"You come to Cafe Diem for the phở—specifically for an excellent rendition with shrimp and pork—but you come back for the bún bò huế. Its rich broth layers lemongrass, shrimp paste, and chili oil. Get the regular, which comes with beef, tendon, and pork feet, and the Thai tea with chewy cubes of grass jelly. The Little Saigon cafe is tiny, so don’t come with more than a couple of friends, and make sure you’re comfortable sweating in front of them. You will." - alison kessler