Pho the first time

Pho Hoan Kiem replaced Tan’s China Bistro, a beloved-by-me but frequently empty restaurant whose decor was apparently good enough to remain. On a rainy evening, I went for the new occupant’s dish No. 1: Pho Hoan Kiem Dac Biet, the throw-in-the-kitchen-sink soup that’s the house special ($8.95). The huge bowl came filled with red slices of raw beef, a steaming broth that you spice to your liking as well as chunks of tendon and strands of intestine that require mental fortitude to take down, but reward the brave with their blood-quickening blend of niche nutrients. 501 Broadway, (916) 448-3577.