I know that Anh and Chi has been hyped up since they opened in 2016 but I’ve been skeptical since then. I thought it’d be a hipster nonsense place with overpriced food but I kept seeing people rave about it – even people whose tastes I trusted. So when a friend suggested we go on a Sunday, I agreed and decided to go in with an open mind.
I showed up 10 minutes before they opened and there was already a family waiting there. About 3 more groups lined up after I did. Throughout my meal there, I noticed that there was constantly a line outside waiting. I definitely recommend coming a few minutes before opening if you don’t like to wait.
The restaurant’s interiors were very Instagram friendly. I found the music a bit too loud (I’m old, ok!) and we were seated pretty close together. But the server did her best despite how busy it was. I appreciated the little details like how they serve cucumber water here.
Anh and Chi Pho
I tried the Phở Hoàng because I know exactly how I like mine and it was the easiest way for me to judge how good it is. I thought it came out a bit slow – about a 30 minute wait.
The broth was actually delicious. It had a rich beef flavor and I didn’t taste any MSG in it at all. The noodles felt like there were a bit under-cooked so I wasn’t very impressed by that. They had an assortment of beef (sliced beef sirloin, brisket and meatballs) in the soup. They didn’t have very many meatballs – maybe one full one total but they were very generous with the sirloin and brisket. Both were sliced very thinly and had an appropriate fat to meat ratio.
I was eyeing the price when I first ordered. At $13, it would be the priciest bowl of pho I’ve ever ordered but they’re so generous with the portion that I would say two people could share this if you also ordered some spring rolls to share. I have to say I’m not so skeptical about Anh and Chi anymore. I would like to go again and see what else their menu has to offer!
