Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Pho Clement: Huge portions, crazy décor

Map: 239 Clement St., San Francisco, CA

Pho Clement is a visual collision of ideas and intentions— drab fluorescent lighting, pink walls, a waterfall portrait that lights up, a 42” sparkling flat screen monitor hovering over the kitchen, a cumquat tree with Chinese red envelopes hanging off its branches.

That’s why I love the place. Oh, and the food rocks.

I still believe the South Bay has the best pho joints in the Bay Area, but Pho Clement challenges that notion. When I ate there a few months ago I thought the pho tai (my standard order) was top notch: light broth, raw strips of beef on the side, three bowl sizes, firm noodles.

This time I decided to try something different so I ordered a rice plate with an egg roll, chicken wings and pork. I didn’t expect much. What I got was a mountain of meat, rice and raw veggies from the stocky, elderly waiter wearing a Yankees cap. The fried chicken wings were big and juicy, and the two pork chops were well seasoned. Writing this four hours later I’m still burping up that meal, which I hope isn’t a foreboding sign.

My eating companion Leigh also raved about the bun noodles.

“The veggies were fresh, and the fish sauce was tasty, and the rice noodles were cooked perfectly - not too soggy. The pork was plentiful portion wise and pretty lean with little fat. I would go there again. I want to try the pho,” she later wrote me.

Don’t trust us? Then Yelp it.

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