Lake Forest, United States
24602 Raymond Way
N/A
+19494468366
Very good quality food. Very clean. Cutest and friendliest waitress ever.
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Disregard the cheesy and uninspiring restaurant name, this pho establishment is worth visiting in the Lake Forest area. It's owned by Vietnamese pop star Tam Doan. I sampled a small bowl of pho chin nam. I noticed that the pho served at this shop was a bit sweet, closer to Saigon-style than the Hanoi pho. Some shops nearby serve an overly sweet and salty broth that I don't like. On the other hand, Chopstick's broth contained strong meat and roasted flavor that balanced the sweet spices, so it was not overly sweet or bland. The salt level was acceptable to me and the broth was clear unlike the murky oily base at nearby Pho Sapa. I spoke with the server who mentioned the chef is working on reducing the MSG portion in the beef broth. Only a dash of MSG is applied at the moment. Perhaps adding more beef marrow bones will reduce the reliance on MSG to enhance flavor for the broth, but the operating cost will increase. The beef brisket and beef flank were cooked well-done so the meats were reasonably tender. Chopsticks' plate of garnish stood out compared to what is served at local pho restaurants. It included fresh basil, sprouts, and the sawtooth herb, the latter is usually not found in South OC pho restaurants because it's too bitter and smelly for local customers. Instead of providing jalapeños, Thai basil is given, which is the more traditional ingredient. All the contents in the plate were fresh and crunchy, I can tell they were recently washed. If you're stuck in the culinary desert of Lake Forest and looking for an excellent bowl of Saigon pho that's complex and balanced with sweet, bitter, salty, and spicy flavors, check out Chopsticks. Since my visit, I noticed that Chopsticks has been selling pho filet for a bargain price of 6.99.
Always people here that's usually a good sign.
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