Lunch Pho - San Pornando Valley - Monday Feb 25

Would love to go, only got Thursday off next week but might be able to swap with a coworkers Tuesday off.

 

I'm down

 

There, and bringing presents

 

Here and bringing myself.

 

Something came up and I couldn't make it, have a good one though!

 

Have fun guys, coworkers are working on a HGTV tv show lately so I am stuck in the office.

 

The blessings of flexible schedule...

 

Sorry I couldn't get the Stellia to Brent. Demo pair can't leave the office except over the weekend evidently - too many people want to audition them. Hope the ESX5 makes up for it!

 

Nice to see you guys again. I was hoping to see a few new faces also, you missed out on free alcohol.

Feu Pho review:

Not your typical pho place for sure. It's been Momofuku'd with menu items like black truffle paste, jidori chicken and pork belly banh mi. But hey, I'm not against evolution.

Marv was right about the black garlic hoisin sauce. I typically never use it because it's way too sweet, but this wasn't. Broth was nice and subtle, but as the meal progressed it was losing taste. Typically an indication that the noodles were cooked a bit long and were releasing water in the broth, diluting it. Usually the noodles should be a bit hard initially while the broth cooks it the rest of the way. The oxtail however was cooked perfectly. Easy to pick off with chopsticks.

The pho was good, but i prefer my usual places.

 

Tell us your usual spots mang, and great seeing you, Marv, and clem as always.

 

I normally have Mondays off. Hope to join such a gathering this summer, if it happens! Ditto on the recommendations @Cspirou

 

I shared a few places in another post somewhere. I'll relay more though

Someone talked about how Chinese restaurants with a 'B' health grade are the ones with better food. Here are my guidelines on finding a good pho place

• restaurant has "pho" and a number in the name
• Menu pages are laminated
• There are ~18 different kinds of pho on the menu, all of them beef
• Background music is some kind of vietnamese lounge singer (bonus if there is a TV with Paris by Night.)
• The person that brings out your pho is not the waiter. Usually a guy with a baseball cap that speaks zero English.
• Clientelle is at least 60% Vietnamese
• Restaurant is open early enough to have pho for breakfast

Not all are required, but you are on the right track the more you see. This is far more reliable than reading Yelp reviews