Pho Thin at 13 Lo Duc has been operating since 1979, and the preparation method here differs from the northern pho standard in one significant way: the beef is briefly stir-fried with garlic in a wok before going into the bowl, which gives the broth a slightly different character and adds a hint of charred flavor that you don't get from raw sliced beef dropped directly into hot stock. The owner, Nguyen Trong Thin, refined the technique himself, and it has remained unchanged since. The restaurant opens early, serves until the broth runs out — usually by mid-morning — and operates with the efficient austerity of a place that doesn't need to try.
The counter seats fill fast. The routine: sit down, you'll get a bowl of pho bo tai lan (stir-fried beef noodle soup). Add your preferred quantities of lime, chili, and the thin green onions piled in front of you. There is no menu. The Lo Duc location is in the Hai Ba Trung district, south of the French Quarter, slightly off the tourist circuit — which is partly what keeps the quality honest. If there is a queue outside (there often is before 8am), join it.