Pho 84
354 17th St. [Map]
Oakland, CA 94612
Ph: (510) 832-1338
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 11am-3pm and 5-9pm; Fri, 11am-3pm and 5:30-10pm; Sat, noon-3pm and 5:30-9:30pm; closed Sun
Price range: $ Pho ($10)

Le Cheval

Le Cheval’s combo pho with your choice of three meats. (Olin Ness)

Le Cheval’s secret broth recipe involves bone marrow, and that must be why it is so deeply savory. Of all the dishes on the extensive menu, it’s the pho that stands out as a real destination dish.

The combo comes with your choice of three meats, and I got rare beef (tai), flank steak (nam) and beef balls (bo vien). The silky ribbons of well-done flank were almost as tender as the rare meat, which arrived just barely cooked. The meatballs were mild, the texture of a coarse hot dog. Other options include beef shank, crunchy flank, and brisket.

Pho ga (chicken), also served in the deeply rich beef broth, arrives simply garnished with sweet white onions and chopped cilantro. The noodles here are of the traditional vermicelli style; what is labeled as sriracha is actually better: a bittersweet, coarsely ground red chile paste. All pho dishes come with the requisite slices of lime, Thai basil, and a copious pile of bean sprouts.

Tucking in to a steaming bowl of pho ga (chicken) at Le Cheval. (Kim Westerman)

Le Cheval
1007 Clay St. [Map]
Oakland, CA 94607
Ph: (510) 763-8495
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-9:30pm; Sun, 4-9pm
Price range: $ Pho ($10-$12)

Pho Thang Long

A combination pho with rare beef, tripe, flank steak, and meatball at Pho Thang Long. (Kim Westerman)

I had never really noticed Pho Thang Long until recently when I was making a taco run on International Boulevard in East Oakland. But something drew me in, and I immediately learned that it must have the beaming friendliness of the women who run the place, whose energy and warmth overflowed. The place was empty, but they welcomed me and my son as if to a party. I only hoped the food was as inviting.

We ordered the Pho Tang combo, which included rare beef, flank, tripe and meatball, and the rare beef pho as a solo affair. Both were excellent, steeped in a dark, rich broth, a bit fattier than the others, but not at all greasy. It seemed that maybe there was hint of clove or a bitter spice in there, but I can’t be sure. In any case, it was a nice balance to the sweetness of the slivers of onion floating in each bowl. Noodles here are the standard rice vermicelli, perhaps cooked a bit longer than others, so less toothsome. And there are even kid-sized versions of three types of pho for a mere $4.50.

All the meats were carefully prepared, in particular the rare beef, which was just rested on top of the cooked ingredients and left to slowly steam. There were stalks of Thai basil, of course, and lime and bean sprouts. But most of all, a delightful staff that ensured we’d be back.

Pho tai, or rare beef pho, at Pho Thang Long in East Oakland. (Kim Westerman)

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