For seven years, Pho Viet Nam on Upton Street has been one of Toledo’s hidden culinary gems, adored by those who know it and worth discovering by those who don’t.

It’s easy to miss the unassuming brick structure with a long red porch. There’s a rusty sign on one outside wall for a chicken joint it was once paired with, but now it largely specializes in one thing: pho (pronounced fuh), the rich, soupy broth endemic to Vietnamese culture.

This isn’t a flashy place; the interior has that faded Formica feel of the early ’70s. And on our first visits in three years we found that as many people order take out here as dine in, probably many more.

It’s a mom-and-pop operation as far as we can tell, with the two owners alternately waiting on customers and cooking. That bodes well for freshly made food, even though dine-in wait times can run up to 20 minutes.

MENU: Pho Viet Nam

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We started with Goi Cuon Chay ($4), spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce. The expertly made logs of rice paper are wrapped around a veritable market of fresh vegetables, including peppers, carrots, and cucumber.

A second appetizer of calamari ($8) also hit the spot. The squid was amazingly fresh, although the batter coating was so lightly fried it fell apart at first bite.

On the first of two visits we opted to explore the restaurant’s specialty. A dining companion ordered the pho Tai Bo Vien ($9.50), which comes with rare steak and meatballs. The soup is served with fresh bean sprouts, basil leaves, jalapeños, and lime slices on the side. Overall, it was very good, with the pinkish beef swimming in broth. Hot and hoisin sauce on the side offered heat customization, but the meatballs were rubbery.

A second pho, Hu Tieu ($9.50), proved equally filling, though here again the pork and shrimp mixed with the noodles comes swimming in a fairly neutral broth. It’s up to the diner to decide how much kick he or she wants to add to the dish.

Not everyone likes soups, of course, so there are plenty of traditional noodle dishes on tap.

The Mi Xao Tom Hay Do Bien ($10.95) is a congress of aromas and flavors. In English, it’s an egg noodle stir fry that can be ordered with shrimp or a mixture of seafood. My lunch companion opted for the seafood, which included shrimp, scallops, and calamari embedded in a healthy portion of noodles.

The sweet smell of basil was the first thing to rise over the steamy dish, which was as well-presented as it was delicious. Mixed in was an assortment of vegetables, including broccoli, spinach, and carrots.

The only criticism of this dish (which my lunch companion used to join the “clean plate club”) was the two pieces of obviously imitation crabmeat. It wasn’t a deal-killer, but they definitely knocked it down a few points for those who take the term “seafood” literally.

For those who prefer noodles and meat without an ocean of broth, I recommend Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio ($9.95), a large bowl of warm rice vermicelli, bean sprouts, and sweet basil studded with chunks of pork and the occasional shrimp. It comes with a side of fish sauce that, contrary to its moniker, has a sweet-sour tang that kickstarts the flavors. The pork was a tad dry, but the other ingredients worked beautifully together.

Curiously, you can get a cheeseburger or hamburger at Pho Viet Nam, but not the traditional Vietnamese banh mi sandwich. Perhaps it’s a nod to the American love of tradition. I remember going to Chinese restaurants with my parents as a child and insisting on a cheeseburger.

While we’ve focused on meat dishes here, rest assured the menu offers plenty for the vegetarian palate.

Vietnamese food is much lighter than Chinese and avoids the aggressive spiciness of Thai or Indian. That said, it stays well within most culinary comfort zones. Whether you’re a connoisseur or a newcomer, Pho Viet Nam is a smart place to start.

Contact Bill of Fare at: fare@theblade.com.

First Published December 8, 2016, 5:00 a.m.