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Los Altos, CA
"SHORT & SWEET: The best Pho this reviewer has ever consumed; clean; fast; friendly; comfortable; great interior; busy at lunch; wonderful…" read more »
I don't care that the staff has a hard time with English, nor do I care that it isn't the cleanest restaurant I've ever been to lately. What I care about is their bun thit nuong cha gio. This is a the best vermicelle noodle meal I've ever had. Vietnamese uses such simple ingredients, yet is able to make a complex, healthy meal that I'm completely astounded by it. The bun has vermicelle noodles, bean sprouts, cucumber, fried garlic, peanuts, carrots, fish sause, lettuce, char-grilled pork, and egg roll. Heaven in a bowl! I know it isn't as cheap as a few other places, but hey it's only $7.25! Come here over Pho Hoa.
You know the saying "even bad pizza is still good?"
It really doesn't work with Pho.
Bad Pho is like the dollar store.
Full of hope and the promise of great value for something really fulfilling.
But alas...
In the end, you are left with, in both cases, a pile of shit.
One figurative.
One literal.
Pepto.
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**Pho Quest Stop #11**
This stop was actually over a year ago and reflects various visits I've had to Pho To Chau over the past 10 years. It's never been a first choice, even back in the day, but it's food has always been quick and affordable.
Located on a side street off Castro, Pho To Chau is overshadowed by the presence of both Pho Hoa on Castro and by the extremely popular Ryowa Ramen. Whereas those places have people lined out the door, I've never seen Pho To Chau that busy. To be honest, the majority of my visits to Pho To Chau were before either Ryowa or Pho Hoa were even open. I'd say the crowds are even smaller now.
As for the food, it's really average fare with few surprises. The pho soup is tasty but unmemorable. Same goes for the noodle and beef. The one saving grace, and why I would always prefer Pho To Chau over the nearby Pho Hoa, is that you CAN order rare beef on the side. Til this day, the fact that you cannot at Pho Hoa makes me question it's authenticity and its freshness.
As for other negatives, I'd agree with reviewers who find this restaurant a bit dirty and the service a bit lacking. But you usually have your pho in 5 minutes and you'll be gone with almost no lines. Rice dishes and spring rolls are similarly safe here too. Not the greatest, but definitely better than places I avoid.
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It's funny cause I avoided this place for all my years living in the area until a week before I left. I had always gone to Pho Hoa across the street mainly because my friends first took me there and it was open late. Plus it seemed like a more popular destination.
However, I have to say that the pho at Pho To Chau is a lot tastier and richer in flavor than Pho Hoa. Prices are cheaper and the meat seems to be better quality. The only downside is that they close early so make sure you get there before then!
Decent pho. That's all I care about when I go to a pho place. Even if it's empty, even if it's understaffed, even if there's nothing that is remotely close to glamour about a place. Well-cooked noodle, plentiful beef, not-too-salty broth, and decent portion for decent price. The spring roll with shrimp was decent too, but the one with shredded pork was a bit weird. Since it's my first time trying it, I will just blame bad luck for it. I can see myself taking the company shuttle (or ride my bike) up from Cupertino after work and stop by here for a meal before I hop on the Caltrain.
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Alas - a pho restaurant that can't get my order right gets a failing grade. If you don't mind getting every kind of meat including tendon, tripe (intestines), etc sure go here. I for one prefer just a straight steak pho dish, and occasionally have brisket, flank and meatballs.
Come here if you want rude service and an MSG-induced coma. Awful, awful, awful. I came here once and it made me equate pho with disgustingness for a year.
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It's fortunate that this place is close to Pho Hoa because that allows them to get the Pho Hoa spillover from when they are too busy. Otherwise, I can't imagine why you'd choose to come here. The place is dingy (dirty, not a boat), and the staff is very standoffish (I felt as if I was inconveniencing them).
The food tastes alright, but seeing the grungy restaurant makes it less appetizing. Still, under the assumption that it's clean, I gave it 2 stars because it's nice to know that you can get a filling meal with a drink for under $10 in the Bay Area.
