Meh. I've experienced better.\n\nHere lies my meager attempt to find some good pho. I can't go too long without some, and strangely enough, it seems to be a rarity near me. They seem to specialize in Chinese food, but all I was interested in was the Vietnamese.\n\nHard to screw up pho for me. All it needs is the right ingredients and just take a hot minute to get to me. I'll probably blame the usual clientele for the limited pho selection, but I have also seen worse. This is the first time I've seen tendon pho all by itself; usually it's along side tripe and other meats. This could have been very disappointing as I don't typically see a lot of tendon in pho, but no, they were generous here. On the other hand, for an establishment that prides itself on fresh ingredients (even says so on the menu), their condiments were far from such. The lime, basil, and sprouts looked far older than I cared to guess. I drowned them in the hot broth before I decided they might be unappetizing -- except the sprouts as they were just too far gone. Maybe if they hadn't called so much attention to their ingredients, I would have been more lenient. Noodles and broth were sufficient in quantity and quality.\n\nHere's a little story: I had a tad too much sun earlier that day and was quite burnt. I know: strange that I would want hot pho after being sunburnt, but I just had to have it. They had the plus of being an all Asian staff; I almost prefer it when there was a language barrier to overcome -- typically a sign of authenticity. And I found some of that with the waitress. Now there was one exchange that I just wasn't understanding, but after a bit of back-and-forth, turns out she was asking me if I was drunk because of my red face. While funny at the moment, it sadly once again made me think of what kind of clientele they have to put up with to require that kind of question. At least she was nice about it. Another interesting note was the television had a soccer game on in Spanish. This was a first for me in an Asian establishment, and I'll have to be forgiven for asking about it. Turns out the owner himself likes it and speaks it. Supposedly the regulars expect nothing less. It was these experiences more than the pho that might make me return.
places reviews