Food

Cheap Eats 2010: Pho 75 — Arlington

100 places that offer great food at low prices.

Why go: Warming on a cold night, light enough for a hot day, soothing when you’re not feeling well, satisfying for breakfast—there’s no bad time for the Vietnamese soup called pho. This mini-chain of cash-only cafeterias proffers large bowls of intense, anise-rich broth with noodles and beef that are among the best in the area.

What to get: Pho with any combination of fatty brisket, flank steak, meatballs, or bits of offal; chicken-noodle soup, a surprise hit; fresh-squeezed lemonade and lemon soda; dark, sweet Vietnamese coffee.

Best for: A quick, satisfying meal.

Insider tip: To brighten up your bowl, ask for fresh sawtooth, an herb similar to cilantro, to be added to your plate of basil, bean sprouts, and lime wedges.

>> See all 2010 Cheap Eats restaurants here 

Ann Limpert
Executive Food Editor/Critic

Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.