Exploring Tallahassee beyond the traditional college town. Finding the local gems and good people who make up Tallahassee.
Making a conscious decision to explore Tallahassee beyond the traditional college town. Sharing the local gems and becoming apart of the community.
As a lover of new foods, I was
excited to try the Vietnamese restaurant, Pho 7. They serve the staple dish of
Vietnam, which, you guessed it, is Pho (pronounced fuh). I met up with my good friend, Justin, who is my partner in
exploring new places in Tallahassee and when we walked into Pho 7 for a late lunch it was hard not to notice the Vietnamese music videos playing on the TV above
the bar or the two old Vietnamese ladies sitting at a table conversing in
Vietnamese – both good signs in my book. Pho, in its simplest form, is served in a
large bowl with thin white rice noodles, beef broth and meat that varies from
beef to seafood. You complete Pho at the table and when the server brought out
our pho, he also brought a side plate stacked with bean sprouts, Thai basil,
saw herbs, limes and jalapenos. I don’t claim to know everything about pho; at
best, I can claim to be a fan of this spicy, sweet, herbal and savory
dish that is so beloved in Vietnam. The House special at Pho 7 strengthened my
appreciation of this timeless dish.
The house special, which is composed
of tripe, tendon and beef, is phenomenal. The beef is great and the chewy
tendon is a perfect compliment to the hot herbal broth. They serve less
adventurous Pho dishes with just beef, chicken or seafood, but I
recommend the house special.
Earlier in the day, I had the
opportunity to sit down with the owner of Pho 7 who moved from Vietnam to the U.S. at a very young age. It was apparent from our conversation that Pho 7
makes it a point to serve traditional Vietnamese food. “It’s the only place in
Tallahassee that serves traditional Pho,” she told me, as we sat down at a
table. “Some of my college employees tell me Pho is the best
hangover food,” she added. I won’t dispute this claim, because the hot dish brings the same
warmth and comfort as a bowl of chicken noodle soup.
When I asked how costumers, who aren’t used to seeing foods like tripe on a menu, react she replied,
“I tell them to go with something safe, like beef. If the customer wants to
have a dish that is more interesting I suggest the tripe and tendon.” To be
honest with you, most of the menu is safe, with only a few adventurous dishes.
And to be down right frank, foods like tendon are staples in many cultures
around the world. So, I was pleased when I found out that the house special is
their top seller.
I will always be an advocate of
eating local. Getting away from Tennessee St. and at Pho 7 there are good
people, doing good work and serving great food. Eat here.