But now owner Aaron Lee and his crew are giving pho fans one more reason to suck noodles: last Thursday, after securing a liquor license the week prior, the staff started pouring beer, wine and simple cocktails to an enthusiastic crowd of guzzlers. "Our numbers are going up, and I'm working -- practicing -- on my cocktail techniques, but until I become an expert, we've got a great beer list and a great selection of red and white wines," asserts Lee.
If you're wondering if the original Pho 95 at 1002 South Federal Boulevard will follow suit, Lee says don't count on it. "We've get a bar next door to us and a lot of people come in drunk, and we don't need any more drama." But he promises to revisit the issue next year, and if we're lucky, he'll also spring a third outpost of Pho 95 on a pho-needy neighborhood -- like mine.