Flavor Boulevard

We Asians like to talk food.
Subscribe

Fast pho at Le Cheval

September 17, 2009 By: Mai Truong Category: California - The Bay Area, noodle soup, Vietnamese

There is this McDonald’s pretty much right across the street from the old Physics building where I went to college. It made good business. College kids, tight pockets, tight schedule, empty stomach, of course. But good old days are no more. The Big M is nonexistent here, although all the above conditions still hold. The Physics building is inconveniently located in the middle of campus, which is at least 15 minutes strolling to the nearest food in any direction (on-campus diners don’t count). The shortest voyage if you’re facing south leads to the corner Durant-Bowditch. A yellow sign gently says “Le Cheval – Saigon Cuisine, Est. 1986”, with green vines, sunshine patio, and “cash only”.

Le_Cheval_BerkeleyThe place is usually packed during lunch peak. (This picture was taken at 3 pm.) There are about a dozen dishes on the counter, you pay a fix price for a combo rice plate, and make your own. I haven’t tried those, because it would take more time than to order a bowl of pho. Actually I said “noodle soup”, and the white man at the cashier politely asked, in well-toned Vietnamese, “phở bò?” :-). I paid, poured myself a glass of water, sat down with a number. Two minutes later a guy, tray in hand, zigzagged from the back kitchen through numerous chairs and conversations. My pho was ready, snuggly next to the usual bountiful plate of bean sprouts and mints. I don’t recall my double cheeseburgers coming to me faster than that, especially when there are 50 customers around. Arguably, this phở is a more heart-warming encounter. What else would you expect from a big bowl with lotsa meat?

Speediness aside, Le Cheval has something else worth coming for: phở sans broth and all that steamy business. I haven’t seen this dish anywhere else. It appears under the name “stir-fried phở” on page 3 of the menu. It has the combined quality of pad thai and jap chae. A delicate yet enduring texture. It’s phở you can eat with a fork and ease. It’s phở you can take your time handling without making it disintegrate into the sea of broth. And take time you must, for it’s a big plate.

The veggies and shrimps are just makeup on a natural beauty, and probably for the health-conscious. The noodle is already savoury by itself.

Side note: the chopsticks here might be a little too short, and I always get loaded with guilt when putting my finished bowl (with broth) into the plastic bins for dirty dishes. Fatty liquid streaming out and coating the bowls isn’t a pretty sight. On the plus size, self-service saves you on tips, and all the more reason to order pho xao if you have time.

Address: Le Petit Cheval
2600 Bancroft Way (between Bowditch St and College Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-704-8018

0 Comments to “Fast pho at Le Cheval”


  1. I landed here from the Dental Crowns page. Is there a checklist of questions to bring to a first consultation?
    The diagram in Dental Crowns helped me picture how much of the original tooth stays in place porcelain dental crowns

    1
  2. Discussions about football contracts often focus on the salary and the length of the deal. Bonus conditions payment schedules and the wording of an early exit can be just as relevant to the people signing. A practical starting point is to look for terms that both sides might read differently. A bonus clause for example can raise separate questions about when the bonus is earned and when it is paid. For more on the legal side of professional football see SILA International Lawyers https://silalawyers.com/.

    2
  3. This was a fantastic read. Check out residential glazier Welwyn Garden City for more.

    3
  4. Puede mejorar la proyección facial de forma estética con tratamientos Les Corts .

    4
  5. Te ayuda a detectar si el centro ofrece una valoración previa seria y profesional: precios remodelación corporal

    5
  6. One resource for following football contract disputes is SILA International Lawyers https://silalawyers.com/. The site publishes updates on cases involving players and clubs including disputes over early termination and compensation. Case updates are often easier to follow if you start with what happened before the claim was filed. Start with the date of the agreement then look at when the relationship broke down and what each side asked for. It also helps explain why two cases described as contract disputes can involve very different questions.

    6
  7. I landed here from the Dental Crowns page. Is there a checklist of questions to bring to a first consultation?
    The diagram in Dental Crowns helped me picture how much of the original tooth stays in place porcelain dental crowns

    7
  8. I landed here from the Dental Crowns page. Is there a checklist of questions to bring to a first consultation?
    The diagram in Dental Crowns helped me picture how much of the original tooth stays in place ceramic dental crowns

    8
  9. I landed here from the Dental Crowns page. Is there a checklist of questions to bring to a first consultation?
    The diagram in Dental Crowns helped me picture how much of the original tooth stays in place

    9
  10. Puede favorecer una mejor transición entre pómulos y mandíbula con medicina estética facial tratamientos .

