I personally witnessed bean shoots that were left over on the plate from a previous customer being tipped back into a trough of bean shoots ready to be served ‘fresh’ to new customers. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!

It is sad to suggest this, but maybe people should start tipping all uneaten bean shoots into their bowl after eating – hopefully this will make it obvious if they try to serve them tp somebody else.

There are a whole host of diseases that could be spread via this malpractice.

HEALTH INSPECTORS : Most Pho houses are hygenic, some are cess-pits. Please inspect them and take appropriate measures, before somebody becomes seriously unwell.

Unfortunately their issues with food hygene are not surprising – I would strongly suggest that the inspectors visit them again – I was there with friends (but did not eat!!) recently, and clearly observed dirt, poor food handling and a musty smell that pervades the area nearest the kitchen.

I don’t want to detract from what I am saying by trying to promote another Pho resteurant, so I will not name the places where I prefer to get Pho, but they are alreaedy mentioned and praised on this site.

What really sucks are times when I’ve tried to introduce a friend to Pho – only to find out that they’ve been to Mekong, and are now totally against the idea of t\rying Pho again. To quote one of them “I’d rather throw some cheap sliced meat into some Maggi Instant Noodles”.

I’m so grateful that there are other places in Melbourne, where I can get consistently fantastic Pho! All the places I have visited are already reviewed here.

-Everything in the store was filthy – from the chopsticks to the toilet.

-The Pho itself was just terrible. Tasted like plain water over a bowl full of noodles. There was absolutely no flavour. The beef smelled like old meat that’s gone off and made me dry-wretch.

Never will I return. For lack of better options in the Melbourne CBD for good quality Pho, I think Mekong keeps on attracting people that just don’t know any better. There are plenty of good Pho joints around Melbourne, Mekong is not one I would recommend.

WARNING: Some joints may be recycling the beanshoots and basil that comes out with the Pho…

thought you might find this an interesting read.

Filth, bugs cost city restaurant owner $10,000

A leading member of Melbourne’s Chinese community has been fined $10,000 after his 12-year-old restaurant was closed in a state of “terrible” uncleanliness.

Mont Albert company director Yin Yam’s son and sole shareholder Wing Lam was also fined $10,000 and the company that runs the Swanston Street venue $20,000.

The three defendants, who were not convicted, were charged by the City of Melbourne after they voluntarily closed down the Pho Bo Ga Mekong restaurant on May 9 this year to get pest controllers in.

Melbourne Magistrates Court heard yesterday that a council environmental health officer seized items that included live and dead cockroaches and damaged or dirty equipment.

Mr Hannan said the restaurant, which reopened with council permission on May 11, had been in a “terrible” state but was now in a satisfactory condition.

The defendants pleaded guilty to four charges each that included failing to store food to protect it from likely contamination and failing to maintain food premises to a standard of cleanliness.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/filth-bugs-cost-city-restaurant-owner-10000-20081218-71lv.html