24 in 24: DC – 3:00 PM @ Pho 75

Probably the most hilarious stop of the trip. We haven’t set anything up with the owners of Pho 75 ahead of time, so they have no idea who we are. That’s OK because they could care less about the camera floating around the restaurant and are more than happy to let us do our thing.

I love pho and would venture to guess that 90% of Americans have no idea what it is. We sit down at what is almost the only open table in the restaurant at 3:00 PM and order a large white meat chicken pho (my measuring stick for what a proper pho place is). To this date, my favorite pho is still at Pho Nam in Gaithersburg, but Pho 75 gives them a run for their money. The chicken is tender, the vermicelli is slightly firm to the tooth, and the broth (as always) is to die for. I squirt a half pint of Sriracha into the bowl, slurp the first of the noodles up, and take a shot of chili oil to the eyeball. I now know how pepper spray works and I am fearful of it. Those Jackass guys earn their money.

Just an aside on this broth; I read a recipe for the broth that took 24 hours to make, and it was a bit more than set-it-and-forget-it. Asian cultures have perfected cuisines because they’ve had 3,000 years to figure them out, trying things that worked and didn’t work; learning spice combinations, making curries and stocks just right. There are some advanced culinary techniques that are going on behind those doors, pho’real.

Pho 75 wins the Ease Of Use award for 24 in 24: DC. Get in, have great pho, film it, get out. Thanks for making my stay a pleasant one, H.V.I.C.

Fojol Brothers, Fojol Brothers? Wherefore art thou Fojol Brothers.

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