The clean interior of Pho Saigon in Pearland. Image: Rebekah Kibodeaux

The Pho Saigon family welcomed a new, fresh-faced addition this week with the soft opening of its highly anticipated Shadow Creek Ranch location. The long celebrated, Houston-born chain of Vietnamese noodle houses promised a Pearland restaurant late last year, and fans of the original Midtown location will be pleased to hear that this iteration (the seventh in total) is bound to mature into the Pho Saigon we know and love, just a little closer to home for those for us living further south.

The Pearland location of Pho Saigon has its most contemporary exterior, beckoning you to the newly constructed strip center, while the interior provides a relaxed, minimalist atmosphere with white honey-comb-patterned walls and high ceilings—perfect for enjoying a steaming bowl of Houston’s favorite comfort food. It's smartly designed to cater to both breezy early afternoon crowds and bustling dinner rushes, exhibiting the experience of those in management.

The pho itself is just as you’d long for, with its signature aroma and depth of flavor, while the eye round steak and lean meat combination I ordered was just as perfectly cooked as the many bowls served and devoured back in Midtown. If you’re a roll fan, both the Vietnamese egg rolls and fresh spring rolls will curb that craving for a quick bite before the main course.

A steaming bowl of pho always does the trick. Image: Rebekah Kibodeaux

Expect to find all of the required accoutrements on the table before you, and the cafe da to be delightfully strong.

For a visit only six hours into their very first service, the staff of Pho Saigon Pearland was certainly impressive. With some expected, minor fumbling while working the unfamiliar register and taking orders, everyone had a smile on their face and an optimistic vibe. And they should, because with a shortage of such quality Vietnamese cuisine in the area I expect they’ll see lots of happy customers exiting their establishment with full bellies for the foreseeable future.