Pho Viet, 14th Street and Parkwood Place in North Columbia Heights

[squidsdc]

While I am not a certified pho expert, I had a really nice bowl of soup today at Pho 14 in Columbia Heights (14xx Park Road NW) - 9 dollars for a huge bowl that was very tasty.

Are there two Pho places in Columbia Heights, or did they change their name to Pho Viet? Two stars from Tom Sietsema.

[Rhone1998]

This is different from Pho 14, which is on Park Rd around the corner from the complex with Target, Best Buy, etc. Pho Viet is on 14th st, a bit further north.

[synaesthesia]

I had pho here about a month ago. I think I prefer it over Pho 14, which is a little bit sweeter, but I think Pho 75 is better.

[darkstar965]

Random but kind-of-related (and wholly unsupported) hypothesis:

Neighborhoods here in the greater DC area are more likely to have a small vietnamese restaurant than they are to have a bookstore or even a hardware store.

That feels like it might be true. If it is, what does that say about the current state of retail in our area and maybe across the country? Off topic.

Had a chance to have lunch at Pho Viet recently.

OVERVIEW

Pho Viet Columbia Heights is the kind of small, uber-appreciated, neighborhood ethnic place that is more able to succeed in lower rent areas outside of downtown. Simple, good, honest food true to the national cuisine at very reasonable prices.

FOOD

Just had two things. An order of crispy spring rolls, though a bit overdone, was tasty with pork, shrimp, maybe some egg (?), herbs and cellophane noodle. A "special" pho with bo vien (meatball), slices of rare beef and tendon was quite good. Broth was simple yet flavorful. Sprouts, jalapeno, mint leaves and lime all very fresh. Rice noodles had some bite.

BOTTOM LINE

The place is easy to miss even though it's right on 14th St. It's small and unassuming with seating inside maybe for 25 or so at 5 to 7 tables and a bar. I think my share of the bill was something like $12 for the above. We were served by a gentleman who had to be the owner and who clearly cared about his food and that we enjoyed it, asking my dining companion at one point why some of the tendon was being put to the side (just personal preference; nothing at all wrong with the tendon).

Destination restaurant? No way.

Best Vietnamese in the region? Nah, not that either. Those are in VA.

Good, well priced, tasty Vietnamese food very much worth having if in the area or nearby? Absolutely!

Columbia Heights, itself a slowly gentrifying area, is lucky to have places like Pho Viet and Coffy Cafe.

[spaztic1215]

If you find yourself in Columbia Heights, craving Pho or other classic Vietnamese dishes, I recommend walking north up 14th St to Pho Viet (assuming it's not Tuesday, as they're closed on Tuesday.

Very consistently good, excellent cha gio, spring rolls, pho (all typical varieties plus an excellent spicy lemongrass pho!) along with other bun and rice dishes. The place is run by a very honest and pleasant Vietnamese couple. It's become my favorite Pho joint in DC by a landslide.

[DanielK]

Good to know, though CH was already a 10-minute walk from the +1's place, so not sure another 10 minutes was a possibility. Plus, it was Tuesday...

[darkstar965]

If you find yourself in Columbia Heights, craving Pho or other classic Vietnamese dishes, I recommend walking north up 14th St to Pho Viet (assuming it's not Tuesday, as they're closed on Tuesday.

Very consistently good, excellent cha gio, spring rolls, pho (all typical varieties plus an excellent spicy lemongrass pho!) along with other bun and rice dishes. The place is run by a very honest and pleasant Vietnamese couple. It's become my favorite Pho joint in DC by a landslide.

is this the one on the east side of the street, easily missed and lower than street level? About 3-4 blocks north of the main commercial area with the Target, Julia's and the like? Maybe 8 to 10 tables with a bar and kitchen behind it at left when you enter? If so, I agree!

[spaztic1215]

is this the one on the east side of the street, easily missed and lower than street level? About 3-4 blocks north of the main commercial area with the Target, Julia's and the like? Maybe 8 to 10 tables with a bar and kitchen behind it at left when you enter? If so, I agree!

Yes, that would be it!

[darkstar965]

Yes, that would be it!

You should start a new topic for it if it doesn't already exist. It is a nice place with super people behind it. Not the equal of vietnamese and pho spots out in Virginia but agree with you it's one of the best options in the District.

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[Merged into existing topic. DR]

Edited February 13, 2013 by DonRocks

[susanmab]

It's become my favorite Pho joint in DC by a landslide.

Mine as well. I'm crazy about the spice lemongrass option. We're there nearly once a week.

[Tweaked]

Grabbed take-out from Pho Viet on Friday night. I kind of appreciated the restaurant, nice and divvy. Two guys were bellied up to the bar downing big bowls of pho. A couple of tables out front featured tattooed hipster types. If I lived nearby I could see this place being a regular stop for a low-key dinner.

Ordered the special pho (#11) - Since I was doing takeout, everything came package separately, even down to a couple slices of raw beef, a slab of tendon, and uncooked noodles. Tossed everything into a sauce pan and by the time the broth came to a boil everything was ready to go. Very solid bowl of pho. I prefer a little more star anise flavor, but it hit the spot for pho without traveling to Virginia.

Grilled lemongrass pork bun (#32) - Not quiet as successful. I was expecting the pork to have some nice caramelization/char to it, which it did not. And the meat was somewhat chewy. Not the best bun I've had but ok.

Veg Spring Rolls - Maybe these don't travel well, but by the time I got home they were grease bombs.

This is definitely the type of restaurant where you find a couple items that you like and that's what you order every time. Certainly better than Pho 14

[Laura H.]

Ordering the spicy lemongrass pho is a must here! I said half spice and I thought that was hot enough for me. My boyfriend ordered it full spice and regretted it, unfortunately, later. Service here was somewhat off-putting but you come here for the food so just take it in stride. I wish I could order differently but I always get the lemongrass pho, because it's so unique, each and every time.

[Jonathan]

14 minutes ago, Laura H. said:

Ordering the spicy lemongrass pho is a must here! I said half spice and I thought that was hot enough for me. My boyfriend ordered it full spice and regretted it, unfortunately, later. Service here was somewhat off-putting but you come here for the food so just take it in stride. I wish I could order differently but I always get the lemongrass pho, because it's so unique, each and every time.

I have to disagree on this. To me, the spicy lemongrass pho is not pho at all, and never once satisfied my craving for beef noodle soup (which I have eaten religiously for lunch twice a week for the last 3 years).

In fact, I think the Pho here, in general, is so hit or miss that I no longer frequent it. (I've also seen a huge rat running freely in the restaurant, between the kitchen and the dining room, but that's another story).

[DonRocks]

[As usual, I didn't "Like" Jonathan's post because it was contrary, but because it was respectful and well-thought-out. Polite discussion like this is what shakes things out, and is always welcome here - it also doesn't mean Laura is incorrect. A good rule-of-thumb in this community is: 'Anytime you start a post with, 'I disagree,' that's a sign that you should be backing up the opinion with some hard information (such as personal experience, knowledge to the contrary, etc.)']

Jonathan, I'd personally love your opinion of your favorite 3-4 pho houses in the Pho thread - anyone who has eaten it 300 times in the past 3 years has covered some serious ground. Feel free to quote me here as a lead-in.