California-pho Davenport

First time come here and I was so pleased. Everything was literally amazing. As a very picky eater and also a Vietnamese, it was so hard for me and my family to find good authentic Vietnamese food places in Iowa or even in Chicago( cuz we go there a lot) . I have tried so many Vietnamese restaurants and let me tell you what, this is definitely the place I would vote for the best one in Iowa. And also one thing I gotta say, the staffs here were a big plus on top of everything because of how friendly they were. It was an hour drive for us to get there but it was absolutely worth the drive. Can’t wait for the next time there already! Keep it up guys! Xoxo

First off I would like to say that the aroma that met me at the door was nothing less than heavenly. Grilled steak, onions, and lemongrass wafted through the air like sugar plum faeries on Christmas eve. The proprietor was a wonderful and welcoming gentleman, who hearkened me back to olden days when a business was much more than a means of income but also an extension of oneself. He sat us down at a booth, it was comfortable, and there was a fun array of sauces and utensils to explore. I opened the menu. That menu. There were so many options that I almost got lost. each option sounded so much more delicious than the last. I had an anchor though. My intention today was pho. The owner recommended we order an appetizer, so we shared an order of 5 plump and delicious dumplings as we traversed the massive menu. I settled on the number 53. Pho with rare filet mignon. We put in our order and had a moment, and I mean a moment, our food was out to us within minutes, to look around the shop. It was very clean, simple, and inviting. I felt very comfortable and watching the owner flit from table to table greeting guests and making small talk, made the restaurant feel homey and warm. After my moment of exploration a waiter emerged from the kitchen to bring us our bowls, and those bowls, that bowl was literally the size of my head. I knew in that moment that there was no way that I could consume that much pho, but I was up for the challenge. The waiter set down my bowl, and inside was a wondrous ballet of broth and ingredients. The green onions and cilantro danced on the surface of the clear amber liquid. Noodles and beef poked through the surface from the depths of their monstrous pool. I went in for the kill. I literally almost cried. The flavors danced around my mouth, first the broth, rich and full, then the crisp bite of cilantro and basil. It tasted so fresh. So complex. It was a thing of beauty. I am in love. The bowl was an amazing value at just under $10. My significant other and I have now made plans To come back every couple of weeks to this restaurant and try something new every time. I was extremely pleasantly surprised and have definitely found a gem in the quad cities. By the way I totally failed the pho challenge and took a little over half if it home. So $10 for what ended up being 2 meals. Absolutely fantastic. I am hooked. California pho I will be back.