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| - This is my favorite pho place in Vegas! I'm from Hawaii where I'd eat pho maybe once a week..... okay, fine. I'd eat pho at least twice a week. It was my favorite food for a couple of years and I was fixated on it. During that time, I tried a lot of different places and acquired a taste for what I like.
Pho is beautiful like that. While I believe there are objectively bad places, there is certainly no "best". It just depends on what you like, how your taste buds prefer things before it goes down.
Pho Saigon 8 is that perfect balance for me here in Vegas and I'll tell you why:
The broth! Amazing- perfectly balanced to me. Not too much anise, not too much cinnamon, not too dark, not too light, not too greasy, but just greasy enough to be comforting. I always order my meat on the side because when it comes in the broth is always gets overcooked. First I squeeze some lemon/lime on it, then into the bowl it goes piece by piece as I'm ready to eat it, but remember to add the rest of it before it gets too cold to cook it at least a little.
Ngo gai! But wait.. we'll get around to that.
Pho is a labor of love. My boyfriend thinks I'm crazy because I spend about 5 minutes after the steaming bowl arrives just customizing it. You have to find your ideal balance of sour (citrus), salty (fish sauce), spicy (sate, sriracha, chili paste, fresh jalapenos) and sweet (hoisin). Each of the elements are provided on the side and you add your own condiments.
There's the whole part with the beef, but then there's the sauce to dip the beef in. I mix a little hoisin with some sate which you have to ask for (it's refrigerated in back). Sate is chiles ground with shallots and shrimp in oil, slightly sweet but earthy and spicy. It is my favorite way to incorporate the spicy aspect into my bowl of pho. I add citrus as I go, to change the flavor a bit, starting with no citrus at all. I always request Ngo Gai (picture included) which is like a kicked up more floral cilantro. It's incredible, although not typically used in pho tai. Thai basil is a must with it's refreshingly licorice-y flavor, bean sprouts add crunch. There's even textural variation throughout your bowl that you can adjust!
I can't say I've ever had the self discipline to order anything other than the pho here.. I give into temptation every time. I'm a big fan of Vietnamese style beef stew and Bun Bo Hue, but I just can't not order the pho! One of these days.. I can, however, vouch for the spring rolls which are good and come with lots of mint. The bahn xeo is tasty and more than an entree size, even though it's on the appetizer list.
A unique offering at Pho Saigon 8 is the soda with egg yolk and condensed milk. I haven't seen this anywhere else in Vegas, and it's like a custard soda. Just the richness I want after a light bowl of pho. Absolutely delicious!
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