"What were your first impressions when you arrived? You have now entered, as a large neon sign on the wall declares, the Phởcific Northwest. This Little Saigon spot is across the parking lot from the original Pho Bac, one of the city's first pho spots. Here, a new generation of the Pham family updates thee aesthetic—hip-hop on the speakers, spherical lighting fixtures, pale wood tables, and bare concrete floors. What’s the crowd like? Expect a young crowd and, due to the room's hard surfaces and cocktails, a lot more noise than at Seattle 's typical pho rooms. What should we be drinking? Beyond the excellent pho, the punning cocktail list here is the biggest draw. The Passionate Mule—with its vodka, lime, ginger beer, and chili oil—both harmonizes and serves as a cool and acidic counterpoint to the soup. The What's Up Pho Bac(k)?, a shot of rye stoked with phở aromatics and a broth chaser, is straight up fun. There's also a smattering of wine, beer, sake, and soju. Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss. In a city swimming in good pho, the bowls here are some of the most storied and simply some of the best—artfully layered and assertively seasoned. The pho sùon bò, with its beef rib bones jutting from the bowl, is the most photogenic. But the tendon, meatball, and brisket bowls will treat you just as well. The tamarind-sauced, twice-fried chicken wings shouldn't be missed either. And how did the front-of-house folks treat you? This is a casual place, and the service adheres to that. Staff is friendly and quick; you'll want to flag someone if you need something beyond the basics. What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here? Get a group of friends together on a Friday—ideally during Seattle's nine month soup season—and kick off a night out here. Or swing by the next morning for broth's restorative powers." - Stefan Milne
