We finally shook off the winter doldrums this weekend to visit with some friends and try some Pho. I know Pho has been the thing forever, but this was my first and didn’t disappoint. I had a giant bowl of “B1” which contained sliced beef (initially raw, cooked by the hot broth that was poured over top), brisket, tripe (!) and tendon (!). Having tripe and tendon was a fun experience, but the broth completely stole the show. For those of you who haven’t had Pho, know that tripe and tendon are not mandatory. In fact, most of the combinations centered around more traditional cuts of meat with rice noodles and more of that amazing broth. Pho also comes with plates of sprouts and fresh herbs and jalapenos and limes to garnish. It’s a hot, salty, fresh, spicy experience and an all-around good time.

I’ve been geeking out over the online menu and this place seems pretty legit. I can also attest to the deliciousness of the spring rolls and summer rolls, but there are whole sections of the menu I didn’t notice on my visit. There’s a “rice special” section that boasts a “broken rice” dish with pork and a fried egg. There’s also a “clear rice noodle and hot beef soup” section and just, I mean, I want it all (PS that’s the tripe, below on the right, pretty blurry).

In other news, I finally jumped on the high-waisted jean bandwagon, which may have already had it’s day. I was a little put-off by the uterus-highlighting effect of such a long fly zipper, but as long as I keep my shirts un-tucked, these pants are winners. Good-bye muffin top. Hello giant bowls of rice noodles and funky meat. 2013 is looking mighty fine from here.