YOU GOTTA TRY THIS- East Village Sandwich That Is Pho-king Wonderful

Greetings...

As Summer gets further and further in the rearview, we get closer and closer to that time of year when we bury our cold noses in hot bowls of soup. And, even though my Uncle Terry was killed in that war, the Vietnamese soup Pho is one of my all-time favorites.

It has a signature broth that’s light yet at the same time so full of comfort and flavor because it’s infused with warm spices like cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom. 

My only issue is that it is a fundamentally healthy dish (except for the high sodium), so I am always looking for ways to "fatten it up" a little… And I found the perfect way… Or, at least some guy who owns a restaurant in lower Manhattan found a perfect way, and I pay him good money to make it for me once or twice a week.

It's the Pho Sandwich from Little Kirin on St Marks Place, and it's got all the components you want from a steaming bowl of Pho (slow-braised beef, onions, scallions, cilantro, thai basil, thinly sliced jalapeno, crispy shallots, hoisin) crammed into a fresh baguette and served with a bowl of that restorative broth on the side for dipping.

Instead of a French dip, it's a Vietnamese dip, and (as I said in the title of this blog) it is Pho-king outstanding…

Maybe the idea to fuse the French dip with a Vietnamese staple started when the first French missionaries arrived on Vietnamese shores in 1658, or maybe the owner of Little Kirin made up the idea a couple of weeks ago… I really don't give a shit. All I care about is that they keep pumping out quality sandwiches for people like me.

Viva la Vietnam! (sorry, Uncle T)

Take a report.

-Large