Golden Deli: Pho the win!

A while ago, I discovered that the best remedy for a hangover was a nice, large, warm bowl of good pho.  My previous best remedies included mashed potatoes and gravy and the spiciest bowl of gumbo I could get my hands on, but now for me, there’s nothing that beats a good bowl of pho.  Why?  Maybe it’s the noodles soaking up those toxins, the flavorful broth reminding your tongue what things tasted like before tequila, or maybe it’s the msg putting your body into a euphoric comatose state.  Whatever the case, it just gets the jackhammer inside my skull to stop for a while.

This past weekend, I had a friend in need after a night of hard partying in Hollywood.  He looked pretty bad in the morning, so being the helpful friend that I am, I took him out east to “Where the Asian things are” for some delicious pho at Golden Deli.  About five bites in, he already started to look much better.

No matter what state of mind you are in when you sit down at the Golden Deli, you will have your taste buds dancing to the tune of their noodle soup.  So far, this is the best bowl of pho I’ve had in Los Angeles–and quite possibly anywhere in California for that matter.  The broth they use to cook your raw meats in is unbelievably flavorful and needs no addition of condiments.  A shame really, because I love making a happy face with the hoisin and sriracha sauces.

A friend introduced it to me about a year back and I’ve tried to fit a trip out at least once a month to fill my pho cravings.  It’s got 4 stars and 300+ reviews on Yelp, so you know that the web-savvy foodies approve (for whatever that’s worth to you).  One of the best comments I’ve seen is “If I were baptized in a bowl of their #1, I would [surely] go to heaven.”  You might think that’s blasphemous, but that’s only because you haven’t tried it yet.

If you come, expect a wait and a very casual setting.  Once you do get a seat (much quicker if you avoid busy hours), you’ll likely feel rushed by how quickly they want to take your order, have you pay your bill, and turn the table over.  It’s not unusual to get the bill placed on the side of your table only five minutes after you’ve gotten your food, and if you don’t have your cash out, they will actually slide the bill closer to you whenever they walk by–just in case you didn’t notice it the first time.  This very casual, to-the-point environment is hardly a deterrent from enjoying your bowl of pho.  I’m just warning you not to bring a date that you would like to have a nice, long meal with.

If the wait is too much, there is the lesser known Vietnam House across the street that is their sister restaurant.  Word is the food is the same over there with less rush.  You can find both restaurants on Las Tunas in San Gabriel, just west of Mission.

Go and eat here.  I’m not pho-king around.

Golden Deli Vietnamese Restaurant

815 W Las Tunas Dr
San Gabriel, CA 91776