OMG Pho, Great New Vietnamese Restaurant Near Target: Ferak

SHOREWOOD, IL — There are many fine locally-run restaurants in the Joliet, Plainfield and Shorewood area, but very few are Vietnamese. That's unfortunate because so many people love great-tasting, authentic Vietnamese food. But I have some positive news to share. The cupboard is not bare. A classy new Vietnamese restaurant with an awesome name, OMG Pho, opened in late March next to the Nothing Bundt Cakes, near the Target store on Route 59 in Shorewood.

My wife noticed this new restaurant a few weeks ago and brought it to my attention. I showed up on Wednesday for lunch and met the staff and the owner. This food I tried was excellent. Prices are incredibly reasonable and the inside of the restaurant looks fabulous.

Mark my word: OMG Pho is going to do well. It's an ideal place to go for a business lunch or for a dinner date.

Owner Victoria Tran told me that her family also owns two other suburban Chicago restaurants, Pho Ha in Glendale Heights and Green Basil, located on East Jefferson Street in downtown Naperville.

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"This is family owned so a lot of things we make from scratch; meatballs and sauces we make," Tran told me. "We make our own sausage."

If you drive up and down Route 59, there are a plethora of restaurants serving pizzas and hamburgers, but when it comes to sit-down Vietnamese dining, OMG Pho is the only one, Tran told me. That's one reason she chose to open the restaurant in Shorewood, and it seems like a smart decision. Since March, business has been good.

"I just think that we busy because a lot of people on Facebook say nice things," she said. "We get people from out of town, not in Shorewood, but close by. They're craving for something different, something healthy."

I tried OMG Pho's egg rolls and spring rolls. Between the two, the spring rolls were my favorite. I loved the minty taste, and these dipping sauces were amazing.

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For lunch, I went with one of their most popular appetizers. And folks, it's a big appetizer:

"Crispy, sizzling Vietnamese crepes with shrimp and pork."

On the menu, it is listed as A5 under Banh Xeo, and it costs $10.

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Afterward, I asked Tran, the owner, to highlight some of the menu selections that have been crowd favorites since OMG Pho opened here two months ago. Besides, the two tasty items I had from the appetizer menu, she also suggested the following:

• Pho (Noodles): PHO DAC BIET (P3), $12. According to the menu description, it's "OMG special beef soup with sliced beef, flank, brisket, tendon and tripe."
• Com (Rice Dishes): COM BO LUC LAC (C2), SA TE (C4) and COM CHIEN BO LUC LAC (C5), which you can see below.

At the moment, there is not one item on the OMG Pho menu that costs more than $15. All the appetizers are between $5 and $10.

The Vietnamese crapes I had were outstanding. I don't believe I have ever eaten something like this before, certainly not around Joliet, Plainfield or Shorewood. I would absolutely recommend the spring rolls, too. They're filled with shrimp, pork and vegetables.

OMG Pho is located at 201 Vertin Boulevard, Shorewood. The restaurant does carryout and dine-in. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It's closed on Monday. The restaurant's phone number is 815-733-6630.

If you are in the mood for something outside of your food comfort zone, I would strongly suggest giving OMG Pho a try. I think you're going to like it, too.