Vietnamese food has gained enormous popularity in the US to the point where phở has recently been added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. While dishes like bánh mì and phở please the American masses, one Los Angeles eatery has put a Mexican twist on the famous soup with the "Phorrito."
The creation is the brainchild of Komodo Chef Erwin Tjahyadi which will serve the dish, basically a deconstructed bowl of Vietnamese phở in burrito form, throughout November.
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LAist recently visited the restaurant only to find that it had temporarily run out of the ingredients due to its popularity. But, after a short wait, they were able to sample the creation.
“Komodo's sous chef Jonar Arboleda tells LAist that they use thinly-sliced Angus beef and flavor that with the spices you'd find in pho broth—minus the broth. So, imagine spices like cinnamon and cardamon coating the beef. It's accompanied by lime juice, blanched bean sprouts, slices of jalapeno and onions, Thai basil, cilantro, hoisin sauce, Sriracha—and yes, cooked rice noodles.
The brisket is flavorful, and the cut and texture of the meat reminds us of something we would find in a carne asada burrito. It's familiar in that sense, but it's unique to get to taste pho flavors marinating slices of beef. The rice noodles are a surprisingly nice alternative to regular rice (and aren't mushy at all like we imagined it could be), and the texture of the bean sprouts adds a good crunch. This is a spicy burrito (so you might want to pick out a jalapeno slice or two if it doesn't suit you).”
There were a few drawbacks, however:
“There's a bit too much hoisin sauce that overpowers the meat—the dish could benefit from being saltier rather than so sweet. And there is a slight bitter aftertaste from the burrito, but we couldn't put our finger on what was causing that.”
They concluded that while solid, they would still go for a traditional bowl of phở over the $10 Phorrito given the choice.
[LAist]
