pho-natic!

I finally tried something that I've been wanting to eat ever since I moved to this city.

Pho.

Phở (fuh) n. Traditional beef noodle soup, Phở Bò, or chicken noodle soup, Phở Gà.

I did my research like any good food fanatic (how 'bout pho-natic for this post's purposes) and decided that the closest place to get a really good first Pho would be at Silk, a sister restaurant to the well-know Pho Van in SE Portland. Since Silk is down in the Pearl it was only a quick walk/streetcar ride from our house. AND, Silk has "Silky Hour" (I don't get it, is it supposed to be as funny as I think it is?) to make it even more alluring.

It was delicious. Warm, a little spicy. Notes of spice we couldn't put our finger on (clove? 5 spice? Must be 5 spice. We think) and extra little dishes of bean sprouts, basil, lime, chilis, and hot pepper pastes. The beef was very thinly sliced and I assume it finished cooking in the broth because it was still a tad pink when it came out of the kitchen.

Now that I'm an official pho-natic, I think I'll make it a New Years resolution to sample all the good offerings of Pho that Portland has to offer. God, Thank You for Pho!

"Silky Hour" at Silk. Seriously, that's funny, isn't it? I just laughed every time I said it. For a semi-serious restaurant I was surprised by this bold risk of humor.

Although the meat looks a tad rare for my tastes, it was fully cooked by the time I got to it because I pushed it to the bottom of the bowl and it finished up in the broth...yum!

Don't worry, I finished every last drop.