Finally made it to Dear John’s last night. No pics b/c it’s dark as hell in there. Sat at the bar, which was comfortable. Delicious. We had the bougie tater tots + cavier and roe; lobster thermidor; and the Frank’s spaghetti and clams. Hint of salinity from the cavier and roe (the latter of which was quite sweet!) was great.
Lobster was perfectly cooked and not overly creamy. Spaghetti was whatever (never had a red sauce w/ clams; enjoyed the breadcrumbs), but the clams were excellent (and abundant).
Dessert was the hazelnut crumble + coffee (?) ice cream + chocolate ganache. That thing was SO rich that it could easily be split among 4 people.
Partner loved his mixed drink, although I cannot for the life of my remember what it was.
Great atmosphere, fantastic service (waitstaff are in tuxedos), and even my lowly soda was served in crystal. What a fun place. It’s pricey, but you get what you pay for.
I was by myself at the bar. So i had the tratare with the fried raw egg yolk and everything seasoning ctackers! Which was pretty good and the fries which i liked but not as much as charcoal. Definitely a place to go with more people.
@Helper_Monkey - I already tried the crispy rice salad (with sausage) on my first visit. Didn’t order it this time ‘cuz I was ordering with leftovers in mind.
Interesting distinction about simmering the broth low (like a consomme) rather than at high heat (like tonkotsu). I don’t know that would make it inherently better broth but I’m certainly willing to try it once.
Yes, I turned Javier onto them so glad he got to try it and write about them. That description of the cooking process is correct…hard boiling of the bones will result in cloudier broth—with tonkotsu broth being the extreme example. Long boiling will emulsify the fat globules which is why we put it on very low simmer overnight.
That description of the cooking process is correct
I should definitely mention that I’m not against a low temp approach to making broth. I think I’m a little reactive to all the French-focused books I read when first learning how to cook that said all stocks MUST be cooked low with a raft for clarification and no other techniques were even mentioned.
I certainly appreciate the level of thought and care Ngoc clearly puts into the product- I’m looking forward to trying it!
I get where you’re coming from. Things the French brought over have been adapted by viet cooks to suit their situation. The way they make viet banh mi for example, is so different than traditional French baguette (and no, there is no rice flour) even though the ingredients are essentially the same.
Pho King Ngoc is a street side stall currently located at Fig x Ave 57. For parking try the lot behind Antigua, and bring your quarters (wtf LA I thought Sunday was free?)
So I live close to Little Saigon and I had to drive past El Monte just to get here. So how was the Pho?
Aroma…smells so good with the spice scents dancing around the immediate area and when the bowl is in your face.
Broth…this is Southern style and I thought it was incredibly balanced and flavorful on its own. I would hold the limes, chilli sauce, and hoisin in the broth.
Meat/toppings…there is basil, scallion, cilantro, and slightly vinegared onion. At table side you have 3 Crab Fish Sauce, Hoisin, Chilli Sauce, and as @hppzz indicated above a solid form of Ngoc Beo(the fatty stuff on top of the broth). The beef is fine. You can get just rare, just brisket, or both.
Protip: Use the spoon for your chilli sauce/hoisin dip for your meat.
Protip: NO on the limes and onions, this will change your broth too much. If you choose to add use very very little.
It is a pretty damn good bowl of pho. I appreciate the short hours of operation to keep the consistency and integrity of the broth. Would I go again? As of now out of convenience, probably no. I have Pho Akaushi and Pho 79 near me. But I am happy to support this Mom-N-Pop. I wish them the best!
Edit: I really like the noodles they used it had a nice chew to them
Thanks for the report @JeetKuneBao. Since it’s a street side stall, there’s no running water right? Did you see how they might’ve cleaned the bowls and utensils you’re eating with?
Also this pho stand might be one of the few using “Pho King” but I think it’s not meant as something you do between 2 people on a bed because after Pho King is the owners name Ngoc so I think it’s more like Pho King as in royalty or the best sorry but not sorry all my past English teachers
