| rev:text
| - Finally an evening when my schedule allowed a visit before their closing time. I normally don't make an effort to visit places which close so early but following many satisfied Yelpers including some of my favorite reviewers I was curious to give it a try and was rewarded with a rare lineup-free immediate seating.
Noticed a difference from the typical "pho place" in that Little Saigon is a nice looking and welcoming space to be in. Obviously done on a much smaller budget than newer shops like Pho XIn Chao & The Pho, but with good taste & common sense. The tiny dinning room is very well utilized not to feel cramped even though it's not much bigger than a doctor's waiting room. Seems to be a family & friends operation, all males, the servers were very courteous and there was a sense of pride and caring about the restaurant (although getting the bill took longer than seemed necessary)
Only two size choices for Pho. I went with the smaller one for $9 with Rare Beef & Tendon, it was comparable to the middle option of places that offer three sizes. The Beef slices were about average in quantity & quality, sliced thin enough to quickly finish cooking in the soup to my comfort level. The amount of Tendon was a little more generous than usual, and the chunks were on the firmer side.
Broth was of the "cleaner" variety with very minimal oil separation, the color leaned toward a brownish hue (as opposed to greenish). It smelled like it would be an interesting multi-dimensional broth, but the taste seemed a bit light on seasoning - though by no means bland or weak, it had a strong "beefy" character which was satisfying, just in different way than I expected. In my little mixing bowl I tried it with both the Sriracha and the sweet sauce, it definitely paired better with Sriracha, although I chose to eat most of it straight up.
Overall very enjoyable. While it doesn't interrupt my search for a Pho that blows me away, I wouldn't hesitate to get it again if I ever find myself here on time. I also hope to try the pancake and a very generous looking porkchops/fried eggs & rice combo I saw in the menu.
|