Dining Review: An authentic bowl of local comfort

By Elisabeth Greenbaum Kasson

May 24, 2016 1:41 PM PT

Vietnam’s ubiquitous noodle soup, pho, eaten for breakfast in the south of the country and any time of day in the north, has become a go-to meal of choice for many a hungry Southern Californian.

And while aficionados of Vietnamese cuisine may hop on the 405 to Westminster or Garden Grove, the rest of us just want to find a local place to have an authentic, comforting bowl, which surprisingly, is not such an easy task in the greater Burbank-Glendale area.

So after having been told some bad news, at the end of an unseasonably cool, gray day with the hills of Griffith Park and surrounding Verdugos shrouded in a sad fog, it was a relief to tuck inside Pho Hot, an immaculate Vietnamese restaurant with a pleasant vibe, attentive owners and group-friendly seating.

Considering its location in an oft transitioning 1930s-era strip mall, on the western edge of Glendale’s San Fernando Road and currently tucked between a laundromat and barber shop, one might not expect too much. But fortunately for our emotionally drained diners, dinner proved a lovely surprise.

Cha gio, those long, slender egg rolls so unlike the gummy, overstuffed, oily versions often found in average Chinese restaurants, were a nice starter. These were lightly fried, had an easy, toothy crunch and were packed with delicately seasoned minced pork.

There are 11 versions of pho served here. Most are beef-centric, and they come in regular and large sizes (read large and extra large). Our pho soon arrived steaming to the table. At the ready was a plate piled high with fresh basil, cilantro, jalepeno, lime and sprouts, and in the condiment holder, bottles of hoisin sauce, Sriracha and a dish of sambal lay in wait, just in case we wanted to add more zip to the soup.

The House Special’s (pho dac biet) deeply layered, flavorful beef broth, fragrant with cinnamon and a hint of clove, was filled with perfectly cooked noodles, tender slices of eye round and flank steak, fatty brisket, impossibly silky tendon and crunchy tripe. It was wonderfully soothing and unexpectedly satisfying, vastly improving the mood at the table.

Premium White Chicken pho (pho gat hit trang) may have benefited from the additional taste of dark meat, but the person devouring it felt otherwise. The nearly clear broth, full of lovely noodles and an ample amount of bird, evinced a lightly herbal top note over a soulful chicken base. It was a solid effort, as if your favorite Aunt Ida had come to town and left a pot on the stove for you to slurp up later. Not as good as mom’s but still enjoyable.

Pho Hot also offers a few simple variations of familiar standbys including vermicelli bowls, roasted chicken and banh mi (Vietnam’s answer to the sub sandwich). We sampled the vermicelli with grilled pork sausage and fried egg roll which was plentiful and guaranteed to fill someone up but didn’t offer anything special that would recommend it. A char-grilled beef banh mi suffered from an ordinary roll, and although the filling was reasonable, the cilantro, pickled daikon, shredded carrot and jalepeno topping didn’t pack much interest or essential crunch, and the mayonnaise was overly sweet.

The majority of menu items are under $10, and on a weekday evening, the place was about a third full. Parking was a snap, which makes it an easy option on those nights when you don’t feel like cooking. They also offer takeout, as well as discounted specials.

Uncrowded, unfussy and just a mile or so from San Fernando Road’s cheek-to-jowl restaurant row, Pho Hot may offer the best bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup in the area. Stick to that dish: Your spirits will rise and it’s possible you’ll feel the fog lift off the Verdugos.

What: Pho Hot

Where: 6306 San Fernando Road, Glendale

Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Closed Sunday

More info: (818) 696-2255, pho-hot.com. Facebook: phohotglendale, Instagram: @phohot

ELISABETH GREENBAUM KASSON is a contributor to Marquee.