Pho Hoa rules!
The pho here is pretty gross. The last time I came here the broth was sweet. The portions are not particularly good nor a good value.
Head on over to santa clara or san jose where the pho is a lot better...
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I cannot justify paying for tasteless pho broth. Their prices are comparable (to the other pho restaurant around the corner) but their broth is way too bland! They are skimpy on the meat too. Been here a few times but I decided it is not worth my cravings.
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You definitely have to try this place if you're looking for some yummy authentic pho. I use to go to the other pho restaurant around the corner after a night of partying or studtying. But, after my friend introduced me to this place, I never returned to the other restaurant.
I grew up eating lot of my mom's pho and this place reminds me of her cooking because of the generous servings of everything - noodles, meat, sauces and herbs.
I also refer to the owner/waiter as "Football Coach" because although he's a really friendly person, he always has a serious look on his face.
I'm giving this place 5 stars, because they have served me well over the years. Let me give you a little background: I've been coming to this place for the last 2 years, I've seen every waiter and waitress they have, they practically know me by name...although the communication channel between the staff and guests is minimal and scattered at best. I get the same dish, small Pho Ga every time I go because its damned good, and I've tried every other place in Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, etc. and they simply do not taste as good to me.
First of all, the place is crusty, no frills whatsoever, the staff is mostly going to be brash and not patient with you nor will they make unusual accommodations to dietary or other special needs. The quality of the food is not top notch, the ingredients are standard and pretty much comparable to all the other pho places around, however, on one particular occasion another person at our table found a fly in the food, thats correct an insect in the food. While I was not particularly turned on about it, I kept eating my pho, realizing the fly was probably in the same broth, and I was essentialy eating fly juice, yes, its THAT good.
So, now you understand a little background on the place, you might wonder "why the hell would anyone ever eat at such a crappy hole in the wall", let me tell you: there are just little subtle things that make this place homey and comfortable for the average consumer willing to pay $6-7 for a decent meal that probably won't kill you (I can't guarantee that of course). For instance, if you crack a joke with the staff they probably won't get it (because of the language barrier), they will probably just smile and look at you crazy like the crazy person you must seem to them. If you are a regular (like we are) they remember you, remember what sort of things you like, and make it the way you like it... its not a faceless corporate chain, its a little family owned hole in the wall, and thats the kind of place I want to support.
Pho To Chau, you're just so phoking useless.
You're a minute walk away from my work, which is the only reason you ended up with my $7 dollars today. I had to grab a quick bite to eat before I had to be back at the office. The weather was a little cloudy, and I don't believe in chain pho restaurants (Pho Hoa).
So yes, I did come around 1:00 which was your lunch rush. You were a little crowded, but nothing crazy. You should know how to manage crowds like this...its nothing unusual.
I stood at the door for a good 5 minutes trying to get someone to make eye contact with me. Finally someone did, and I signaled for a table for 1. You sat me down at some innocent mans table who was seated, and then proceeded to the bathroom. I was hesitant to sit down because I had saw the guy leave, but you said he was gone. I sit down for no more then 30 seconds, and he comes out. Now I have to get up, and explain why you messed up.
There is mad confusion going on right now and you scramble to get me seated, fine.
You seat me, and then I wait a little longer for a menu. Once I get one, I have you hang around until I order because if I don't, then I won't see you for another 10 minutes.
This is where it gets....interesting.
You take my order, and I wait 20 minutes for a small bowl of pho. What the phuck is up with that?
My noodles were hard, the broth tasted off, and the price was higher then normal. Hell, you didn't even bring out tea to me. I had to ask you a few times for it because I needed something to wash out the bad taste in my month.
Pho To Chau, I'm disappointed. If you feel the need to refund me my money for my poor lunch experience, you can pin my $7 to my car windshield. I park in the lot behind your restaurant....
Thank you.
