Pho in DC?!

I've eaten a version of pho all my life, it's definitely one of my favorite comfort foods. And while my mom makes the best Cambodian version of pho I've ever had, I do have a sore spot for the authentic Vietnamese version. My mother in law happens to be a pretty good chef and has had a few pho restaurants, and just because I'm pretty used to her cooking, I tend to compare every bowl to hers.

Now there are numerous places to go in Northern VA for a good bowl of pho, however I haven't been able to find a good bowl of pho in DC that has wowed me. So last fall, I noticed that a sign for Pho DC was put up two blocks from my office and the sign on the door said it was opening in November. I finally made it there after they opened! Just to set the scene, I went during the later lunch rush and had to wait about 20 minutes to get a seat a the bar. It seemed packed, but I attributed that to their grand opening.

The first dish I tried was pho ga --chicken pho. I love chicken pho, I would take it any day over a bowl of the beef noodle soup. And to be frank, it was actually a very decent broth. I really couldn't pick it apart and couldn't find to many things wrong with it. A few things that stood out in my mind was the way it was served. At most of the other pho places I've frequented, there's normally a bottle of hoisin sauce, siracha and chopsticks and spoons adorning the table. And when the bean sprouts and herbs come out, it's on one huge platter to be shared with the table.

Pho DC kinda took it up a notch and each diner gets their own little sauce dishes with hoisin and siracha and own cute little bowl of bean sprouts, basil, jalapenos and lime. I was actually quite impressed by that, I like the idea of having my own and not sharing! No more spreading germs!

So last night, I met up with two girlfriends to go there for dinner. I wanted to try some more items from their menu before creating my opinion of what I thought of the place. One of my all time favorite dishes is hu tieu - pork and shrimp noodle soup. My mother in law introduced that to me and has even taught me how to make it at home --which was superbly delicious and will be making it's way onto this blog. So I wanted to see how their version compared to mine.

I ordered it with egg noodles and when it came out, it smelled exactly how my house smells when I make it! I took a few sips of the broth, and it was delicious! I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it completely took me by surprise, I was very impressed. All I added was a little black pepper and went to town. I was also happy that they were pretty generous with the amount of BBQ pork and shrimp added to  the bowl, I think I counted 5 pieces of shrimp!

So I had to go back again today for lunch and try it again to make sure that my taste buds weren't playing a trick on me last night! Again, it was hands down one of the best bowls of hu tieu I've ever had. I was happy to come back again and get it, and can definitely see future trips down the road.

Now with that being said, would I drive from Falls Church to DC for pho? Probably not. Would I drive from Falls Church to DC for a bowl of hu tieu, well that depends on if I'm too lazy to make it at home. But if I'm in the city and am craving a delicious bowl of that pork and shrimp noodle soup, I'd definitely would go to Pho DC! But this actually means that I must continue my search to find a place for a good bowl of pho in the city! Until then, I'll continue making it at home or just venturing out to Arlington.