No. 74: Beef Pho from Basilic Vietnamese Grill
The tiny, beachside bistro Basilic serves a mean bowl pho, fragrant with anise
and ginger and loaded with strips of thinly sliced steak that cooks
inside of the steaming bowl. On the side comes a traditional salvo of accouterments: a frock of peppery basil, some crisp bean sprouts,
slivers of jalapeno, a wedge of lime, and a dish filled with hoisin and
sriracha. The broth is heady and fairly beefy, with grassy notes of
scallion and onion mixing with the starch of the rice noodles. You can upgrade it any way you choose: stir in a little bit of hoisin and a big scoop of sriracha, or squirt some lime and the vegetables and herbs. The combination bowl called pho dac biet included some pleasantly gelatinous, porky meatballs and more thin
slices of brisket with bits of unctuous fat attached. Since the soup
was so light and fragrant, the richness of the meat never overpowers
it.
Previous 100 Favorite Dishes:
No. 75: Stuffed poblano from Canyon
No. 76: Raja tamales from Chini's Burritos
No. 77: Udon soup from Sushi 1
No. 78: Steak fries from Maguire's Hill 16
No. 79: Cheesesteak from Sonny's Famous Steak Hogies
No. 80: Sliders from Zed451
Favorite Dishes No. 81 though No. 100
