"Faux" Pho

Faux Pho

So those of you familiar with SG, know that I am a self-proclaimed "foodie" and love delving into any culinary adventure. However, being a bit of a germaphobe, I usually shy away from any establishment requiring a "sneeze guard," but decided to put all preconceived notions aside and try it. Today, Lewis took me to lunch at a salad bar joint called Fresh Choice. I walk in and am greeted with a sign boasting "85.5% local options" for today's date. Wow...these Cali's are on it! As I go through the familiar steps of being back in my elementary school cafeteria, I collect my lunch tray and silverware and venture along the "L" shaped salad-trough.  To my outward delight everything is labeled with calorie content, ingredients, and fun little animal icons depicting whether or not items are vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or the full-on contraband that are full meat products (tsk. tsk.)  I start loading my plate with all the fun choices (base of lettuce, edamame, garbanzo beans, jicama...nope don't even know what that is either, tofu, and vegan bacon bits topped with a low-fat vinaigrette). Then alas...I come to the "Pho." What is this foreign fun-ness?  Wait. There are Japanese translations.  This must be the real-deal-whatever this is! Looks innocuous enough.  I read the step-by-step directions.  Seem easy. Place noodles in bowl - check.  Add desired items (I choose scallions and bean shoots) - check. Top with chicken broth - check.  Extremely proud of my concoction, I walk over to the table to dive in.  Delish! Whoa! Truly delicious! Feeling more and more Californian with every spoonful! Much to my dismay, I am soon cut down to size.  While sharing my adventure with an authentic, I soon realize that I am a fake.  Turns out I wasn't eating the real-deal after all.  I wasn't even pronouncing it right.  (it's pronounced "fuh" by the way, not "foe" as the naive SG labeled it)  True Pho contains such intimidating ingredients as star anise and cardamom pods.  I was eating the baby food version. Humbled yet still happy about my discovery, I file the restaurant away as a place to definitely come back to.  Pho' real.