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Seattle Post Intelligencer Review
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By
Phuong Le
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
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"Judging by the crowds that pack this new restaurant during the lunch hour, it seems as if Pho Cyclo Cafe doesn't need much of an introduction.
Each time I've gone for lunch, most of the tables in this Sodo cafe have been filled with people slurping steaming bowls of pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) or tucking into large bowls of rice noodles topped with meats and herbs.
Eating here feels a bit like being on a studio set, perhaps because of the headsets that some waiters use to fill your order. Murals on the walls depict pastoral landscapes and street scenes from Vietnam. Bright paper lanterns hang from the high ceiling. The waitresses sport bright pink silk tunics. A thatched roof hangs over the cashier at the back of the room.
The owners also run Huong Binh restaurant, which is probably why I enjoyed each dish I've had here.
Pho tai, No. 5, was surprisingly good, with a broth that was fragrant with the smell of star anise (large, $5.75). There are 11 versions for the novice, five for "the pho master" who likes tendon or tripe.
The egg rolls in bun cha gio, or No. 20, were crispy without being too oily. It was served on a bed of rice noodles with a fistful of shredded lettuce, herbs, cucumbers and carrots ($5.50).
The vegetarian stir-fry, No. 32, was lackluster ($5.50), though the spicy tofu in No. 31 was nicely seasoned with lemon grass ($5.50)."
-Phuong Le, Seattle Post Intelligencer Food and Dining Review
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