On a cold winter day, the craving for hot comfort in a bowl makes a person do strange things. It found me driving to a kind of shady part of Mesa, while braving the cold winds in search of a perfect bowl of phò.

My new holy grail of Vietnamese restaurants is Phú Thành, located in a rundown strip mall on Southern and Extension. A good Vietnamese restaurant is usually kind of old, slightly dingy and super cheap, and in this case all the basics were met and exceeded.

Phú Thành is a no-frills kind of place. Inside it screams for a makeover. Though clearly from another era, it is clean and functional. The service is friendly and the kitchen is fast.

There might be a slight familiarity here the owners of Phú Thành and my favorite central Vietnamese joint Da Vàng are brothers. The menus of the two places are almost identical, and they offer a lot.

The No. 50 Chà Giò ($2) is what good Vietnamese cooking is all about. Two golden-brown, crunchy egg rolls filled with shrimp and pork are hands on and interactive. Served with a plate of lettuce leaves and herbs, you wrap the egg roll in lettuce and garnish with mint and cilantro, then dunk them into the house-made n?òc châm, a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. The fresh lettuce and herbs cut through the richness of the egg roll, which on its own might be slightly oily.

Applying the same hands-on approach, the No. 54 Bánh Xèo ($3.95) replaces the rolls with a pan-fried rice flour crepe. The exterior is slightly crispy, while the soft interior is filled with shrimp and bean sprouts. Of all the Bánh Xèo I've tried, this version is by far my favorite. It's full of flavor and texture.

Phó (pronounced like the bad word) is not only fun to say, but fun to eat. Eight versions of the noodle soup are offered, from traditional beef to chicken. Pay attention to the menu description when ordering since you might wind up with unfamiliar cuts of meat.

I'm adventurous and love the textures of beef tendon and tripe, so I was in heaven when my steaming bowl of No. 1 Phò Phú Thành ($4.95) arrived. The broth was incredibly fragrant with clove and star anise. This really should be made into an air freshener.

Along with the condiments at the table, the soup comes with a plateful of basil and bean sprouts. But also include limes and chilis to add texture, flavor and depth to your pho experience.

For something hearty and comforting, the No. 7 Mì Bò Kho ($4.75) is a bowl of chewy egg noodles filled with a beef stew. Tender pieces of stewed carrots and beef grace the rich and complex flavors of the dark and tasty brew.

If you're carbohydrate loading, order a slab of French bread to absorb all of the bone-warming elixir at the bottom of the bowl.

For food like this, a little shady is worth the drive.