Dining Guide

Pho Ga Dong Nai

Even if you’re not a pho aficionado, you’ll surely enjoy these steaming bowls of aromatic goodness at this casual space from John Nguyen. Our friendly host suggested dry chicken pho, which she compared to pad thai. Picture this: a generous bowl of springy rice noodles tossed in a light hoisin-like sauce, with mounds of shredded chicken, bean sprouts, pickled onions, and fresh cilantro, all topped with crispy fried shallots (more, please!). We ladled in long-simmered chicken broth garnished with more herbs and vegetables, added white pepper, and voilà, just the right balance of heat. The house special beef pho features the same pristine noodles in deeply-flavored beef and bone broth with marinated rare steak, chewy tendon, tripe, and meatballs.