Saturday, September 03, 2022

Dang Hong Vietnamese Pho from Keef the Beef

The Grazing Grass New Zealand Ribeye

Keef the Beef apparently started as a home-based steak service that has since become an upscale restaurant. I haven't tried it, but it's at the Grandstand where Yoyogi used to be, and they also have a small phở shop on the side during lunch. It's almost like a speakeasy where you have to go through the door in the back to find Vietnamese condiments sitting on white linen tables (200 Turf Club Road #01-12, 6972-1582).

That bowl above wasn't what I was expecting, in both a good and a bad way. They piled on many thick cuts of meat, which were generous and of good quality despite me opting for cheaper Kiwi beef. The broth carried a velvety and beefy depth to it, complete with a pleasantly rich finish. That all made sense given the steakhouse lineage and their northern-style positioning, but I was still yearning for thinly sliced meat and a crisp aromatic broth instead.

So while it's places like May Pho Culture that get me more excited, this wasn't bad in its own right, and I liked how their spring rolls were delicate and crispy straight out of the fryer too. I wouldn't mind coming back to try the crab noodles or bún chả...or for that matter, proper steaks from the main dining area. Speaking of steakhouses, how awesome would it be if they did something like Pho 90 Degree's #15?

1 comment:

jyanzikong said...

Although it is definitely not the same phos I have had from Houston to san Francisco to LA and Singapore, the broth can be Less dense and salty. The slices of coin beef were good but the singularity Of The meat Ball some how not properly balanced.