I've driven past Pho Thai East on 10th Street more times than I can count — it sits in that stretch east of Cliff where the strip malls give way to car dealerships and the kind of places you only notice when you're actually looking. The first time I went in, I wasn't sure what to expect from a restaurant doing both Vietnamese and Thai under one roof, but that's exactly what makes it work.
The menu sprawls in the best way — pho with proper star anise-heavy broth that fills the dining room with steam, pad thai that doesn't skimp on tamarind, curries that land somewhere between sweet and fire. I've seen families come in speaking Khmer and Karen, which tells you more about authenticity than any Yelp review could. The spring rolls arrive tight and fresh, the basil still bright green, and the peanut sauce tastes like someone's grandmother is back there crushing peanuts by hand.
It's not trying to be Phillips Avenue. The space is functional — tables, chairs, a modest counter where you pick up takeout orders. The lighting is bright, maybe too bright, but I think that's the point. This is a place where the food does the talking, not the Edison bulbs or reclaimed wood.
I go for the bun — vermicelli bowls piled with grilled pork or lemongrass chicken, lettuce and mint and enough fish sauce to make everything sing. My one honest complaint is the wait can stretch when they're busy, and busy seems to be most nights now. The kitchen doesn't rush, which I respect, but if you're on a lunch break from one of the offices near 41st, factor that in.
What I keep coming back to is this — Pho Thai East fills a specific need in Sioux Falls, and it does it without fuss. Real food, fair prices, no performance.
— Grace
The lighting is bright, maybe too bright, but I think that's the point.