The Argus Editorial Board recently made the trek down to Pho Mai, a small Vietnamese restaurant on the far-end of Main Street. Although known for its pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup made in a beef broth, the editors taste tested a variety of the dishes. Here’s what we had to say:

Jae Aron (Features Editor): First let me say that aesthetically, the restaurant is nothing to write home about. The floors are stained, the walls are bare, and the tables and chairs are unstable. But if you can get past the ambiance in time for the appetizers to be served, then you’re in for a scrumptious meal. Gabe and I shared the vegetarian eggrolls to start, which in my opinion was an extremely good call (though maybe anything would have been). There were two sauces to choose from—one peanut-based, the other sweet—but I preferred the second. For the main course, I ordered a vegetarian dish; I won’t even attempt to pronounce the name, but it was made with tofu, vegetables, ginger and spices. Though more spicy than I had expected, this did not detract from my very positive experience. And while I have been told that being a vegetarian, I missed out by not getting the pho, I left the simple and unassuming restaurant very full AND without a huge hole in my pockets. (5 stars)

Gabe Lezra (Arts Editor): Pho Mai is a wonderfully run-down, beaten-up restaurant—the type of place where you know the food is going to be just wonderful from the start. There are some major inconveniences with this atmosphere, especially that I couldn’t pay with cash, and as a person who—like the American economy—runs on loan credit, this is pretty serious. But, as expected, the food was glorious, and the portions magnificent. I ordered the shrimp and bean sprout Vietnamese crepe, and while I had no idea how to eat it, this proved to be no obstacle to my enjoying the explosion of flavors and textures. Despite having to find a way to get cash, the meal I (eventually) devoured was extremely tasty and satisfying. (4.5 stars)

Suzanna Hirsch (Managing Editor): Although you could easily walk right by Pho Mai on your way down Main Street without even noticing its existence, once you give it a try you won’t be able to pass it again without stopping in. The restaurant is small and comfortable—and it’s always filled with the perfect mix of Wesleyan students and cute Middletown families. Even though there are a wide variety of vegetarian options, I can never convince myself to order anything but the first dish I tried: a simple vegetarian version of their pho soup with tofu. The waiters kindly asked our table whether we had ever eaten at the restaurant before and then gave us recommendations about what sauces would go well with various soups (plum and hot sauce for mine). I also ordered Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk. My friend noted that it tasted exactly like melted coffee ice cream, which I had to admit was true—but who doesn’t love coffee ice cream? Overall, Pho Mai is simple, delicious and a great Main Street find. (5 stars)

Alison Cies (News Editor): This simple, cozy restaurant, which is located right next door to Iguanas Ranas, offers an array of Vietnamese food to choose from. To start out the meal, I ordered salty lemonade, which sounded strange but tasted surprisingly good. The food came shortly thereafter—for the main course, I ordered a Vietnamese crepe, which had bean sprouts and chicken wrapped inside. The food is very tasty and filling, and includes many sauces to sample with the order. The restaurant’s main drawback is that it’s cash only, so prepare ahead. (4 stars)