    10
  11. Puede favorecer una mejor transición entre pómulos y mandíbula con ##anyKeyword##.

    11
  12. Te ayuda a encontrar una guía útil para elegir mejor tu drenaje linfático manual en Barcelona: donde hacer drenaje Les Corts

    12
  13. 주소콘은 자주 찾는 사이트의 최신주소와 변경된 주소를 카테고리별로 정리한 주소모음·링크모음 플랫폼입니다. 실시간으로 업데이트되는 바로가기 링크로 원하는 사이트에 빠르게 접속하세요.

    14
  14. Puede aportar equilibrio visual sin perder expresividad con rellenos nasogenianos Barcelona .

    15
  15. Thanks for the helpful advice. Discover more at double glazed windows .

    16
  16. Thanks for the helpful advice. Discover more at ##anyKeyword##.

    17
  17. Te ayuda a preguntar si el tratamiento puede complementar recuperación postoperatoria: precios drenaje linfatico

    18
  18. I landed here from the Dental Crowns page. Is there a checklist of questions to bring to a first consultation?
    The diagram in Dental Crowns helped me picture how much of the original tooth stays in place dental crown lifespan

    19
  19. Te ayuda a preguntar si el tratamiento puede complementar recuperación postoperatoria: ##anyKeyword##

    20
  20. I landed here from the Dental Crowns page. Is there a checklist of questions to bring to a first consultation?
    The diagram in Dental Crowns helped me picture how much of the original tooth stays in place

    21
  21. I landed here from the Dental Crowns page. Is there a checklist of questions to bring to a first consultation?
    The diagram in Dental Crowns helped me picture how much of the original tooth stays in place same day dental crowns

    22
  22. I landed here from the Dental Crowns page. Is there a checklist of questions to bring to a first consultation?
    The diagram in Dental Crowns helped me picture how much of the original tooth stays in place

    23
  23. I enjoyed this read. For more, visit glass repair new malden .

    24
  24. I enjoyed this read. For more, visit ##anyKeyword##.

    25
  25. Great insights! Discover more at glazier in Cobham .

    26
  26. Great insights! Discover more at ##anyKeyword##.

    27
  27. https://789clubxz.co.com là nền tảng giải trí trực tuyến được định hướng phát triển với giao diện thân thiện, bố cục khoa học và khả năng tương thích linh hoạt trên nhiều thiết bị

    28
  28. https://retex.jpn.com là nền tảng giải trí trực tuyến hướng đến việc cung cấp không gian trải nghiệm đa dạng với giao diện hiện đại, thao tác đơn giản và khả năng truy cập thuận tiện trên nhiều thiết bị

    29
  29. This was quite informative. More at ##anyKeyword##.

    31
  30. Puede favorecer una expresión más serena y atractiva con cita armonización Barcelona .

    32
  31. Puede favorecer una expresión más serena y atractiva con ##anyKeyword##.

    33
  32. Nicely detailed. Discover more at calvicie Jaén .

    34
  33. Appreciate the detailed information. For more, visit reseñas pacientes injerto capilar .

    35
  34. Permite preguntar si el centro tiene experiencia con personas sedentarias o que pasan muchas horas de pie: precios masaje linfático

    36
  35. Permite preguntar si el centro tiene experiencia con personas sedentarias o que pasan muchas horas de pie: ##anyKeyword##

    37
  36. Appreciate the great suggestions. For more, visit local glazier new malden .

    38
  37. Appreciate the great suggestions. For more, visit ##anyKeyword##.

    39
  38. This was very enlightening. For more, visit affordable glazier .

    40
  39. Appreciate the detailed information. For more, visit secondary double glazing Cobham .

    41
  40. This was very enlightening. For more, visit ##anyKeyword##.

    42
  41. Appreciate the detailed information. For more, visit ##anyKeyword##.

    43
  42. I landed here from the Dental Crowns page. Is there a checklist of questions to bring to a first consultation?
    The diagram in Dental Crowns helped me picture how much of the original tooth stays in place tooth crown procedure

    44
  43. I landed here from the Dental Crowns page. Is there a checklist of questions to bring to a first consultation?
    The diagram in Dental Crowns helped me picture how much of the original tooth stays in place

    45
  44. Thanks for the great information. More at double glazing installation Chessington .

    46
  45. Thanks for the great information. More at ##anyKeyword##.

    47
  46. Thanks for the useful post. More like this at commercial glazing potters bar .

    48
  47. Thanks for the useful post. More like this at ##anyKeyword##.

    49
  48. Thanks for the great information. More at sash window repair .

    50


Leave a Reply