24, Bloomingdale

630-283-0955

pholiciouskitchen.com

Tribune score: Between superb and wonderful, 2½ stars

Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to eight p.m.; closed Monday

Costs: Starters, $6.50-$14; entrees, $15-$25

Noise: Dialog pleasant

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible, lavatory on first ground

Rankings key: 4 stars, excellent; three stars, wonderful; two stars, superb; one star, good; no stars, unsatisfactory. Meals are paid for by the Tribune.

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