By Jupiter Polevoi and Eric Vallen
Although winters in California aren’t the most frigid, you can never go wrong with a nice warm bowl of Pho. No matter the circumstance, the rich broth, soft noodles, and fresh assortments of meats in the dish will give life to you. In many areas of the country, pho holds status as a rare commodity, yet lucky for us; there are over 20 pho restaurants within the general vicinity of Westmont High School. Such a wide variety of restaurants offers a diverse experience in terms of Vietnamese culture, customer service, and, most importantly, food quality. Ranging from family owned hole-in-the-wall restaurants to chain corporations, truly, Campbell California contains every type of pho you could dream of.
Pho Little Saigon- Although this place is located in a small, slightly sketchy parking lot, don’t let that drive you away from the quality of this pho joint. I’ve been going here ever since I was a little kid, and hearing the jingle of the bells on the door each time I walk in brings back a feeling of nostalgia I can’t describe. Pho Little Saigon has some of the best broth I’ve ever tasted, and it hits different no matter the season. They have set pho combinations but it’s completely customizable, and my favorite combination is tripe and rare steak. Appetizers-wise, you can’t go wrong with the crispy egg rolls. The tangy and salty fish sauce with the crunchy goodness of the egg rolls is a dance in your mouth. Have a glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade to complete your meal. A bowl costs around $12, which compared to other spots in the area it’s on the mid-lower side. I’ve never had a bad experience in my 9+ years of going here and I highly recommend this for anyone with a craving for pho.
Pho 24- When Pho Little Saigon was closed during the midst of the pandemic, I had to search for a new place to satisfy my pho craving. I stumbled upon Pho 24 on Google, and decided to give it a try. While I’ve never had the pleasure of enjoy their pho fresh in the restaurant, even taking their food out was able to hit the spot. I do wish they packaged their food a little more logically. They package the noodles at the bottom, and all your toppings at the top, and if you didn’t want to use all your toppings you would have to take everything out before you can get to your noodles. Other than that, it was a decent bowl of Pho with nothing too unique about it. A bowl is about $15-16, which is on the pricier side.
GoGo Pho- While going to the car dealership with my dad, we found this small spot on Stevens Creek Boulevard. Although parking was a hassle, this quaint location has one of the most unique broths i’ve ever tasted. Their menu is quite small, but that’s an indecisive person’s heaven. Everything is still extremely covid friendly, with one-time use plastic utensils and sriracha and hoisin sauce packets rather than bottles. If you find yourself venturing down the bustling streets of Stevens Creek, you may want to try out GoGo Pho’s $14 bowls of pho.
Le Quy – Pre-pandemic, Le Quy was a severely mediocre pho restaurant, boasting review numbers of around 3.1, with a lackluster building and location. However, Shockingly, amidst a Covid-induced economic crisis, Le Quy managed to finance an entire remodeling of their building. Now with free wifi, a shaded seating area, a pillared entrance, and an entirely new sign, the outside has significantly more appeal than it previously did. As for inside the restaurant, Le Quy now has an open air kitchen and beer bar, as well as new red and black booths. Admittedly, Le Quy resides in what some would consider a sketchy area, but the quality of the restaurant’s food heavily outweighs that factor. Offering more than 14 distinct pho dishes, Le Quy has a meal for everyone. Their chicken broth rivals that of much pricier restaurants, and surprisingly, their beef broth dishes have 9 options, more than rival restaurants Gogo Pho and Pho 24. Furthermore, on average, prices for bowls at Le Quy are almost $2 less than other restaurants at $13.50, but with the same quality for ingredients and eventual outcome. Furthermore, Le Quy is centrally located to where many students of Westmont live, making online delivery very convenient for all. If you ever find yourself in need of a quick and easy bowl of pho, or just a traditional sit-down Vietnamese restaurant experience, give Le Quy a chance.