Every great city neighborhood has its pho shop — the place where the broth begins simmering before dawn, where the same families come every Sunday, where the Vietnamese iced coffee is measured in the proper proportion of condensed milk to Robusta espresso. Pho Saigon Noodle is Burbank's version.
The Nguyen family, who opened on Magnolia Boulevard in 2008, make their pho broth from beef bones that go into the pot at 6 AM for an eight-hour simmer with star anise, clove, cinnamon, and charred ginger and onion. The result is the clear, deeply flavored liquid that defines Vietnamese pho — present and complex without being heavy.
The dac biet — the special combination — is the bowl to order: rare steak, well-done brisket, tendon, tripe, and meatballs in a large bowl of that broth, accompanied by a plate of bean sprouts, fresh basil, lime, and sliced jalapeño. The customization is half the pleasure.
The bun bo hue is for the returning visitor: a spicier, richer soup from central Vietnam with lemongrass-forward pork broth, thick round noodles, and pork knuckle. It is significantly more complex than pho and rewards the order every time.
The $7 banh mi is one of the best food bargains in Burbank. Vietnamese baguette, char siu pork, housemade pâté, pickled daikon and carrot, jalapeño, and cilantro — an entire lunch for less than the price of a mediocre coffee elsewhere on the street.
Pho Saigon is the neighborhood institution that does not ask for attention. It only needs you to sit down and taste the broth.
