Battle 1, Pho Ao Sen vs Pho Cao (WuDeng Review)

Phở-enix Scorecard: Pho Ao Sen vs Pho Cao

                   vs

The Pho
    At Pho Ao Sen, I ordered the large bowl of pho nam, chin, ve don (with well-done flank, well-done brisket, and crunchy flank). I am a fan of crunchy flank, and will order that into the pho whenever I have the chance throughout the tournament. 
    At Pho Cao, I ordered the large pho tai nam (with lean rare steak and well-done flank). Alas, they do not offer the crunchy flank. 
Broth
     The broth of Pho Ao Sen's pho was quite fresh, flavorful, and even a bit rich. It had a very distinctive beef taste, and was at times a bit creamy. As the heat of the soup continued to cook the meats, the broth thickened somewhat and took on some of the fats from the crunchy flank. The single criticism is that the Pho Ao Sen broth is very round in flavor; it lacked a touch of picquant (or acid) to finish out a full flavor. Josh pointed out that this broth needed the Siracha to give it that final bit of flavor. After adding a few squirts of chili sauce, it garnered that final bit of spice and acid I was missing.
    The broth of Pho Cao soup's had a pleasant pho flavor, but it was a bit thin and lacked any memorable notes. In other words, the broth tasted like an average pho broth. Although others at the table did not taste it as distinctly as I did, I noticed a touch of a synthetic minty flavor at the back end of the broth. I was not convinced that the broth was freshly made.
Noodle
      Pho Ao Sen provided a substantial amount of fresh rice noodle. I did appreciate that they maintained a nice balance among the amount of noodle, meat, and broth, especially in such a large bowl of soup. The noodle was cooked well.
      Pho Cao offered pleasant noodles as well in their soup. Their noodle was a little over-cooked compared to the noodle at Pho Ao Sen.
Meats
      Pho Ao Sen's well-cooked flank, well-cooked brisket, and crunchy flank were quality meats. I was able to distinguish among the three as I worked my way through the bowl. Their well-done brisket was particularly tender, and had a rich and creamy flavor. The crunchy flank was quite rich. The single criticism is that crunchy flank was a little too fatty. Pho Ao Sen provided plenty of meat in the pho, as well.
     Pho Cao's well-cooked flank and lean rare steak were quality meats. Each had a nice flavor. In addition, they provided large cuts of the meats in the bowl of soup, and they served plenty of meat in the soup. Unfortunately, they did not offer crunchy flank.
Herbs and Veg
      Both Pho Ao Sen and Pho Cao served two large, fresh branches of basil, two lime wedges, and a large pile of fresh bean sprouts with the Pho. Each restaurant served the herbs and veg on a single plate for Josh and I to share.
Service and Ambiance
       Pho Ao Sen is a very pleasant restaurant with a fresh modern decor. The service was very friendly and prompt.
       Pho Cao is in a space that was occupied by a nightclub and then a sushi restaurant. It certainly shows, as the restaurant has not redecorated the interior. It was also somewhat cluttered. The service was friendly and relatively prompt. However, our server was wearing food-service gloves throughout the dinner. Several of the others at the table commented on this.
Final Pho Sco' (1 - 5)
      Overall, Pho Ao Sen's broth clearly separated itself from Pho Cao's. In addition, Pho Ao Sen's meats and the noodle were better prepared, and were of slightly higher quality than Pho Cao's. Pho Ao Sen served a superior soup ... and I wouldn't be surprised to see Pho Ao Sen's pho go deep into the tournament. 

Pho Ao Sen    4 to 4.5
Pho Cao        2.5 to 3

Pho Ao Sen Winner Pho Dinner!

Vegetarian's Corner
     Pho Ao Sen offers some very tasty vegetarian entrees, if you enjoy the fake meat products. They have a great deal of flavor, and are rich and filling. However, they offer no veggie spring rolls, and they only offer three entree selections. As long as your veg will enjoy one of those dishes, it's a go!
     Pho Cao does offer veggie spring rolls and a variety of veggie dishes. However, most of them are somewhat unexciting. They do offer a special veggie curry, but my wife and several others who ordered were disappointed. They noted that it was rather bland. 

     Advice: Clear the veggie entrees with your veg counterpart and head to Pho Ao Sen! Get your tasty pho on without feeling guilty about ditching the veggies.