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Not the greatest pho in the Bay Area. The noodles were hard and the amount of food was small, the soup base didn't taste all that well too, and to top it off it was more expensive than other pho places.
meh...I've been here twice now, and probably won't be back. The pho was decent, though to my taste the broth was a bit overboard on the cilantro. The staff seems brusque and officious, and the egg rolls came after the soup. The Thai tea was good, but a little oversweet. Once the ice melted a bit and watered down the condensed milk it was better.
Beats pho hao if you're stuck in mountain view and need a pho fix, but there are much better places in Santa Clara/San Jose.
I've been here at least 3 times in the past 7 to 8 years, and it pretty much proves that average dining experiences are definitely forgettable even if remotely forgiveable. Good food is like your close friends who leave an impression on you forever. Mediocre food I liken to flakey aquaintances whom you have little to no attachment to, much like some of you who like to do booty calls with your "fuddies" of F-buddies, or you are a man-ho to begin with and like to conquer and pillage like Genghis Khan. But bad and mediocre food experiences, they can make for great review material (see multitudes of examples of Nobu K's greatest 1 star reviews) unfortunately at your own expense.
Today was a borderline yet amusing experience, just based entirely on my own experience.
The meal was like:
* starting off almost like a Wagnerian opera, and ending like a Guns N Roses concert with the band leaving the stage early and fans rioting while destroying property.
* an intimate moment with a loved one who at the near point of explosion, notices the cracks on the celing and decides whether to paint it white or brown out loud, and wants you to pause so he/she can go on a potty break.
Interesting that I never noticed such subtleties like this before in the past visits. But anyways I thought I'd give PTC a fresh perspective and came in for lunch.
Ordered the #1 regular bowl of pho which had eye round/rare steak, tendon, tripe, fat brisket, well done flank ($5.60 ish) , and also an ice milk coffee ($3).
Right after ordering, I made a quick trip to the men's room. When I came out, and sat down, immediately my order came out. Granted it was past 1 pm and the restaurant was not busy at all, but this was UBER fast. Good things to come, I thought....
Well here's the skinny:
Noodles - great consistency. A tad bit thinner than many other places. Not clumped together, Light and quite nicely done.
Eye round steak - the pink was almost gone, decent but not the best quality meats
Fat brisket - goooooooooooood. Supple soft, moist in a non sexual way, but every way delicious
tripe - wow cut uber uber thin. But doesn't have that great taste like Pho Dong in Redwood City who I think still does the best prep
flank - forgettable
broth - ok this was the MAJOR let down. It was a few tones darker than the clear salt broth version at Pho Binh Sunnyvale that I prefer, but I swore today's batch tasted less beefy and more soy sauce and sugar :-( WTF?!
The biggest let down was the cafe su na da (ice milk coffee). The drip coffee itself well it did look dark brown, and even after stirring the cup and pouring it into the glass of ice, it still looked ok. But taste wise....
it was like this
You take a sip, for a split second you taste a layer of coffee. Then immediately you taste more milk and then water. Then the aftertaste disappears. I swear my tongue is not dysfunctional, and I have no idea how PTC created that coffee to do such a thing. But $3 for a coffee that does c0ckt3a$ing functions is so WRONG.
This place had SO much potential. Quite a few good things going for them, yet the broth and the coffee were really teasing my tastebuds. 1 star loss for each of them for not doing it right.
I agree that this is the "best" pho in Mountain View downtown, but that's not saying much, since MV has become restaurant capital in the area, but a lot of mediocre choices, with only a handful of good restaurants. 3 stars at least for mostly decently done meats in the pho, the noodles, and the uber quick toilet time turnaround service!
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a.k.a "Fighting Pho" (inside reference)
This is my favorite Pho restaurant in MV. They serve southern vietnamese Pho with all the things you're accustomed to. The broth is fairly murky (good sign), the noodles make you want to shovel them into your mouth with a fury and the meat is always mouth watering. Top all this off with the best lemon soda I've had and you know why I always begged my ex to go here. The key to a good lemon soda btw, is tons of sugar and it absolutely has has to fizz almost to point of overflowing every time you stir it. They have this nailed (it's simple people). Before I leave the food, I've had their Bun too, and it's good.
