Dish of the Week: Pho
Pho has been called Vietnamese penicillin; it’s warm goodness certainly seems healing. And for a long time good pho was hard to come by in the District. Sure you could go to Nam Viet in Cleveland Park, Froggy Bottom Pub, or Miss Saigon in Georgetown. But it was best to go to Pho 75 in Rosslyn or one of its other locations.

At its best it’s a fragrant and beefy broth accented by star anise, cinnamon, ginger and other spices, and filled out by rice noodles. Then, depending on the restaurant, a variety of cuts of meat such as flank, brisket, tripe, or meatballs. And because Vietnamese food is all about garnishes, it frequently comes accompanied by a plate of Thai basil, lime wedges, bean sprouts, jalapeños, and other greens such as perilla. These, along with hoisin sauce and sriracha hot sauce, help you customize your flavors. I tend to prefer it spicy and sour, so I tend to dig a hearty amount of limes and sriracha. And by the way, it’s pronounced “fuh” rather than “foe,” making all those jokes about pho joints called Pho King all the funnier.

Recently a large number of D.C. spots have started offering pho. The first is a new restaurant focusing on pho in Columbia Heights – Pho 14. Prince of Petworth did a preview earlier this week, and if the 19 varieties of pho and the pictures are any indication, this place should be pretty good. Other spots that have it on offer are Asian Bistro, Saigon Bistro, and Jack’s Famous Deli. So what’s your favorite D.C.-proper pho spot?