FOR years, the Surfside Seafood House shouldered the approach to the Lions Gate Bridge, distinguishable at night by the flickering tiki torches that bookended its sign.

It was a special-occasion restaurant for my family: we went there on birthdays to feast on steak and seafood, and be dazzled by flaming desserts.

Mind you, I was very small, and I usually fell asleep at the table, so my memory of it might be foggy. But I do know that the low-slung, cosy room, paneled with wood and rock held a special appeal for me. Much later, I recognized the kitschy, angular style when I visited Honolulu for the first time:'60s tropical design is all over Hawaii's busiest city -- but it was unique to the Surfside on the North Shore.

It was disheartening to see it slide into disrepair and ignominy in the years since. As a Vietnamese restaurant specializing in pho (beef noodle soup) it was outshone by the neighbouring Denny's; the building's barren parking lot sprouted weeds and its grubby interior became little more than a battered portal to the past.

It's making a comeback.

Mind you, it's a very quiet, subdued sort of comeback. Under new ownership, it is, once again, a Vietnamese restaurant specializing in pho. But the walls have a fresh coat of clean, pale-green paint and the floors, though still uneven, are covered in new carpet.

It made my heart glad to see the spark of life in the old building when I slipped into Pho Japolo for a solo weekday lunch. And it made my tastebuds glad when I sampled the food: fresh, tasty and cheap.

The pho ($6.95 for small/$7.65 for large) is offered in four categories -- which makes it easier for the uninitiated to navigate the often-unnerving list of potential ingredients. Soup "For the Beginners" can be made with eye round or flank steak, beef ball or chicken; "Just the Regular" offers the steak options, plus a taste of flavourful fatty brisket, soft (and chewy) tendon or tripe (stomach); and "The Adventurer's Choice" gives you more of those traditional ingredients.

My own beginner pho came loaded with slippery noodles, beef balls and steak, and I heaped on crunchy bean sprouts, aromatic basil leaves and a spoonful of hot chili sauce for some sizzle. Half the fun of pho is customizing your dish; the other half is slurping down a savoury, good-for-you meal.

Also on the menu: Vietnamese subs, or bahn mi ($4.25). I love the unexpected flavours and textures of this cross between eastern and western food. A chewy-crusted baguette is stacked with saucy roasted meat, crunchy veggies and cilantro. I sampled one with tangy shredded chicken, but other varieties include pork, ham and omelette.

There is plenty on the list that I have yet to try, but I plan to: egg noodle and seafood soups, beef stew, rice plates and vermicelli bowls. I don't know if prices are higher at dinnertime, but most lunch items top out at $8.

Despite a late-lunch rush, my server did it all and still kept up admirably; cleaning and wiping tables, seating customers, taking orders and delivering food and drinks. It's no easy feat, yet it seemed most tables were in and out in under an hour -- a perfect workday lunch.

I'm hoping this marks a new lease on life for a quirky little piece of North Shore history.

Pho Japolo is located at 2070 Marine Dr., North Vancouver. Call 604-985-3993 for information.

North Shore News dining reviews are conducted anonymously.