To accommodate brief lunch breaks, the service is swift at Pho Whittier. That said, it's hard not to pause and inhale deeply when presented with an aromatic bowl of pho. Each warm helping of signature noodle soup comes with your choice of beef, from rare steak and brisket to tendon and tripe. There's 12 types of beef pho on the menu, as well as chicken and seafood variants for those looking to branch out.

The staff also preps a long list of Vietnamese entrees, wrapping up shrimp and bean curd to adorn strands of vermicelli, and placing baked egg loaves on top of broken rice, whose grains were finely chopped beneath a microscope. Chow mein and chow fun dishes feature beef, shrimp, chicken, or a combination of all three, whereas affordable banh mi sandwiches layer baguettes with pork.

A list of fruity and creamy beverages complement the spices and herbs found in most meals: there's red bean and coconut milk drinks, Vietnamese iced coffees, and smoothies in flavors such as mango and lychee.