Down here in Atlanta, there exists a stretch of road full of the most amazing and legitimate food in the city. Whether it's traditional Vietnamese or a low-country boil you're craving, Buford Highway has got your fix.
If you don't live in Atlanta, you will this one time be forgiven for not knowing about the gastronomic delights that are Buford Highway. In recent years, the entire area has sprung up into an ethnic culinary mecca. Whatever you want -- be it Ethiopian, Australian, Turkish, Mexican -- it's on this highway, drawing attention to itself with big, tacky signs.
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| Waffle House crosses all boundaries |
And so, when I found myself craving a delicious bowl of pho, there was only one place to go.* I found myself at Pho Dai Loi the other night ordering a bowl of pho with beef tenderloin, tripe, and tendon.
"What's pho?", you might ask? Well, you certainly should ask, because it is God's gift to our mouths. Pho is, at its most basic, a big bowl of broth, noodles, herbs, and meat. From there, you can add more of everything! Limes, sirracha, cilantro, bean sprouts, and on and on....
Pho Dai Loi is one of those fantastic pho shops that has a menu, but that's pretty much a formality. The server greets you with a basic "What you want?" because you're not here for conversation. You place your order, and before you can realize how how delicious the place smells, your order is already sitting on your table.
Now some people may get a little worried about how to eat this. It's really simple. Spoon in the left hand, chopsticks in the right. Slurp soup, slurp noodles,slurp meat, slurp broth -- all while keeping your head near the bowl to enjoy the yummy smells and to avoid that less-than-dapper splatter.
*Buford Highway. Have you not been paying attention at all?
"What's pho?", you might ask? Well, you certainly should ask, because it is God's gift to our mouths. Pho is, at its most basic, a big bowl of broth, noodles, herbs, and meat. From there, you can add more of everything! Limes, sirracha, cilantro, bean sprouts, and on and on....
Pho Dai Loi is one of those fantastic pho shops that has a menu, but that's pretty much a formality. The server greets you with a basic "What you want?" because you're not here for conversation. You place your order, and before you can realize how how delicious the place smells, your order is already sitting on your table.
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| Oh my gawd. Becky, look at that bowl... |
Look at that bowl! There is nothing in that bowl you do not want inside of you!
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| Forks? Where we're going we don't need forks... |
Now some people may get a little worried about how to eat this. It's really simple. Spoon in the left hand, chopsticks in the right. Slurp soup, slurp noodles,slurp meat, slurp broth -- all while keeping your head near the bowl to enjoy the yummy smells and to avoid that less-than-dapper splatter.
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| Sweet Baby Jesus....so delicious.... |
Oh, did I forget to tell you about Vietnamese spring rolls? These are not the fried egg rolls or the fried spring rolls from the Chinese buffet. Wrapped in rice paper, a Vietnamese spring roll is like a good sausage. Soft but firm and with a satisfying snap when you bite into them. Inside that delightful spring roll is a burst of cool and fresh flavors that are even better with a little peanut sauce.
Also, since I don't have the skill to deftly wrap up this post with a quality last paragraph, let me just clue you in. This is the end. No, really. You can stop reading now.
Also, since I don't have the skill to deftly wrap up this post with a quality last paragraph, let me just clue you in. This is the end. No, really. You can stop reading now.
*Buford Highway. Have you not been paying attention at all?
Ugh. I'm literally drooling. Pho and those spring rolls have been my favorite food since aught nine.
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