I love our girl JAX over at Rockinsider. She's a transplant from Utah who will decidedly live and die in Echo Park. She introduces me to lots on the east side... hence why I myself will be moving there this year sometime (hopefully sooner than later). She is all about sharing the love of why LA kicks so much butt and also dishes out why pretentious Angelenos can at least be enjoyed for their comedy effect. She brought me and Celeste here to Pho Cafe a while back. Thanks JAX for all the love. Pho Cafe is hidden in plain sight like a where's waldo at the...
FULL REVIEW
A bright beacon of glass and light is drawing you near in an otherwise darkened strip mall, Pho Cafe is pulling you in from the street, you're a firefly heading for the white light of 2841 and now you're inside and seated in an orange plastic chair under a 200 watt lamp and looking over the simple yet smartly designed menu. What to order? There are vegetarian options if you're so inclined but pho ga, or chicken pho, seems a good bet and turns out to be very good bet, even better when some fresh basil is shredded into the broth and jalepeno slices are dropped in to give it all some kick. Spring Rolls #3 are filled with lemon grass-grilled beef, shrimp and vermicelli rice noodles and are accompanied by peanut and nuac mam dipping sauces which are both extremely satisfying in that umami-flavored way they have. While it's a freshly made lemonade for me this night, Pho Cafe does have quite a nice selection of Asian beers including several I've not seen before. The people watching is fantastic and the crowd may all work down the street at the Echo Park American Apparel for all I know. It's just that kind of scene.
FULL REVIEW
Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you feel like highly authentic, down-and-dirty Vietnamese (in which case you trek out to Golden Deli in San Gabriel), sometimes you don't.
FULL REVIEW
After some "low key relaxation" (as opposed to all that high-stress relaxation) at Silverlake Wine's Monday night wine tasting, but before we go home to pack for Thanksgiving vacation, dinner at Pho Cafe was just what the doctor ordered. My knowledge of Vietnamese food is virtually nil, and I'm sure LA is home to many more authentic pho joints. Certainly, there must be pho joints where you're not elbow-to-elbow with the painfully hip.
FULL REVIEW
LINK: http://www.blogsoop.com/la_rid_20258.html
Copy and paste this field to link back to this page.