Originally Posted by
kahdgar
Personally, I wan't to venture out and get creative with my Vietnamese, but if I find a place that has awesome Pho broth, I basically never get anything else. Add in all the siracha, all the jalapenos, the basil, the bean sprouts.... Can't go wrong. (skip the siracha and jalapenos if you're not into spicy)
I should also add: Be careful with what you ask for in your Pho. Most traditional, or authentic styles, include tripe and tendon which can be texturally off-putting to a newbie. Stick with the rare eye-round, fat brisket or well-done brisket unless you're feeling adventurous.
All good advice. The thing I'd add, which may be obvious, is make sure you go to an authentic Vietnamese restaurant, preferably family-run. There are a lot of places selling "pho" these days that just don't do it right. Making the broth is a long process, and I suspect most of these places use shortcuts, which is why the broth just doesn't have the deep flavors an authentic one does.