Pho Show v. Pho 99 — Best of Westside Pho. Is that even an accomplishment?
[pic via Charrise N. of yelp]
Hello winter weather. Hello pho.
It’s that time of year again. Holidays. Hot pots. Pho and Ramen weather.
1) Pho Show — With a name like Pho Show, half the fun is in the name (and making corny 40 Year Old Virgin jokes. Easy Steve Carell.) There’s a steady lunch crowd but never had a wait.
I usually go with the regular combination pho with tripe, tendon, brisket, meat balls, and rare beef and eggrolls. Sounds like a lot? Don’t worry. You only get two pieces of each listed meat. Oh no! Worried that you’ll have a horrible ratio of noodles to meat? Oh, don’t worry. You only get a small handful of noodles too. Meh. You get a weight watcher’s XS portion of everything. Sweet. God’s way of telling me to ease up fatass or do more coke like a responsible adult.
The eggrolls are measly and strangely similar to those at chinese restaurants rather the more traditional flavors that viet eggrolls carry - there’s no vermicelli, pork flavor, and those crunchy black things.
But the question is, is it still passable? Let me phrase my answer carefully… with enough sriracha and condiments, you can turn any bland bowl of broth into an acceptable meal. Being one of the only 3 pho places on the westside, I suggest you start learning how to mask your tastebuds. adjust accordingly.
4349 Sepulveda Blvd
Culver City, CA 90230
(310) 398-5200
Regular bowl of pho starts at $7.50.
2) Pho 99 Noodle and Grill — Pho is very much like fast food. Places like Pho So 1 and Golden Deli have your food to you within 3 minutes after you order and it’s understandable. The broth should be premaid, the noodles set to go, the meats and veggies all lined up like its the Subway line. What could be the hold up?
At Pho 99, the wait for a table is 20 minutes. As more and more people crowd around the door and more and more tables clear, you’d expect it to rotate in a cycle. But no. Pho 99 is grossly understaffed with three people in a collaborative (…i’m being nice) effort to bus tables, take orders, play the host, and manage the take out station. The tables are left dirty for 20 minutes on end and you get no direction whether to seat yourself or to wait.
After another 20 minutes of waiting to order and another 15 for your food, you finally dive into what seems like the best bowl of pho ever. It could be starvation, it could be the msg but it is enough to make you shun Pho Show forever. The eggrolls are substantial and piping hot. The broth is hearty and full of flavor. It’s almost enough to make you forget that you spent 50 minutes of your lunch hour waiting. for pho.
Regular bowl of pho starts at $6.95.
11819 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 106B
West Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 312-7881
(310) 312-7881
