In Search of Light, Delectable Chicken Pho Noodle Soup - A Pho Ga Journey

Holy shit I am eating that when I visit my parents next week.

Can they also do a Togo order of that? Cuz my wife is gonna kill me if I don’t bring that home.

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Yes, def think so. Seen them pack to go orders.

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Thanks for the rec @hppzz. I’ll have to try it next time. :slight_smile:

And that is why this board is da fo shiznitz…

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Wonderful @Chowseeker1999. I could eat this food everyday! I :heart: that more and more little spots are using free-range chickens.

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Tried another chicken specialist this weekend, Pho Song Hai. They used to be on westiminster/magnolia which we never got to try but now relocated to mcfadden and magnolia .

While pho ga is their bread and butter, they also have the mien (mung bean noodle) ga, banh canh (thick ricy/tapioca noodle) ga and hainan style rice as well.

We ordered off menu (whole bird $22) and noodles separately. The broth was very good-aromatic, clear, and nuanced–can tell that their use of MSG if any, was definitely less than Tuan Canh–overall slightly better than Pho Tuan Canh. the chicken came piping hot as if they had just boiled it as opposed to the room temp to luke warm chicken from Tuan canh (which is perfectly ok). So as a result, the meat was perceptably more juicy. Not sure how consistent this is though as it was our first time and almost everyone the ordered the preset bowls with either breast/dark meat etc.
the ginger/lime fish sauce was excellent.

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Update 2:

With the chilly cold weather it felt like the perfect time for some deeply warming Chicken Pho. :slight_smile:

HP Pho Ga Bac Ninh (Revisit)

Banh Cuon Tom Thit (Steamed Pork and Shrimp Rice Noodle Wraps with a Side of Pork Meatloaf):

Darn you @Ns1 @PorkyBelly for getting me hooked on Banh Cuon! Now I can’t stop looking for versions to try. :wink: :smile: We had never noticed that HP Pho Ga Bac Ninh had Banh Cuon, but after trying the great versions you recommended, I suddenly saw it on the menu here. :wink:

HP Pho Ga’s Steamed Pork & Shrimp Rice Noodle Wraps are a little bit on the thicker skin side, but still quite supple and pliable. The Pork and Shrimp filling was nicely savory and it made for a pretty tasty version that’s a bit closer than Little Saigon. :slight_smile:

Cha Gio (Egg Rolls):

Their Cha Gio are fine: Arriving piping hot and slightly crisped, along with some fresh greens, they scratch that itch.

Pho Ga (Chicken Pho Noodle Soup), Small:

But we’re here for the Pho Ga (Chicken Pho Noodle Soup) and it is still laughable how massive the portion is for this Small size Pho Ga. :grin:

Taking a sip… still consistently light, pure Chicken Soup, piping hot and perfect for warming your soul on these chilly Winter evenings. :heart:

hp_pho_009

I love dipping their Free-Range Chicken with the Ginger Sauce, giving it a bit more natural zing and heat. It feels like Chicken Pho was made for days like this! :blush:

Additional Visit:

It’s been so cold that we had to go back for a follow-up visit (that, and one of my best friends overheard me talking about how nice it was to have piping hot Chicken Pho at HP Pho Ga Bac Ninh, that she begged us to go again so we could all get a bowl. With the lighter Holiday traffic, driving from the Westside was a breeze. :slight_smile:

Pho Ga (Chicken Pho Noodle Soup), Small:

As absurdly pure, delicate, light and heart-warming as before! :heart:

HP Pho Ga Bac Ninh’s Chicken Pho Noodle Soup still represents one of the best deals in town, at a reasonable $7 for a massive bowl of their Small size Pho Ga, made with Free-Range Chicken, it has a purity and lightness of Broth, it’s simple, warms you up from the inside out and perfect for this time of year.

(Cash Only)

HP Pho Ga Bac Ninh
8930 Mission Dr., Suite 102
Rosemead, CA 91770
Tel: (626) 288-9999

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Just went on New Year’s Day. We got the whole chicken for $21 and two large plain noodle bowls to split amongs 4 pple. Must say, pho ga bac ninh’s execution with the whole chicken, how well it was cooked and just as importantly who well they broke it down with clean cuts is the best. We’ve been a few sports where the butchering was worse than what we could do at home.

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How does the chicken, broth and pho noodle at Pho Ga District (on San Gabriel Blvd in Rosemead) compare with the ones mentioned on this thread? I got there at 8:03pm last night but they close at 8pm and they are closed on Thursdays.

Thanks for the heads up @fallingleaves. I haven’t tried it yet, maybe some of our SGV FTC’ers can chime in?

Or I’ll eventually make it over there next time I’m in the area.

Any recommendations in Mid-City or Beverly-Grove area?

There’s not a ton of pho options around here that are good.

Phorage just opened up a spot here and nong la on la Brea also does pho ga.

But I’ve never had pho ga at either of their og locations.

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Pho Saigon Pearl is decent. We go to Pho Hue Oi in Redondo Beach, it’s right off the 405 and you can easily work in a trip to Tokyo Central while down there.

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Thanks @Dommy & @hungryhungryhippos!

We had Saigon Pearl or Nong La a while ago but I can’t remember which. I’ll try them again. The other options sound good for a later visit. I’m down with a cold and had doctored-up Campbell’s tonight. Some nice, hot, local Pho is the ticket for tomorrow.

:ramen: :herb:

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Hope you feel better hangari kalgooksoo in ktown might be a good stand in for pho ga.

Their knife cut noodle chicken soup is definitely something I grab when I’m feeling an itchy throat or cold coming on

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Thanks! Even better. I was reading about them earlier - maybe on this board, but I can’t remember because my brain is like chewing gum right now.

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Hi @TheCookie,

Hope you feel better! :frowning: I can’t think of any legit / great Pho Ga places in the Mid-City area. I was thinking of alternatives and maybe you can go to our favorite Buil Samgye Tang for their delicious Korean Chicken Ginseng Soup? :blush:

Oh, and note, they moved! At first I thought they closed (their OG 3rd street shop was boarded up), but I just found out they moved to Western Ave.! Phew.

859 S Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 739-0001

Enjoy!

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Thanks @Chowseeker1999! That’s a thought. I was also thinking about the Dak-kalguksu at Hangari Kalgooksoo. Whichever’s closest. :sneezing_face:

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Oh! I hope you feel better! Whole foods used to sell this cup of sippy Pho Broth that was surprisingly wonderful.

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Wow I need this in my life