A robot will serve your phorrito now. Modesto’s Pho Mex restaurant blends cuisines, tech
Welcome to the future where robots serve you pho burritos, burgers on noodle buns, and a whole lot of other tasty fusion food at Modesto’s new Pho Mex Tea Bar, Noodle & Grill.
The Vietnamese-Mexican restaurant has opened in the former Fuddruckers space, in the Walmart Supercenter shopping complex on McHenry Avenue. The brainchild of experienced restaurateur Tina Tien, Pho Mex offers traditional Vietnamese food as well as fusion dishes, tea and specialty drinks and some Mexican favorites.
“Working in restaurants you work with a lot of Mexican people, and they also love Vietnamese food,” Tien said. “So I came up with a twist. I always love making fusion dishes and to mix things up. So this was a way to challenge myself and bring something new (to Modesto).”
Oh, and did I mention the robots? The restaurant has two high-tech servers who roll out with your food, a smile and cute cat ears to boot.
Pho Mex is Tien’s eighth restaurant. The Saigon native has opened seven others in the San Jose area in the past decade; she has since sold them. Her new Modesto location doubles the size of her previous largest spot, at 6,700-square-feet, with a private party room and seating for more than 180 people.
She said she made the decision to move her business to Modesto after being shown the empty Fuddruckers space, which closed during the first year of the pandemic. She said she loved its open kitchen, which allows customers to see their food being prepared, and its location in the busy shopping center.
Animated server robots bring fusion fare straight to your table
To transform the build-your-own-burger chain’s space, Tien kept the restaurant’s layout and bones, but completely redid its decor. You’ll find colorful faux foliage and flowers hanging from walls, rice hats festooning the ceiling and an eclectic mix of other decorations filling the large space.
The restaurant has been in a soft open phase for several weeks as the staff gets trained and they tweak the menu to match the community’s taste. It will celebrate its grand opening Wednesday, June 29, with discounts for customers.
Tien said even though they’ve opened slowly, they already have some regulars. And customers, especially young customers (or the young at heart), have delighted in their adorable server robots. The rolling tray machines have been programmed, one for dry dishes and one for soups. They also have a digital screen with an animated cat-like face that offers cheerful greetings as the food arrives at your table.
But don’t worry, Pho Mex has plenty of human staff, too. The restaurant has about 18 employees, and customers can order at the front or in the dining room. The restaurant’s banquet room — which has its own sound system, lounge area and tables — can be booked for special events. They also do catering for private parties.
Still, for all its bells and whistles, the food is the main event at Pho Mex. The restaurant makes its own pho broth in a 90-gallon drum served with beef, oxtail or chicken. Its large menu has a host of traditional Vietnamese favorites, including a variety of spring rolls, banh-mi sandwiches and rice plates.
Menu offers Vietnamese favorites, others with Mexican twist
But it’s the fusion fare that helps Pho Mex really shine. Among its standouts is the phorrito, a tortilla filled with pho rice noodles, chopped beef, bean sprouts, onions, basil and served with a pho broth reduction (for $9.95). The result is a savory flavor bomb in an easy-to-eat package.
Other fusion specialties include the pho burger, a beef patty with fixings served on a “bun” made of fried pho noodles (for $12.95), and the Pho Mex Tacos, a plate of three pork, chicken, beef or shrimp tacos topped with cilantro, onions, scallion oil, crushed peanuts and special sauce (for $12.95 to $14.95).
And, if you’re looking for the ultimate Instagram-able dish, consider the Jurassic Volcano Noodles which, true to its name, seems like something Fred Flintstone might have enjoyed. The dish is served inside and outside of its original paper noodle cup and topped with an absolutely prehistoric looking beef rib (for $17.95).
Pho Mex has a full beer and wine menu, and can make a number of wine-based cocktails as well. For non-alcoholic fans the restaurant has a wide assortment of caffeinated or caffeine-free iced and blended drinks, many with fresh fruit and others with boba. They even make a small handful of desserts that includes a fried banana that comes flaming to your table.
Tien said if things go well after the grand opening they hope to add more server robots as way to help the human staff. These machines can’t get burned by hot soup, after all. Who knew the robot revolution would be this tasty.
Pho Mex, at 3848 McHenry Ave. Suite 410 in Modesto, is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For more information call 209-622-0978 or visit phomex.co and follow them at www.instagram.com/phomexmodesto.
This story was originally published June 27, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
