Pho-bruary continues! I had pho here tonight and I felt like someone beat me up--this time, I mean this in a bad way. I went up against a large bowl of the noodle soup and I could not finish it. I felt defeated.
The Pho-ndamentals
Pho Tai Gan (rare beef and beef tendon); large = $7.25 (no medium size on the menu but the portion is the same as the "medium" at Pho Pasteur)
Broth: Hearty, laced with rich flecks of oil BUT the smell and lingering aftertaste of the spices (star anise?) was bitter, almost medicinal--the way chai gets when it's over brewed. It totally ruined the broth for me the way too much bad cologne can make you lose your appetite for a good-looking guy.
Beef: Completely submerged in the broth so the slices were overcooked and dry by the time my bowl arrived at the table; a travesty.
Tendon: chunky globs that were a little too firm in the middle for my taste
Noodles: dried, i.e., not fresh noodles; unfortunately, the noodles were so skinny they got overcooked in the hot broth towards the end. I prefer wider noodles for this reason.
Garnishes: the basil and saw leaf were blackened around the edges
Condiments: I'm pretty sure that the sriracha in the squeeze bottle was not my beloved green-capped "Rooster" sauce but some inferior hot sauce. This is akin to foregoing Heinz for some lesser brand of ketchup. Outrageous.
Service: The place is run by a young, possibly teenaged girl and her MILF mother. Both are silent but efficient.
Other: Much nicer decor than the usual pho joints; they were playing 80s new wave music and "Deal or No Deal" on their 54-inch flat-screen TV. I never understood the appeal of this show; it rewards people for taking chances based on nothing but blind luck? Well, I took a chance on Pho My Duyen and I'm sorry to say, "No deal."
2 stars