Eating Our Way Across L.A.

It happens in the life of every restaurant. Things are going really good. And then the next thing you know, there's a change of ownership and the food and service kind of slides downhill. Unfortunately, that seems to have been the fate of our favorite Vietnamese restaurant — the one that was so conveniently only a quarter mile away from our house.


We're told that Pho 999 is one of Los Angeles' best Vietnamese restaurants. (03/24/07)

The last time we were there, on my birthday, things weren't as good as they usually are. So when we met up with our friends Tom, Christine and Laura after our tax appointment, we set out to find a new Vietnamese restaurant of choice. And we set our eyes on Pho 999, which is reportedly one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Los Angeles (or Van Nuys, technically).


Tom was impressed by the Vietnamese coffee. (03/24/07)

The first thing we noticed was how much more crowded it was than our Vietnamese place. We had to wait about 15 minutes, which wasn't bad. The next thing we noticed was how many more menu items Pho 999 had. The menu was gigantic! It took us a while to sort through it and try it out.


Christine, Tom and Laura delve into their Pho. (03/24/07)

Tom, Christine and Laura each opted for some soup variation (For Laura, it was Pho; For Tom, it was Hu Tieu). Tim settled for a more traditional stir-fry dish. I was probably the most adventurous one, opting for their fried tilapia, served whole, including the head and eyes (although I didn't eat that part).


James shows off his whole tilapia. (03/24/07)

Overall, I was very pleased with my food. The fish was crispy on the outside, yet incredibly delicate on the inside. It was a little challenging to eat, however. Plus you had to be careful with the bones. Tom and Christine liked theirs, but unfortunately Tim did not care for his food at all (some sort of lemon grass chicken dish). Laura wasn't very impressed either, preferring the pho soup stock of her local Vietnamese restaurant. Overall the reviews were mixed. I guess it depends on what you get.


We couldn't resist a picture of Laura in front of the wallpaper. (03/24/07)

Afterward we stopped for dessert at Pinkberry in Studio City, one of a chain of trendy frozen yogurt stores that are the current flavor of the month in L.A. They sell only two flavors of yogurt, with a variety of toppings that range from fruit to breakfast cereal. It was good, but a little pricey. But it's still worth checking out if you're in the area.


Afterward, we had our dessert at Pinkberry. (03/24/07)

In the meantime, if you know of any good Vietnamese places, let us know!