Got Phở?

These past couple weeks have been loaded with the stress that comes from moving into a new place, and all the organization work that comes with it. Lately I’ve been feeling more broken than an escalator in any given Metro station. As a way to let off some steam, eat copious amounts of one of my favourite foods, and to generally learn about local eateries, I decided to do some research and review the area’s phở (pronounced “fuh”) restaurants.

Phở is the national dish of Vietnam, and is traditionally eaten for breakfast. It is a noodle soup that consists of what has to be the most flavourful and well-scented broth, with Vietnamese cinnamon, star anise, and added ingredients that suit an individual order. Traditionally, phở is made with beef (usually a brisket that is cut into paper-thin slices that are cooked in the soup), although today, there are many varieties including chicken phở (phở gà), vegetarian phở, and seafood phở (which is not considered real phở, but it’s still awfully tasty).

The noodle soup itself is brought out to you at the table, along with a plate of condiments including bean sprouts, jalapeno peppers, Thai basil, and Vietnamese coriander (fresh coriander is otherwise known as cilantro, but this variety is a distinctly southeast Asian herb). These condiments pair with the omnipresent Sriracha, Hoisin, and fish sauces, which ultimately provide for a good, solid, meal in a bowl. Phở warms on a cold day, and refreshes on a hot one, and if you’re feeling run down, it is a great way to reenergize yourself. If they could bottle this stuff, we’d be ready for the bird flu pandemic.

It’s worth noting that phở restaurants are not known for their stunning décor, or their superb service. Most phở restaurants have the atmosphere of a school cafeteria, and the service to match it. The food is the main attraction here. I’ve visited the restaurants profiled below several times, and each time I’ve had a traditional phở with brisket and eye of round steak, or a chicken phở (phở gà). Given that there are a ton of phở restaurants in the area, I’ve picked a few of the review-worthy places, and summarized them below. Prices usually hovered around the $5 - $6 range for a large bowl of phở , and the $4 - $5 range for a small bowl (which makes it a great bargain for a full meal in either size bowl), and even those times when it wasn’t as good, it was still good.

Phở 75
This venerable restaurant (they’re nationwide now), has four locations in the D.C. area. The service varies, depending on the day, and so does the food. Generally, I find that the phở served at any of these (especially the ones in Arlington and Rockville) is some of the most flavourful around, and generally does not require much in the line of condiments. However, the meat can vary dramatically, depending on the day, and the mood of the chef. One one visit, the meat was exceptionally fatty, and practically all grizzle. Not that it matters because you’ll be so busy eating, you won’t care. Grade: A-

Nam Viet
A full Vietnamese restaurant (that serves things other than phở as well), Nam Viet started out in Cleveland Park, and has since branched out to two locations in Arlington and Alexandria, respectively. The phở was not as flavourful here as it was at other places, and thus required a little more in terms of the condiments. The atmosphere was nicer than a pure phở house, and the service was actually very friendly. Many of the non- phở items on the menu are quite good, and it makes for an easy and cheap night out in D.C. (just don’t try to park in the area). Grade: A-

Queen Bee
I had heard some really good things about this place, and the restaurant makes a significant point in reinforcing the fact that they are Zagat rated (the signs are everywhere). However, this was the only place that I was disappointed in. Also a full-service Vietnamese restaurant, the server seemed unable to communicate anything about the various dishes (and this was not due to a language barrier, he just didn’t do a decent job of explaining what certain things were, for those of us that don’t speak Vietnamese). The phở seemed somewhat flat, and therefore required more in the line of condiments, which led to my real issue, which was the stunning lack of condiments. My dinner companion ordered the seafood phở, and that was tasty, although I have had better in other places researching this article. Grade: B

Phở Cong Ly
This favourite of the local Vietnamese community has been in business in Springfield, Virginia for quite some time. It’s nothing special to look at, since it’s located in a strip mall on Backlick road, but hands-down, this place had the best phở of all the places I’ve been to. It’s a traditional phở restaurant, with no real other options (although there are some appetizer items on the menu), and about sixteen different ways to order your phở. Absolutely no condiments were necessary (although I did add some of the Thai basil, because I love that stuff). Very simple, and straight-forward, no complex décor, no Washington power-brokers, just phở as it was meant to be eaten. Grade: A

Phở 75 • 1711 Wilson Blvd. • Arlington, VA • (703) 525-7355
Nam Viet • 3419 Connecticut Ave. NW • Washington, D.C. • (202) 237-1015
Queen Bee • 3181 Wilson Blvd. • Arlington, VA • (703) 527-3444
Phở Cong Ly • 6671 Backlick Rd. • Springfield, VA • (703) 451-8864