Pho 75 (Falls Church, VA)

Pho is a breakfast food for Vietnamese, but Americans sure love it for lunch.  And our non-Asian friends swear that it’s addictive. The first thing you’ll notice as you step inside Pho 75 is the unique and slightly unfamiliar aroma of Anise-flavored Beef Broth and Fresh Basil and/or Asian mint.  You may choose from a variety of meats including Brisket, Tendon, Meatballs, Flank Steak, or Tripe as a topping for your Noodle Soup.  For seasoning, it’s really mandatory to mix in some Oyster Sauce (black sauce) and Sriracha Sauce (red sauce) to achieve the desired taste.  Bean sprouts, fresh jalapeno peppers, and Asian mint are served on the side, which should be dropped into the broth early in the mixing process to let it mix properly.  

Joe’s Noodle House (Rockville, MD)

We understand.  It’s not the prettiest exterior and you might be somewhat intimidated to be the only non-Asian dining at this Szechuan noodle house.  But we think you’ll like this place:  The sign out front says nothing more than “Noodle House,” kinda’ the Asian equivalent of the “Eat” sign.  And have you ever had a bad meal at a place with one of those?  Homemade noodles are the specialty.  The spicy Szechuan-style beef noodle soup is always a good pick, but try something a bit more daring.  You have about 40 different fried noodles or noodle soups to choose from including moo shu noodle with chicken and cellophane noodles with hot and sour sauce.