Pho Hoa

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — In a city teeming with Vietnamese noodle shops specializing in the very fragrant beef noodle soup known as pho, one of them has to be getting it right. In San Diego, Pho Hoa might just be it.

They do one thing here, and they do it well. Now in its fifth decade of operation, Pho Hoa is a family-owned restaurant in a city with the fourth largest population of Vietnamese in the U.S.A. Only Garden Grove, Houston, and San Jose can claim more people of Vietnamese descent.

Here, the sacred broth is full of beefy flavor, yet it is virtually clear. Hearty, warming, and gelatinous, it is as close to a bowl of perfection as you will find in San Diego. There are some shiny globules of fat floating around that lend a richness that underscores the beefiness. I also detect notes of onion, ginger, fish sauce, star anise, and cloves. The broth is balanced so it’s not too sweet or salty; sweetness is usually the telltale sign of MSG. 

No two people will eat pho the same way. I make elaborate use of provided garnishes and toss everything into the bowl except for the stems, making something like a salad that sits atop the soup. 

On its own, the broth is fragrant, but squirts of lime, leaves of fresh Vietnamese basil, strands of peppery culantro, and some bean sprouts further balance things and bring out a medley of herby garden scents and flavors. If heat is a factor you look for in your garden, some sliced jalapeños will also serve you well.

There are no rules to the sizable meat options, just personal preferences. If you order anything raw, a few moments in the steaming liquid will cook it. For me, cuts of brisket, tendon, flank, and rare beef are tender and soft but taste rather less distinct from one another, except for a slight tinny note. I usually go for contrasting textures — some fatty brisket paired up with flank that’s more on the fibrous side.

The noodles themselves are softer than most, usually overcooked, gummy, and settled into a giant ball in the dead center of the bowl. This plus slippery chopsticks do not make for a fun combination. 

Drinks are limited, mainly sodas and juices. You can also get a Vietnamese coffee if you want to sleep with your eyes wide open. As expected, assembly is required.

In recent years, Pho Hoa has gotten the makeover it badly needed since the last century, when burn marks on the table counted as decor and you had to worry about your chair collapsing underneath you during lunch. The tables are new and the chairs are sturdy enough now. Seating is communal so get ready to sit elbow to elbow with people you don’t know while you slurp.

Written by Joy

Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.

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