Pho 75 – Clarendon/Rosslyn

My quest for the best pho (easily accessible by metro) continues.  So I thought I’d try Pho 75 (after hearing so much about the place!).

• Food: When I ordered the tai bowl of pho to go, I asked if I could get the beef raw.  I was told that they never serve raw beef (boo!).  Once I got home, I opened the bag of sides they gave me which included jalapenos, bean sprouts, basil leaves, and a lime wedge.  Then they also had a small take out container of rice noodles with green onions and cilantro.  There was also a small container with a mixture of hoisin and sriracha sauce.  Since it took me a little bit to walk home, I opened the container of broth and put in the microwave for a few minutes.  I was disappointed I couldn’t smell any star anise like I could with Nam-Viet/Pho 79. 

   

UPDATE 8/2008– I went again and sat down to eat the bowl of pho tai.  They are incredibly speedy!  I liked it, but it’s not my favorite bowl…plus, is it just me or does it look greasier than the others?  For right now, it’s Pho Xe Lua.  I’d buy a car just to go there…

• Service: I ordered to go (and was charged an extra $0.50 for it).  When you order to go, just go straight to the back counter to order and pay.  Also, they only accept cash so make sure you’re prepared!
• Atmosphere: When you walk inside, there’s rows of tables and chairs so you’ll be eating family style.  The atmosphere will not impress anyone, but it’s simple.
• Attire: Casual
• Overall:I have to be honest — I didn’t like Pho 75 nearly as much as I did like Pho 79.  It was the broth’s lack of star anise flavor and the fact the beef was cooked.  I have heard the Pho 75 in Rosslyn is better so I’ll have to try that one out sometime.  BTW, when you take the metro, it’s about halfway between the Clarendon and Rosslyn metro stop.  I walked out the Clarendon metro and then walked downhill to catch the Rosslyn metro. 

Details:

• Hours: Daily 9 am-8 pm
• Address: 1721 Wilson Blvd; Arlington, VA 22209
• Ph: (703) 525-7355‎