Street fight: The pho is flying
It started with: "$16 pho? are you kidding me?"
And then all heck broke loose in the comments box.
Street hasn't even opened yet, but when Eater LA posted chef-owner Susan Feniger's menus, who knew there'd be a brawl in the town square over everything from whether one should go to Vietnam for one's pho ("50 cents in vietnam! lets go!") to the value of bloggers ("it always cracks me up how bloggers are criticizing before they even taste or have experienced the place/dish")?
Heated debate ensued, but things got really ugly by comment No. 19. ... Hello, mediator? I wouldn't wish "eboli" on anyone.
What a relief when someone showed up soon thereafter (in top hat and bow tie) with: "Sounds perfect. Can't wait."
Mention of Porto's potato balls (again) in comment No. 39 seemed to calm things down, though someone was still seething by comment No. 45, and there are still some punches being thrown.
Meanwhile, $16 pho?
-- Betty Hallock
Photo of Susan Feniger at Street by Ann Johansson/Los Angeles Times
btw, i'm not alleging that Street uses wagyu in their pho.
Posted by: mattatouille | March 31, 2009 at 02:36 PM
samkim, of course it's hyperbole. point is, pho is supposed to be a cheap food and even at its best, it's still cheap! it's really one of things you can't make better with better ingredients or more luxurious preparation like a "burger" (black truffle, foie gras anyone?). Pho is, at its essence, a cheap food, it's about using humble ingredients and unique spices to make a marvelous soup, not jazzing it up with wagyu and charging a riduculous amount. Expensive for that area? That argument could be made anywhere (well maybe not highland park), but there are restaurants even in "expensive" areas that charge reasonable prices.
Posted by: mattatouille | March 31, 2009 at 02:36 PM
not overpriced for the quality/location of the food.
those people who complain that pho is 50 cents in vietnam should realize that getting a flight to vietnam to get that 50 cent bowl of pho is just extravagant/plain stupid.
the only thing overpriced was the 2 cookies for 7 dollars.
Posted by: samkim | March 30, 2009 at 10:03 PM
phew that seriously got out of hand, but good job of chronicling how the debate progressed. In the end, I'm glad that more people are sensible about it. I can't wait to try Street - going there on Thursday night.
Posted by: mattatouille | March 29, 2009 at 02:26 AM