Pho

[squids]

so I was doing a little research online, and found this link

It's been years since I've been to Nam's, and the place I was thinking of on Univ. is called Pho Hiep Hoa. Only been to Saigonese once, and I don't recall if Pho was even on the menu. Anyone have feedback on any of these restaurants? Do you recall which one is the one you like, iamthestretch?

Pho Heip Hoa Restaurant (Vietnamese)

$ 2211A University Boulevard

Nam's Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine

$$ 11220 Georgia Avenue

Saigonese Restaurant (Authentic Vietnamese)

$$ 11232 Grandview Avenue

[iamthestretch]

There used to be a Vietnamese restaurant on Georgia, a block north of University (almost directly across from the old Roy Rogers). Sadly, it was really short-lived (I think it turned over in just a few months).  Too bad, because it was also really pretty good. 

←

I think it was called Thanh's, wasn't it? We liked it too and used to quietly fret that it wouldn't make it as we sat almost alone in the place on Saturday nights being fussed over by the entire wait staff. One day we pulled up in front on a lemongrass chicken mission and our fears had come true. It's now a Latino place that I haven't had the heart to try.

The place I was thinking of on Univ. is called Pho Hiep Hoa. Do you recall which one is the one you like, iamthestretch?

←

That's it. I'm no phonnoisseur, but I thought it was pretty good. It's the classic setup. Formica tables, neon lights, bubbling cauldrons in the back, 31 different kinds of tripe. There's a place by the same name opening up in the new Silver Spring development above the Austin Grill, but I don't know if there's any affiliation. Hope so.

Edited October 27, 2004 by iamthestretch (log)

[hjshorter]

so I was doing a little research online, and found this link

Nam's Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine

$$ 11220 Georgia Avenue

←

It's been a few years since I lived in Wheaton but as I recall the pho at Nam's was nothing to write home about. It has changed hands since then. My favorite place was An Loi in Wheaton Plaza.

(Squids - I remember when Wheaton Plaza didn't have a roof. )

[squids]

so I was doing a little research online, and found this link

Nam's Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine

$$ 11220 Georgia Avenue

←

It's been a few years since I lived in Wheaton but as I recall the pho at Nam's was nothing to write home about. It has changed hands since then. My favorite place was An Loi in Wheaton Plaza.

(Squids - I remember when Wheaton Plaza didn't have a roof. )

←

Ah, yes, and Woodies and Wards and Raleighs and Hahn's...all gone now, just like the roof. If I make it in to work tomorrow, my only hope for Pho will be from Asian Bistro on L St, even tho' I've now got a hankering for An Loi--at least it's better than nothing!

[Chef Shogun]

my only hope for Pho will be from Asian Bistro on L St, even tho' I've now got a hankering for An Loi--at least it's better than nothing!

←

Hey, that's all I've got! In other news: Is that all I've got? What's the Foggy Bottom/'Golden Triangle'/H-Triangle Pho scene like these days? Asian Bistro was decent enough the twice I was there. Not so speedy, though...definately cut the hour lunch break close, even when I went later in the afternoon and the place was all but empty (Packed around 1, though, so at least they do brisk business). Put this way: it was my first Pho, and I'm not totally turned off, so it can't be all bad! The tonkatsu Bento brought back memories, too!

[JPW]

That's it. I'm no phonnoisseur, but I thought it was pretty good. It's the classic setup. Formica tables, neon lights, bubbling cauldrons in the back, 31 different kinds of tripe. There's a place by the same name opening up in the new Silver Spring development above the Austin Grill, but I don't know if there's any affiliation. Hope so.

←

Stretch, where did you pick up that bit of info?

[iamthestretch]

We never discuss sources and methods, Joe, you know that. Actually, there's a banner hanging from the balcony up there. Says: "Opening fall. Pho Hiep Hoa."

[JPW]

Hence my problem -- it was way too obvious

[eunny jang]

A shameless plug for Eunny's Dad--the best gas prices in Wheaton are at her Dad's Shell on Georgia Ave, north of University Blvd! (We often stop there on our way to work, and will even take the u-bee if we need to on the way home)

We miss the Roy's too--used to love that chicken.  I did see that there is a revived Roy Rogers in Gaithersburg, but haven't been to see if it is the same as the old Roy's.

