Visit #1 ·
★★★★★First time at It's Pho on Cahuenga, so I'm withholding judgment. That's the rule. One visit tells you what they can do on a good day. Doesn't tell you anything else.
That said, first impressions: the broth is doing something right. There's a depth there that suggests they're actually cooking the bones low and slow, not rushing it. I've had enough bad pho to know the difference between a broth that's been simmered and one that's been cheated with shortcuts. This one had that faint sweetness from charred onion and ginger, which you either do or you don't — and they do.
I went with the classic beef pho because that's always my baseline order at a new spot. No point in getting clever on visit one. The meat was thinly sliced, which I appreciated, though a couple pieces were borderline chewy — not a dealbreaker, just something I clocked. The herbs came out fresh, bean sprouts had some snap to them, and the hoisin and sriracha on the side were portioned like they trusted you to know what you're doing.
Service was fast. Maybe too fast. Felt a little like they were moving tables, but I wasn't in a rush so it didn't bother me much.
The space is pretty no-frills, which I respect. You're not paying for ambiance and that usually means the margins go toward the food.
I've got photos from this visit. Broth color looked right — that amber-brown that means actual caramelization. Not the pale stuff.
Need to come back twice before I say anything definitive. The third visit is where a place either locks in or starts showing cracks. I'll be back.