Sunday night we stopped by Jackson Heights for a soothing bowl of pho from Thai Son. I just got back home from a 30-hour non-sleep escapade. I was sleep deprived, tired and sore as I also played 4 hours of basketball in the early morning. So I went in search for some comfort food – a big, steaming bowl of pho.
According to Carolyn pho is Viet Nam’s national dish; and depending on which region you visit, it is served in various ways. The more popular version here in the US is the Saigon-style soup served with a side of bean sprouts, Vietnamese basil, lemon/lime and hoisin sauce. I like it because it has a hearty broth, with meat, noodles and fresh vegetables. Carolyn’s mom makes the best pho I’ve ever tasted in my life and you can taste the love and hours that goes into cooking it. Traditional pho takes time (like over 24 hours!) to let the beef bones cook, but it is worth every minute when you’re rewarded with the flavorful broth.
In California, I was spoiled by the vast options of Vietnamese food I had access to. Here in New York, you can still find a good bowl of pho, but a smaller Vietnamese community here means fewer options. Manhattan has trendier pho restaurants at ridiculous prices (not including Chinatown), but in Queens the prices are more affordable, the portions are bigger, and the taste is better.
Cost of dinner:
Vegetarian Goi Cuon: $4
Beef pho: $6.50 (Extra large combo)
Canh Chua Ca: $ 8.95
More pictures of dinner after the cut.
Vegetarian Goi Cuon
Carolyn was too slow to take a picture of my pho before I added the bean sprouts
Canh Chua Ca
Sweating it out
Some of our favorite places for pho in Queens:
Thai Son
40-10 74th Street
Trains: 7, E, F, M, R at 74th St-Roosevelt Ave Station
Pho Bang
82-90 Broadway Avenue
Trains: M, R at Elmhurst Ave Station
P.S. Carolyn isn’t a big beef eater, so for something lighter she recommends pho ga (chicken)
Do u guys have the Pho challenge out there?
http://phogardensf.com/page.php?Page=team
no we don’t, but maybe that’s an idea for what would wu eat sf edition!
Nothing soothes the soul like a bowl of pho.