Lyla D.
Yelp
During our recent holiday trip to Los Angeles, it often rained, and the daytime temperatures hovered in the mid 50°F to low 60°F. The colder temperatures and wet weather made our hot noodle soup-loving appetites roar, but we were wary about driving further than within a 10-mile radius. My brother-in-law mentioned he wanted to do some marketing at Costco - Van Nuys, and we soon found ourselves at the Signature Plaza on Sepulveda Boulevard. Both my husband and brother-in-law were leaning towards Sam Woo BBQ, but I balked because we had just eaten Chinese food two days before. Although my brother-in-law resides in Los Angeles, he hadn't tried this local Vietnamese chain before, so they gave in to my "whining."
The bright and open restaurant wasn't crowded when we entered, so we were seated with menus immediately. Within a few minutes, a server came by to take our order, but since this was our first visit, we needed more time to review the menu. We liked the well-organized menu and helpful colorful pictures. Also, we appreciated the warmer indoor temperatures because we had gotten soaked by the downpour going on outside.
FOOD:
-Chả Giò: Fried egg rolls filled with ground pork and served with lettuce, cucumber, mint leaves, and fish sauce. The exterior wrappers were crisp, bubbly, and chewy since they used rice paper and not wheat-based wrappers. These rolls were served hot from the kitchen, and we had to wait a few seconds to allow them to cool before chomping into them. $10.60
-Đặc Biệt Xe Lửa (trans: "train-size" or code for a massive bowl of connoisseurs' luxe combination): My brother-in-law and I chose this menu item since we couldn't decide on phở toppings. Phở Số 1's bowl contained a unique combination of rare steak, well-done flank steak, fatty brisket, soft tendon, and tripe. This massive bowl of steaming hot, flavorful broth with chewy and slurpable linguine-shaped rice noodles topped various beef cuts, warmed our bodies, and comforted our appetites. The portion size for its price was well worth it since I compared it to what we'd get in my hometown. $13.75
-Cơm Bì Chả Sườn: My porkaholic husband selected this rice plate as we recognized it as "a celebration of pork." The platter featured a warm bed of rice accented with a thin slice of grilled pork chop marinated in fish sauce and sugar, a wedge of steamed pork-egg meatloaf, and thinly shredded pork skin (rind). My husband was a bit disappointed that the pork chop was so thin that it was dry even though it had good flavor. The steamed pork-egg meatloaf was served at room temperature and had its characteristic medium-firm spongy texture. Another disappointment with this dish that my husband voiced was the dry and hard texture of the rice. $14.25
As we continued eating our lunches, the restaurant filled, and a short line of other hungry customers formed. It was great to see how popular this restaurant was, judging by its flavors, portions, value, and service.
We'd gladly return for more.