Pho Little Saigon

Pho Little Saigon
855 E. Homestead Road
Sunnyvale, California 94087
(408) 245-5570

Vitals:
open 10 am to 9 am daily
cash only
kid friendly
price: $5-10


Across the street from Ranch 99, Pho Little Saigon is a no frills Vietnamese restaurant that serves some authentic pho.

What is pho? It's a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup dish. Pho is generally served in a large bowl and consists of white rice noodles in a clear and fragrant beef broth with different and thin cuts of meat on top (the picture above shows cuts of Tai or rare steak on top). Generally, you can choose what types of meat you'd like to have with your pho:

• Tai - rare steak
• Nam - brisket
• Chin - lean brisket
• Sac - tripe
• Gan - tendon

Generally, if you go to a restaurant that is named for a particular dish, you should try the specialty. I like this place because where else can you get a filling meal for $5.25 (small) or $6.25 (large). Trust me, you should try the small first as their portions are very generous (the bowls are huge!).

The menu lists a bunch of different combinations, but you don't need to stick with any of them. You can create your own combination and Tai Chin is my favorite combination. I love the broth, it has a complexity of flavors, but they do seem to use MSG. I've been to some places where the cinnamon or anise flavors were overpowering, but at Pho Little Saigon, the flavors meld together well and there is a certain richness to the broth. I do have to say that there may be issues with consistency sometimes. The broth is not always the same and sometimes it is too salty (maybe it's the soup from the bottom of a pot?). Along with the pho, you are provided a plate of bean sprouts, chiles, thai basil, some other herbs and slices of lime. Tip - in order to keep the broth warm, ask for cooked sprouts.

Some people tend to put the hoisin sauce and pepper sauce right into the soup. I like my pho plain, but like to mix the sauces on the side in order to dip pieces of beef.

When I'm not in the mood for beef pho, the chicken pho is ok, but it almost tastes like chicken broth with noodles.

The other dishes, such as the bun or the rice dishes, are average. If you need something to accompany the pho, then I'd suggest the egg rolls, which add a different crunchy texture that contrasts nicely with the soupy chewy noodles.