The restaurant itself is a huge box with glass in the front and tables. It's a "no frills" kind of place. The service was always good enough. You may have to flag down someone but, big deal. They'll run over and take care of you. Thinking back I think this place may be cash only. I can't recall but be prepared. The prices seemed reasonable if not cheap.
Parking? pssh. There is a huge multi-level structure across the street.
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Sometimes, you just want some pho, you want it now, false pleasantries be damned.
Tasty, cheap, don't-beat-around-the-bush service. Perfection.
Yar har my first review!
If any of you guys are a regular there. I'm that one guy who keeps ordering their marinated chicken rice plate dish on Saturday 11'ish AM. Forget their noodle soup (pho), they're pretty much average. Yeah it's that good (for me at least).
Now the bad things. Depending on who's serving you - they may seem a little unfriendly if you're not known. Yes, the cleanliness of the place might be questionable at times. However if you can get over that and just enjoy the food... all is good. (At least I have not gotten sick from the food since 2005.) Otherwise, find another place to eat (which shouldn't be too difficult since there are quite a few other places nearby to check out.
Other Notes:
- I nearly drowned when I tried eating their LARGE noodle soup (pho) just stick with the regular
- When ordering, just point to the number that you want to the person you're ordering from. These folks don't really communicate too well. (Again I recommend the marinated chicken rice plate, which should be number 3 on their rice plate menu)
- After I've became a regular, I noticed that they've been serving me in larger portions... =)
What else is nearby?
- There should be a free multi-level parking lot right in front of this place if you ever have a hard time finding parking on the street. (Or if you just hate parallel parking in general.)
- "Ryowa" (a Japanese ramen place) pretty good too..
- There's a salon next door, fair price to me $16 for haircut and shampoo (as of 12/2007)
- Across the street there should be "Verde". Which is popular for it's Tapioca Tea. I consider it average tea, but good.
I have no desire to go to this place anymore. I'd rather go down to San Jose/ Milpitas to get my Pho fix. When I first went here it was decent. i can't say I loved their broth but it was ok considering that there's not much good Viet in the peninsula side. Then each time I go, certain things started to bug me
- tables were not cleared and dishes would sit at the tables for a good half hour
- when they cleaned, the smell of the bleach cleaner would overwhelm you and cause your stomach to turn and want to yak
- they overcharge you
The last 2 times that we went in, we were overcharged. Not a few cents but a few dollars. Shady business and I don't like that. If I had to choose between Pho Hoa and here.. well.. then lets eat something else cuz I haven't come across any good Pho around here.
Went here about three times, because the third time is a charm right? Wrong. I found a BUG in my drink and a HAIR! Are you serious?! Big EW factor.
Yes this is a mom & pop place, but bug and hair in the drinks? Nasty! I stopped going here because of the hair and bug. Crappy service just like Pho Hoa.
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After just having ate there the experience is fresh in my mind. The waiter comes to take our order after about 30 seconds and gets ticked that my girlfriend doesn't know what she wants yet. (Loses one star) Next the lemonade is served warm and tastes gross (One more star gone). The guys starts mopping the floor with heavy ammonia which doesn't exactly help the dining experience considering i lose my sense of smell and taste (subtract another star.) Finally the guy starts mopping my foot while we are still eating. WTF? Check Please!
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It's really bias for me to write a Pho review because hae been to so amny places... I just came from NJ and NY area, and of course they Pho there is great. Over all I feel as if the Pho is just average... But for the area of Mountain View, it's probably the best tasting Pho. The cleaness is a bit scary... I would hate to see how they would fair on Kitchen Nightmares...but for a quick around the corner Pho... It's the best in Mountain View.
The pho is good here. I think this place was better a few years back though. I always get my Mountain View pho here or on Castro at Pho Hoa.( which by the way gives you basil and Pho To Chau does not)
It is on the divey side but whatever the soup is fab for a hangover!
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This place is all business - don't expect conversation from the waiters here. But the pho is good, the portions are large, and the prices are low. What else do you want?
