Short List Runner-Up: Pho Ga

In this month’s Short List, Sauce contributor Dee Ryan divulged which bowls of pho ga you should be cozying up to this winter. Now, just as those chilly winter days return, Ryan reveals whose version of this classic Vietnamese soup fell just shy of taking home a medal.

Pho Long
8613 Olive Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63132
314.997.1218

In a quiet little strip mall in U. City sits the diner Pho Long, and its pho ga is a stand-up bowl of soup. The broth is clean, basic and doesn’t overwhelm you with a lot of strong aromatics, but what sets this pho ga apart is the roasted chili garlic sauce served alongside it. The smoky sweetness mixed with the fiery heat of this sassy sauce turns this modest bowl of chicken soup into something you won’t be able to stop eating.