Been a long time.....but let's DISH: Elizabeth's on Elizabeth and So1st

So I've been a bad blogger. Bad, bad! But life get's in the way as always. Plus, other than family outings and work trips I haven't really traveled. So this next post is a different take on my "exploring" adventures. I'm talking about food. I mean why I haven't I thought of this before?! Y'all know how much I love stuffing my face. So now I'm gonna start trying to post my "reviews" if you will, of any new places I've explored in the realm of food. So here goes:

ELIZABETH'S Noodles and Bahn Mi Boulangerie 

http://elizabethstreetcafe.com/

This just opened up on the corner of South 1st and Elizabeth Street just north of Freddy's. So I've been wanting to check it out since I'd seen it during the Nosh Food Trailer Tour me and girls did about a couple of weeks ago. I had a bit of a hangover today and I was craving some Pho. Good Pho. I figured I'd give it a try.

They  have pastries, Vietnamese coffee and tea bar, noodles (Pho and Bun), and Banh Mi. Banh Mi are of course the Vietnamese sandwiches made with classic French bread. Well, I went for the Pho with the braised short ribs and some BBQ pork spring rolls. Needed something comforting and soupy.

It wasn’t too busy and although it was a pretty day I wanted to sit inside. Wooden floors, coffee bar along the back wall with a semi-open view of the kitchen, about 10 small tables on the inside, and then another marble bar table along the windows with high stools. I sat here so I can have a view out toward 1^st street and the small porch area.  I started out with the spring rolls served in twos. Perfectly wrapped and served with three different sauces. Classic peanut, a green mint/garlic sauce, and chili oil. The presentation is very French classic. Cute small bowls and with a cute ceramic spoon. The pork was good but didn’t taste particularly BBQy. I’m used to a more charred taste with a little more seasoning.

#30C Braised Short Ribs Pho

After I inhaled these the pho showed up with the fixings. Very clean broth, super thin rice noodles, and nice chunks of the beef. The bowl was a bit smaller than what you normally get at a Vietnamese place. Now in a “normal” Vietnamese place this portion would run you about 5-7 bones. This was 14. And the spring rolls would be 1.50 each. These were 3.00 bucks each. I’m thinking your paying for the freshness of the ingredients. I could tell the broth was “new” or made that day at least. That’s what I mean by clean. I’m not saying that the other places aren’t clean, but it seems their broths are a bit heartier. Either because they use it longer and keep stewing additional beef in the same broth daily or they reuse the broth from the day before. Not that it’s bad, because for some reason broth seems tastier the following day.  This broth seemed healthier. None of the rich fat that usually shimmers at the top of the broth, but still tasty. Of course, that rich fat is pretty awesome. But for a healthier pho, Elizabeth's hits the mark. The fixings were pretty much the same as always…bean sprouts, thai basil, cilantro, jalapeños, and lime. They also had little slices of radishes.

So overall it was good. The atmosphere is not what I’m used to when I go out and eat pho, though. This was “fancy.” No bad just "fancy." Almost felt a little self-conscious slurping the noodles. Most pho places are mom and pop joints. This place is actually owned by the Lambert group. Uber trendy. Plus, the seats/stools were not so great. I mean they were small stools, cute stools, but too small for my huge ass. They are obviously meant for skinny hipster/hipsterette butts. And they were high, which meant my short legs were hanging helping to cut a bit of my circulation.  Even with this criticism, I’d totally go back.  It feels really girlie and fun and fresh. Want to try the Bahn Mi next time. And next time gotta get the girls to come with. Exploring more horizons….