To keep on topic, I guess your Dad hasn't tried the Pho place that iamthestretch was referring to?

←

My dad hates fish sauce. It makes his nose wrinkle and his stomach turn - strange for a guy who eats kimchi and all manner of fermented guts and fish with great gusto. He won't touch pho with a ten-foot pole - plus, I think he secretly really likes Chicken Basket.

stretch: Yeah, Thanh's. My mom and I used to go there and order two entrees each because we liked it so much and worried about what would happen to all those friendly people.

Mo pho: I'll tell you where not to go...the pho place in Ritchie Center on Rockville Pike, behind the IHOP. It took me and my gal pals exactly 3 post-x country practice visits before we wrote it off forever in favor of schlepping down to the Lebanese Taverna in Congressional Plaza.

Edited October 28, 2004 by eunny jang (log)

[iamthestretch]

All this pho talk has roused the editor in me. And he wants to know less about how it tastes than how it is pronounced.

Googling "pho pronounced" yields five different opinions in the first five hits. To whit:

-- "...Vietnamese pho (pronounced fuh)..."

-- "...pho, pronounced fa..."

-- "Essentially, Pho (pronounced foo) is a substantial soup..." (Eds: Foo? WTF?)

-- "...homespun Vietnamese beef noodle soup known as pho (pronounced "pha")..."

-- "..Wat Pho. (Pronounced 'What Poe')..."

I would guess most people say "foe," though that's not even mentioned. Which, then, is the correct pho-neme? (Woohoo! I rule! Pho pun so fun. )

Edited to add: The plot thickens. "Pho pronounces like 'phir' in English."

Edited October 28, 2004 by iamthestretch (log)

[DonRocks]

All this pho talk has roused the editor in me. And he wants to know less about how it tastes than how it is pronounced.

Googling "pho pronounced" yields five different opinions in the first five hits. To whit:

-- "...Vietnamese pho (pronounced fuh)..."

-- "...pho, pronounced fa..."

-- "Essentially, Pho (pronounced foo) is a substantial soup..." (Eds: Foo? WTF?)

-- "...homespun Vietnamese beef noodle soup known as pho (pronounced "pha")..."

-- "..Wat Pho. (Pronounced 'What Poe')..."

I would guess most people say "foe," though that's not even mentioned. Which, then, is the correct pho-neme? (Woohoo! I rule! Pho pun so fun. )

Edited to add: The plot thickens. "Pho pronounces like 'phir' in English."

←

Here's how I look at this:

In casual conversation, anyone who pronounces "Champagne" the French way will be correctly dismissed as a douche (of course if you're talking with a French person, you may as well go for your best Charles Boyer accent).

In the same spirit, if you say to your American friends, "I'm going out for a bowl of fur," people won't know what you're talking about, so I just say "fo" and know I'm wrong and not care about it.

Pho shizzle,

Rocks.

[jmc8y]

In casual conversation, anyone who pronounces "Champagne" the French way will be correctly dismissed as a douche (of course if you're talking with a French person, you may as well go for your best Charles Boyer accent).

←

unless you are .... the continental

[jetsie]

At my house, we call it "noodles," because I cannot speak Vietnamese to save my life. Any time I've tried, people have stared at me in confused horror. ("Why is she ordering kitten in red corset?")

For the editor in us all, I asked my SO, who is Vietnamese, about the correct pronunciation of "pho." It sounds like "fuh." I won't attempt to describe the tonal aspect.

You could probably say "fuh" without sounding overly continental. Girls just want to have fuh. Everybody have fuh tonight.

For the sake of a peaceful home life, I will just keep saying "noodles."

[spaghetttti]

Pho 75 has always been our family favorite, but we were at Eden the other day so we checked out the 4 sisters place just out of curiosity. Broth was nicely perfumed, beef was tender, condiments were fresh, but .........

Pho 75 still rules, I think it deserves a visit today!

