Call me traditional, but I just don't like these square/rectangular bowl! What's wrong with these people?
Would never use it in my restaurant. It's pretentious fanciness, styling and fake elegance that is not pho, aside from the fact that it's difficult to eat out of square bowl!
This may look nice for fine dining or maybe in some trendy/modern places, but only for certain dishes. I doubt this would work to serve even Western style soups. Personally, I think the straight sides are just too narrow, and the corners make things spread out too wide when you use both hands for chopsticks and spoon. Round bowls are perfect.
Had pho a few years back in a restaurant using square bowls and that was my last time eating there. Pho was ok and I'm fine with ok pho if there's not much alternative around, but square bowl experience was just weird.
Personally I do not like to eat pho out of square bowls. Likewise it would not have a place in my restaurant either. Professionally though, it's up to the owner to decide, although as a consultant I always explain to operators that unless their brand calls for such shape, I'd stay away from it.
