Beef Pho "Cow" Craze: Enjoy 8 Cuts Including Short Rib in One Bowl

Photos & Text /Xiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog

I had long wanted to try a pho shop on Ren’ai Road that a food-savvy friend recommended for its delicious broth. Recently, I finally got the chance to visit the highly-rated “L.A. Pho” Erh No. Zhongxiao branch.

Following the address from Zhongxiao Fuxing, I arrived—but walked right past the place twice without noticing. Seriously, the storefront looks more like a fast-food joint, a beverage shop, or maybe even a French bistro.


Once inside, I could see it did have a slight American fast-food vibe, both in decor and dining space. It turns out they sell pho, but it’s actually a brand originating from Los Angeles—no wonder there’s a huge “LA” sign hanging in the store.


The ceiling is adorned with large “CYCLO”-shaped lights that serve both as illumination and add an artistic touch—I love it.

The seasonings used in the shop are all imported. Though it raises costs, the owner insists on not compromising on flavor.


Even the drinks are imported. But what is this flavor? It’s quite intriguing, and it’s kept in a fridge that looks like a safe—extra mysterious XD.

After looking it up, this drink seems to be “Red Bull Energy Drink,” produced in Thailand and manufactured in countries like Austria, Thailand, the Philippines, mainland China, and Vietnam. It’s a well-known functional beverage brand sold in over 120 countries and regions worldwide. I’ll have to try it next time =)


Today we’re here mainly to try L.A. Beef Pho, but after checking the menu, I realized it’s a bit different from what I imagined. I was also quite interested in the yellow-highlighted “Hanoi Fresh Chicken Noodle Soup” and “Hue Beef Noodle Soup.”


The front of the menu features the main meals, while the back includes side dishes and drinks. The accompanying staples mainly consist of various famous Vietnamese spring rolls, along with some American-style fast-food fried items. Most of the drinks are adapted from traditional Vietnamese beverages.


First up is this bowl of beef pho, which looks much lighter than I expected. But you might not guess just how “beef-packed” it is just by looking… Let me show you ↓.


This L.A. beef pho comes with eight different cuts of beef. We opted for the ultimate indulgence: “L.A. Beef Pho 8” at NT$290.

If you don’t want to try all eight types, you can go for the Classic Free Combo at NT$230, choosing any three of your favorite beef cuts. There’s also a smaller Happy Light Meal size at NT$190, or our so-called beef noodle soup (slow-braised beef bone broth noodles) for just NT$120.

When you stir this seemingly calm bowl of beef pho, wow—there’s an incredible amount of beef. The meat quality is surprisingly good. Take, for example, the selected short rib, which has a slight bite but melts in your mouth in two or three seconds—tender, sweet, and rich, with extra umami from the absorbed beef bone broth.


The marbling is so beautiful it nearly drove Xiao Hu crazy. I think any beef lover could tell how delicious it is just by looking at the photo, right? And indeed, the first bite brings a nod of approval—the sweet richness and velvety texture are absolutely delightful, with the slightly pinkish beef being insanely good.

Also, these carefully made beef balls aren’t overly chewy or rubbery. They have a light bounce and deliver the taste of tender beef. Delicious.


The beef tendons and tripe are sliced extremely thin. Accidentally scooped up with the noodles, you only realize their unique crunch and flavor during chewing—it’s like a flavor treasure hunt.


And look at these generous portions of onion shreds and scallions. As someone who loves onions, Xiao Hu is in heaven. The onion shreds have soaked up the sweet richness of the broth, plus their own natural sweetness, making them incredibly satisfying to eat.


Then there’s the broth, which looks light but is surprisingly deep in flavor. The first few sips bring the refreshing sweetness of beef bone broth, and after a moment of holding it in your mouth, a wave of savory beef sweetness blooms on your tongue and at the back of your throat.

At the same time, a hint of sweetness reminiscent of vegetable or fruit broth emerges. This broth is genuinely delicious—easily the best beef pho broth I’ve ever had. It makes me even more curious about the limited-time chicken noodle soup. I definitely need to try that soon.


After drinking half the bowl, you can squeeze in some of the included lemon. The broth instantly gains a pleasant, subtle tanginess, opening up more layers of flavor.


For noodles, you can choose from authentic rice noodles, artisanal flat rice noodles, or egg noodles. Personally, I’d prefer the egg noodles, but since it’s my first visit, I played it safe and went with the classic choice for beef broth: rice noodles.

It’s worth mentioning that these noodles are different from what I’ve had elsewhere. The surface texture has a barely noticeable firmness along the edges—not unpleasant, just a slight bite that adds character. Beyond the broth’s richness, you still get the inherent sweetness of the noodles.

