**** Pho Duyen Mai is under new ownership.
No, it's not the candy or even the song from Alice in Chains. But I kept seeing the sign for "them bones" while (usually) having an early lunch at Pho Duyen Mai.
I'd recently had the pho here.....
And was not too impressed with the broth. Which while not bland as it had some hints of anise; it was way too salty and barely had any beef flavor. I couldn't bring myself to finish the bowl.
The proteins were decent though and the noodles, while the usual clump at the bottom of the bowl wasn't over done.
This was ok and I wasn't planning on having pho here anytime soon. But that Beef Rib Bones sign stuck in my head.
Curious I returned and ordered a regular sized pho ($7) and them bones ($3). Which turned out to be three good sized ribs bones which I believe is used for making the broth.
This was pretty good; not boiled into a mess; there was still some nice connective tissue; tendon and stuff, with a decent amount of meat. In spite of the pho broth still being way too salty, I scraped the meat off the bone and dipped it into the broth. I had added a touch of lime to temper the saltiness a bit and this ended up being quite good.
In fact, I enjoyed the rib meat had a lot more than any of the cuts in the bowl.
And while I wish the broth here was a bit less salty, richer, with more beef flavor, it was a nice foil for that rib meat. I cleaned "dem bones" up pretty good.
I was rather satisfied with this. Not cheapo at ten bucks, but someone just told me that a bowl at Pho T Cali, which is mediocre at best, set them back twelve bucks! Framed in that manner, this was a bargain.
Pho Duyen Mai
5375 Kearny Villa Rd
San Diego, CA 92123
sounds good with the bones.
Posted by: kat | Thursday, 09 February 2017 at 12:01 AM
Love cooking pho with beef ribs and oxtails. I think the best combo of richness and beefness is oxtails, beef shank, and bones with marrow in it. YUM!
Posted by: nhbilly | Thursday, 09 February 2017 at 05:18 AM
It was Kat!
Hi Billy - I wish more places would do this; though I think it it's somewhat cost prohibitive for oxtails.
Posted by: Kirk | Friday, 10 February 2017 at 07:18 AM
Ha. First think that came to mind with the title was Alice In Chains too. Might have to try them bones with a bowl of naked pho.
Posted by: Junichi | Friday, 10 February 2017 at 09:29 AM
I know Junichi....it just popped into my head.
Posted by: Kirk | Friday, 10 February 2017 at 12:25 PM
I agree with you. When I cook for my buddies, they call my pho high class. LOL,love my broth rich and beefy.
Posted by: nhbilly | Saturday, 11 February 2017 at 08:16 PM
Kirk – did this exact combination because of this post, and wow those ribs are delicious. Agreed that the pho is too salty, but I’m a little under the weather so was craving clear soup (I’m normally a bo kho kind of person). Think I’ll be getting those ribs every time I go from now.
Posted by: SageOlson | Thursday, 23 February 2017 at 01:36 PM
Glad you enjoyed it Sage! Thanks for letting me know what you thought. Now I think I'll be getting that again soon.....
Posted by: Kirk | Thursday, 23 February 2017 at 06:30 PM