Campus Pho Cart

The pho cart that parks outside the engineering building on Thursdays serves a bowl of soup that's better than it has any right to be. Given that it's being made in a trailer with limited counter space and a single burner. Broth is clear and deeply flavored in a way that suggests it was simmered for hours with star anise and charred onion. Noodles are thin rice vermicelli that arrive in a separate container so they don't get soggy while you walk to a table. I want this cart to be there every day and not just Thursdays. At $9 with sriracha and hoisin on the side, it is the best meal available on this side of campus and the line reflects that. Converted trailer with a service window and a hand-painted sign, the cart is straightforwardly simple, 1 menu item at 1 price with 3 topping choices, which keeps the line moving fast. Containers are compostable and real chopsticks in paper sleeves replace the plastic-wrapped utensils that other vendors use. Is a small choice that adds up across hundreds of bowls per week.