Pho is not only a bowl of noodles with broth, it’s an experience. The slurping. The steamed glasses. The slathering of pungent sauces. These elements are a must when eating at your local noodle shop. Unfortunately, Pho Hoa fails to deliver this satisfying gastronomic experience.
Pho Hoa is located in the Tenderloin district of SF. I’m usually wary of going to the Tenderloin, unless the trip is necessary, as in the case of searching for the perfect bowl of pho. Legend has it that the district is called the Tenderloin because police officers used to receive an extra hazard pay when patrolling the area, and thus, were able to eat nice steak dinners every night. Seriously though, don’t wander into this part of town late at night.
Pho Hoa looks just like any other nondescript pho shop. The service is fast and the menu is no-frills. You know what you’re getting when walking into this place. I ordered my usual–pho with thinly sliced rare beef. One of hallmarks of a good pho shop is consistency, able to deliver steaming, tasty, and utterly fulfilling bowls of heaven any time you visit.
However, when my bowl came out it was not steaming–a bad sign. I took a few mouthfuls, and lo and behold, my glasses were not fogging up–a total blasphemy! Also, my beef didn’t cook all the way through in the stagnant lukewarm broth. At this point, Pho Hoa has hit rock bottom. It’s really hard to recover a pho when it’s lukewarm, no matter how good the noodles and beef are.
On the plus side, they gave a good amount of beef and noodles, which I couldn’t enjoy fully due to the broth catastrophe.
I will not be returning soon to Pho Hoa.
Pho Hoa
431 Jones St. (between Ellis and O’Farrell)
(415) 673-3163