Xe Lua
LOCATION:
86 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013 (between Bayard St & Canal St)
RATING:
REVIEWS:
We used to come to Xe Lua at least two times a week before and they always give us 20% discount. We never have a bad meal here. It is too bad we started CAF and now we didn’t go back that often- the curse of running a food review site.
So why are we there all the time? We think they have very good beef broth and their Pho always come out piping hot! (I just cannot stand a Pho that’s warm especially in winter time) Xe Lua means “locomotive” in Vietnamese and their House special noodle soup Pho Xe lua ($5.50) is indeed, quite big that you can wash your face in it. The big ass round bowl includes many parts of a cow: omosa, eye of round, navel flank, tendon, meatballs, fatty flank, tripes and brisket. The fragrant broth is clear tinted with the brown color from charred onion and ginger and you can taste the beef bones in it. As far as we know, this is the only place in Chinatown Manhattan that gives you fresh ngò gai ("saw leaf herb") along with basil, bean sprouts and lime for the garnishes.
So why are we there all the time? We think they have very good beef broth and their Pho always come out piping hot! (I just cannot stand a Pho that’s warm especially in winter time) Xe Lua means “locomotive” in Vietnamese and their House special noodle soup Pho Xe lua ($5.50) is indeed, quite big that you can wash your face in it. The big ass round bowl includes many parts of a cow: omosa, eye of round, navel flank, tendon, meatballs, fatty flank, tripes and brisket. The fragrant broth is clear tinted with the brown color from charred onion and ginger and you can taste the beef bones in it. As far as we know, this is the only place in Chinatown Manhattan that gives you fresh ngò gai ("saw leaf herb") along with basil, bean sprouts and lime for the garnishes.
Feeling very Vietnamesey? Get the decilious Suon Bi ($6.00) that means “Three Treasures"- grilled pork with shredded pork and crabmeat egg patty on top of white rice. At lunchtime you will see people chowing this down like no tomorrow and this will fill you up. If you got several people and feel like splurging, try the Papaya Salad, all the Chilled Rice Vermicelli Noodle Salad dishes (our favorite being grilled prawns) or the Canh Chua Ca- sweet and sour fish soup.
I know some people are concern about the authenticity of the food since some staff who works there are Chinese not Vietnamese and cannot speak the language. (A fraction of Vietnamese Americans consists of ethnic overseas Chinese from TeoChew who immigrated to Vietnam centuries ago. As a result, some Vietnamese Americans also speak fluent Cantonese) In that case just gets the boss (either the beautiful ladies behind the cash register and the handsome dude walking around), they speak Vietnamese and they are super nice!
I know some people are concern about the authenticity of the food since some staff who works there are Chinese not Vietnamese and cannot speak the language. (A fraction of Vietnamese Americans consists of ethnic overseas Chinese from TeoChew who immigrated to Vietnam centuries ago. As a result, some Vietnamese Americans also speak fluent Cantonese) In that case just gets the boss (either the beautiful ladies behind the cash register and the handsome dude walking around), they speak Vietnamese and they are super nice!
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posted by: >Kenneth Hung
