"You could come to Phở Ao Sen weekly and it would still take months to try everything—the spiral-bound menu is lengthy. Which is a perk, because their homestyle Vietnamese dishes always satisfy. There’s a chicken phở in a light, umami-packed broth, giant platters of rice, grilled shrimp, nicely charred pork, and more. This casual spot in Oakland’s Little Saigon (a second location is in Albany) could fit a dance floor in the middle, meaning you can roll up with all your cousins or some friends who are in desperate need of a soup-centric revival after an especially blurry night out (they’re only open until 6pm). " - Julia Chen
