Q1 Le Pho located at 1480 Major Mackenzie Dr E, Unit C2 in Richmond Hill

January 18, 2020:  Lunch time, and I was famished!  My specific craving was a big hot bowl of Vietnamese pho, so we decided to check out Q1 Le Pho (1480 Major Mackenzie Dr E, Unit C2) at the Leslie Centre on Major Mac and Leslie in Richmond Hill.

Despite being a snowy Saturday, there were a decent number of customers inside the spacious restaurant.  I especially noticed a lot of families with young children were the main patrons.  It was definitely a family friendly restaurant with very spacious seating and a comfortable vibe.  Q1 Le Pho was designed with a modern flair with warm undertones, two TVs, and decorated with lots of South Asian or Thai themed sculptures and paintings.  I remember marvelling at their extensive collection of artwork.

Interior of the restaurant from my seat

The left side view of my seat

Their menu contained a vast array of Vietnamese and Thai dishes like beef noodle soups, chicken noodle soups, vermicelli bowls, Thai curry, rice and fried rice, appetizers, and beverages.

Menu cover

Menu page 1

Menu page 2

Menu page 3

Menu page 4

Menu page 5

P1. Q1 House Special Beef Rice Noodle Soup (regular). $11.99

Our food orders arrived really quickly after ordering (about 5 minutes’ wait), which I was appreciative of considering how hungry I felt at the time.

The regular size of the Q1 House Special Beef Rice Noodle Soup was decent with the standard beef balls, raw beef, beef tripe, bean sprouts, and beef broth.  I had chosen fresh rice noodles with my order (as opposed to the dry ones).  The bowl of beef rice noodle soup was not bad and definitely satisfied my craving.

Fresh rice noodles

If I remember correctly, Ken ordered the Minced Shrimp Tofu Wraps with Spring Rolls Vermicelli Bowl.  From what I remember, it was pretty good.  Shrimp tofu wraps are always a solid choice.

M3. Minced Shrimp Tofu Wraps with Spring Rolls Vermicelli Bowl. $11.99

While our visit was comfortable and the food was decent, I thought that their items were priced higher than most Vietnamese restaurants (most regular bowls of pho cost less than $10 but here, the price was $12) (it’s also the reason why I refrained from ordering an appetizer even though I wanted to — the appetizers ranged from $7 to $14).  It’s too bad as this Vietnamese restaurant is relatively close to me and it would be convenient to return for more meals, but it’s not worth it to dine in often if the prices are so inflated.

Storefront