Pacific Cafe
Vietnamese/Thai
10876-97 Street
(780) 462-1270

Pacific Cafe had been sitting closed and empty for a long time, until it was given new life by Nhan and her family. Nhan is an energetic woman who is involved in the revitalization process going on in the McCauley Area, where the restaurant is located. In addition to being a restaurant, Pacific Cafe is also a cooking school and runs a catering service.

I first met Nhan at one of the McCauley Connects Coffeehouses. Her cooking students provided the free snacks that were available for guests. When the Coffeehouse was searching for a new home, Nhan suggested her restaurant as a possible location.

Taking her up on her invitation, myself and fellow Coffeehouse organizer David Prodan (also known as the Programming Manager for McCauley Apartment) headed to Pacific Cafe for lunch. We were immediately impressed with the intimate setting, which has a very artistic atmosphere. In fact, Nhan’s own sculptures can be seen on the walls and in other locations in the dining room. Although the dining area is small, it is well laid out with tables of different shapes and sizes and even if it was full, it would not seem overly crowded.

The menu is small but has a lot of variety. There are appetizers, soups, salads, and noodle dishes from Vietnamese and Thai traditions, with Nhan’s unique take on them. We started our meal with spring rolls filled with chicken, taro root, and other vegetables. They were very flavourful and definitely stood out.

I’ve had many a bowl of pho since working near the Chinatown area, and it takes a lot to impress me at this point. Nhan’s pho was set apart.

David had heard that Nhan makes excellent pho, and both of us being pho lovers, we both ordered the Vietnamese noodle soup as our main dish. When our bowls were brought to us by Nhan’s daughter, she said we should “prepare to begin our pho addiction.”

She wasn’t kidding. I’ve had many a bowl of pho since working near the Chinatown area, and it takes a lot to impress me at this point. Nhan’s pho was set apart. The broth was flavoured in a way that was strong but had subtle layers of seasoning. The meat was slicked slightly thicker than in other places, and was also well-seasoned. This was also the first time I have seen red onion in pho. When I made my way towards the bottom of the bowl, I wished there was more. David was equally enthusiastic, and we both plan on becoming regulars.

Prices are reasonable for the high quality meals and it is cash only at the moment. Service is very friendly and the atmosphere is incredible. We are looking forward to holding our coffeehouses at Pacific Cafe and bringing in more customers to discover the flavourful wonders that lie within.