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Dude, I got food poisoning here. Sooooo bad. It felt like someone was slowly pulling out the lining of my stomach and I was alternating between hot and cold.
The important part: I ordered the pork and BBQ shrimp over vermicelli. I have NO idea how that made me sick, since it seems safer than raw steak pho.
Beware!
Whitey likes it!! K...I'm not Vietnamese but I do pride myself on the finer points of pho! And to me this is the closest I've been to sitting on any empty paint bucket, street side, in Hanoi slurping pho in the morning! "Pho To Chau" is a dive, so don't get your hopes up! But in the true sense of what a "dive" is, they have the best pho around. It ceases to amaze me how people eat at "Pho Hoa" around the corner. I guess P. T. Barnum was right! One other note....No one has better egg rolls than "Pho To Chau". I have tried them at about every other Vietnamese place in the bay area and Pho To Chau is the KING of imperial rolls. Go there and enjoy your bowl of very hearty and warming pho. You won't be disappointed.
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When you are achy and tired and feel like crap a big bowl of soup is always good. Dressed in turtle neck, wool ski sweater and a jacket we promptly seated ourselves and grabbed a couple of menus scattered about the tables. We ordered fresh spring rolls a chicken pho and a give me the whole cow pho.
The service was prompt.
The broth was flavorful and the serving size (regular and large) are pretty good portions. For 18$, it is a pretty good bargain. On my list to go back when i am sick again.
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As always, pho is about the broth. The broth here is richer than other places, so they deserve some credit for that, but the flavor is still better at Pho Lan (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), so I'm grading them lower.
Petra G. lies, by the way. They do give you basil here... at least the one time I went there, they gave me basil. They did not, however, give me lime, bringing lemon instead. As much as I love lemon, I just feel wrong leaving a pho place without the strong smell of beef fat and lime on my hands. So minus a star for lemon instead of lime.
Also, my boyfriend's round eye (I think that's what it was) was bland, while my sirloin flank was slightly more flavorful. People, meat needs flavor! That's the whole point of this soup--the beef!
Another thing I didn't like about it was that the tea was scorching hot... tea is better if you don't use boiling water on it (something I learned in China). I couldn't even taste it, it was so hot. bummer.
Anyway, sorry this review is not that funny, but I haven't written a review in two+ weeks, so I'm rusty.
I consider the pho here to be of beyond decent quality, and often find myself comparing other businesses with the pho here; I guess it's my personal gold standard. The soup usually tastes better (there's been some days where it has been too sweet) and the ingredients always seem fresh. It's not the classiest place, but for good pho this is the Mtn View destination to go to.
Pho To Chau is a janky hole in the wall... but let's be honest, those are the BEST places to get cheap and tasty pho! Service is always speedy and my hot bowl of pho is always right on target. Much better than Pho Hoa around the corner, which seems to lack the same savory flavors of Pho To Chau. They have pretty good vegetarian pho too. Never disappointed with this place!
The vegetarian pho is warm and hearty on a cold winter day.
Can't really give the place more stars since that's the ONLY dish I can have here. :(
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Went here a couple times... but never really seemed to want to go back after a while.... not exactly sure why.
I guess we are just accustomed to going around the corner... and maybe the service was a bit better.... this one has a slightly more ghetto feel to it.
I think this place is not the best pho i had, but the best in mountain view .
The soup is nice , clear and tasty, and the portions are just right.
I had the vermicelli with barbecue pork. The sauce was just right, not too sweet. C had the beef noodles. And the best thing: not too much msg that make your throat choke.
I can eat here any day. Super fast, cheap, edible as far as Vietnamese joints are (hey, it's Vietnamese food, not French cuisine; it's Asian food, so wipe down your utensils before you start chowing down). Pho To Chau does it better than Pho Hoa in my book.
The staff is funny. Once, the guy taking my order was like, totally surprised, "You're not Vietnamese?" -- Hello, I ordered in English. I thought Asian people were supposed to be able to tell each ethnicity apart! I'm Taiwanese, BTW.