Also, to prevent the bean sprouts and Thai basil from getting soggy and losing their crunch, they’re served on a separate small plate. By the way, the Thai basil lightly dipped in the hot broth is absolutely delicious—fans must try it.


Our other main dish was the equally popular “Star Coffee Beef Brisket” at NT$260, which comes with steamed rice, curry beef brisket, a small side salad, and a small dish of white sauce.


At first glance, I guessed it would have an Indian-coffee-like flavor, but the spices weren’t overpowering. The sauce had a moderate level of curry aroma paired with tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef that was sweet and flavorful.

It felt more like the curries of Singapore or Malaysia, yet with a certain indescribable difference—mainly due to the lingering aftertaste that tingles the taste buds after eating.

This salad with avocado is drizzled with a dressing that has a hint of coconut flavor, offering a refreshing taste with a subtle creamy richness—definitely not your ordinary green salad.


Fried zucchini – NT$75. Zucchini is usually grilled, so this was my first time trying it fried. The texture is crispy on the outside and soft inside, with more moisture and sweetness than I expected from the zucchini itself. The coating is slightly oily, though, so it develops a faint fried smell when cooled. PS: The mildly tangy pickled side dish on the side is refreshingly pleasant.


The fried zucchini comes with a small portion of fairly ordinary ketchup. I wouldn’t say it’s bad—after all, ketchup is the norm for fried foods—but I personally think it tastes even better without it, allowing the zucchini’s natural sweetness to shine through.


Speaking of dips, the imported sweet-and-spicy sauce on the table is worth mentioning. It’s called sweet-spicy, but the sweetness is barely there. Instead, it has a slight tongue-tingling spiciness that’s quite likable, and the heat level is just my type—fleeting and sharp. It works wonderfully whether dipped with beef or fried foods.

Among the five types of spring rolls, we chose the “Smoked Salmon Fresh Spring Roll” for NT$190, and only then did we notice an extra addition: little tiger’s beloved “mentaiko” (big heart).


The softened salmon, the emulsified mentaiko, the slightly crisp yet melt-in-your-mouth spring roll wrapper, coupled with the rice noodles that get more tangled the more you bite and the crunchy lettuce, create an incredibly rich texture. Flavor-wise, while the smoky taste of the salmon isn’t very pronounced, the subtle aroma of the mentaiko makes up for it. Overall, despite the many ingredients, the taste is surprisingly fresh. PS: Adding some shredded onions and capers takes the flavor layers up a notch.

 
Our enthusiastic owner, worried we might still be hungry, treated us to fried spring rolls, which are said to be the shop’s most popular side dish. These fried spring rolls are lighter, crispier, and crunchier than the usual ones, with a slightly stronger filling flavor than what you typically find. The texture is chewy and tender, and dipping them in the lightly tangy, fish sauce-sweet sauce helps cut through the richness while adding a refreshing note.


For drinks, we opted for dark chocolate cocoa (NT$120). It’s topped with a thick layer of extremely smooth, lip-smacking whipped cream. Paired with the rich, intense chocolate aroma, it’s absolutely spot-on. Since this uses relatively high-end GODIVA chocolate powder, it has an especially thick, indulgent taste, with a hint of pleasant bitterness at the end that’s quite unique.

Viet-French drip coffee – NT$110. When it arrived, we opened the lid on top, and a burst of coffee aroma with notes of char, fragrance, and bitterness wafted up. It also came with a small dish of “condensed milk.”


To be honest, little tiger has never been a fan of char-flavored iced drip coffee, and the char and bitterness in this Vietnamese-style one were even more pronounced. After one sip, I couldn’t take it, but our drip coffee enthusiast, Nonzi, thought it was fantastic.


After adding the condensed milk, the char became noticeably less harsh, and the bitterness softened considerably. It tasted better to me, but Nonzi frowned a bit (laughs). So whether to order this drink really depends on how much you like “iced drip coffee.”


【CYCLO Zhongxiao Branch】

Address:No. 9, Lane 75, Section 1, Da’an Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone:02-27789900
Business Hours:11:30 AM – 2:30 PM (last order at 2:00 PM)
1:30 PM – 10:00 PM (last order at 9:20 PM)
MRT Exit:About a 3-minute walk from Exit 4 of Zhongxiao Fuxing Station

【CYCLO Ren’ai Branch】

Address:No. 377, Section 4, Ren’ai Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
MRT Exit:About a 6-minute walk from Exit 2 of National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall Station

Xiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog
If “eating” is just about filling your stomach, then “food” would be far too boring~~~