Edited November 11, 2004 by spaghetttti (log)

[DonRocks]

Never, ever admit to anyone that you asked for a fork - this picture is hard evidence. Cheers, Rocks.

[eunny jang]

Never, ever admit to anyone that you asked for a fork - this picture is hard evidence.      Cheers, Rocks.

←

Is that the way to welcome someone back home?

Tsk, tsk Mr. Moderator. I shudder to think what your excessive caution with photographic records implies.

Re: Pho - what meat does everyone order it with? I always go for everything version - bible tripe, tendon, well-done brisket, raw eye-of-round and raw fat brisket. I haven't had the courage yet to order the meatballs.

Edited November 11, 2004 by eunny jang (log)

[DonRocks]

Re: Pho - what meat does everyone order it with?  I always go for everything version - bible tripe, tendon, well-done brisket, raw eye-of-round and raw fat brisket.  I haven't had the courage yet to order the meatballs.

←

It certainly makes the broth more interesting, but munching on tripe and tendon isn't always my idea of a fun lunch.

[mdt]

Re: Pho - what meat does everyone order it with?  I always go for everything version - bible tripe, tendon, well-done brisket, raw eye-of-round and raw fat brisket.  I haven't had the courage yet to order the meatballs.

←

If you can handle the tripe and tendon, the meatballs should not be a problem. That said, they do not look like any type of meatball that this 1/2 Italian boy grew up eating! But I did enjoy them and enjoyed the change from the normal routine of raw eye-round and/or fat brisket.

Now off to Pho, the only question is which one...

[eunny jang]

It certainly makes the broth more interesting, but munching on tripe and tendon isn't always my idea of a fun lunch.

←

Wussy.

Texture, man, texture. I always eat the meat seperately, with chopsticks, dipped into a side plate with a dab of hoisin and sriracha. I thought the broth came out of the same cauldron for every bowl of pho they serve??

[DonRocks]

It certainly makes the broth more interesting, but munching on tripe and tendon isn't always my idea of a fun lunch.

←

Wussy.

Texture, man, texture. I always eat the meat seperately, with chopsticks, dipped into a side plate with a dab of hoisin and sriracha. I thought the broth came out of the same cauldron for every bowl of pho they serve??

←

It does but it grows thicker and richer toward the bottom of the bowl as the garbage meats have their constituents leached from them.

Another trick is to put the sprouts on top, and then immediately flip-flop them with the noodles beneath, so that the sprouts soften and cook by the time you get to them (I hope everyone does this with their raw eye-of-round as well, which is generally not of tartare quality ).

[JPW]

Gotta say as a wussy westerner, the texture of tendon does not appeal to me at all - it reminds me too much of calamari ().

That said, as Rocks advises, I always let the eye-of-round cook until it starts curling up before eating.

General procedure is to add all the extras (can never have too much jalapeno and basil) and then stir judiciously. Start with the noodles and away you go - chopsticks in one hand and spoon in the other.

PS - lunch today was indeed pho-bulous

[jmc8y]

i order a number 6 at pho 75. large. and it's usually not enough. is that weird.

It's round-eye + well done flank + tendon.

the tendon is my favorite, it is kinda like firm jello. yum! the round-eye is delicious as well.

[eunny jang]

the round-eye is delicious as well.

←

I just snorted coffee all over my computer monitor.

Heh heh heh.

Edited to remove terrible obvious joke

Edited November 11, 2004 by eunny jang (log)

[spaghetttti]

Never, ever admit to anyone that you asked for a fork - this picture is hard evidence.    Cheers, Rocks.

←

Bah, the table was set with said fork already in place.

I usually do the everything version. Mmmm tripe mmmmm!

[Gastro888]

Pho DT in Columbia- This place is a gem in the suburbs!  I love it.  I had the bun 3 mon there last night.  I've had better pho at other places (namely the one in Eden Center 2 doors down from the 4 sister's place), but it's decent pho.  Great all around joint!

They make the best fruit shakes.  Try the #4, the custard apple.  (It's actually soursop and not custard apple.)  They make the shakes fresh every time.  Their shake is better than any soursop shake I've tried Eden Center, I kid you not. 

Edited November 15, 2004 by Gastro888 (log)