The place grows on you. Their staff too. And whoever said this place is empty all the time... uh.. it's packed every time I've been there. I watched a guy bus his own family's bowls and stuff from the table one time cuz he felt bad for the super-busy staff. This place is busy for a reason!
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One of my best friends Fatty (also known as middle-aged Art S.) lives in Mountain View so we've met here many times for dinner.
The soup is tasty, one of the better places around the bay area. They are a bit stingy with the bean sprouts though.
However, one of my favorite Vietnamese food is goi cuon which is the fresh spring rolls - you should avoid getting them here.
When the server brought over the rolls, I had to double check to see if the plastic wrap was still on... These must have been prepared in advance; the skin is hard and not soft. In addition, those of you who eat these often know how important it is to have a tightly rolled goi cuon - anything less won't hold the tasty peanute sauce. However, that is the case here which diminishes the entire experience. So disappointing...
The service is typical of a Pho place... no greetings but quick noodle delivery which is fine with me when I'm hungry.
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I go to Pho To Chau Wednesday nights with my Sports Illustrated and an appetite for tripe.
They take care of me there. The waiter never smiles and looks like Droopy (really, this dude looks like the hound and has the dry wit to back it up), but always hooks me up with an unbelievable #7 regular -- pho with beef flank, brisket, parsley and shredded tripe -- 5 minutes after I sit down. I used to get the large-sized pho, but realized 3 years after going to this place that regular is more than enough... sorta like how I used to wear large-sized clothing in high school, medium in college and finally accepted I was a small after graduating from college.
The pho, spring rolls and bun -- dry noodle salad that comes with your choice of pork, shrimp, vegetables and fish sauce -- are definitely the main draws, but there is something else I like about this place. I like to be alone and have quiet Kevin time every week. Pho To Chau is one of my havens for solitude. I can walk into this place, pick wherever I want to sit and eat my pho without any chicks bothering me for my digits.
Other people see a dirty pho joint and would rather partake in delicious ramen next door at Ryowa. Go ahead, you naive patrons of Mountain View. Slurp your ramen and leave me alone on Wednesday nights. I'm busy enjoying Vietnamese cuisine at its best while reading commentary on why Tiger Woods is such a pimp in my Sports Illustrated. I'll join you tomorrow night... Ryowa is my Thursday joint.
And don't even tell me Pho Hoa is better than Pho To Chau. Pho Hoa is Scottie Pippen and Pho To Chau is Mike Jordan.
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Easily my most frequented lunchtime spot in the Castro area. I stopped eating pho for like, 2 years because of lackluster late-night-desperation experiences at Pho Hoa, but Pho To Chau's broth really hits the spot on cold winter days.
Plus, it's spacious (although standard non-cleanliness for an authentic asian restaurant) so we NEVER have to wait for a table.
Vegetarian friends like it too cuz it's one of the few asian noodle soup places with a vegetarian broth option!
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I just go and get the #10. It has pieces of chewy sweet fat. I like to dip
the fat in some sauce. Then I have some of the soup, which is also sweet. The broth is satisfying yet light. I never feel grossed out after drinking the soup.
I never get shady cuts of meat either. At other pho places I've sometimes found random 'chunks' of meat that just leave me saying, "WTF? cow hoof?"
Before I ate at photo regularly, I didn't have a favorite pho place. They all tasted the same to me. After a few months of dining here, all other pho was ruined for me.
However, photo isn't perfect. I never really liked their spring rolls much. I wouldnt recommend their rice plates either. It's basically koeran bbq with too much rice.
I made this yelp account just so I could talk about how awesome this place is.
This place has character. The beat up menus are a good first impression. It means they either get a ton of traffic, or they haven't changed their menus in 5+ years. I also think it's funny how you are handed a menu, and then starred at until you order. But who needs time to decide? Don't you just order the same thing every time anyway?
The broth is much tastier than Pho Hoa around the corner. The noodles are good too. The basil, beans, and jalapenos I received were a little dried out. I'd eat here again and choose it before Pho Hoa.
Bonus: They have take out.
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