DTLA: Blossom Vietnamese Restaurant

This must be the year I re-visit restaurants I’ve only been to once. I had gone to Blossom years ago one night and thought it was fine. I love the wonderful pho joints in the SGV so I found Blossom to be just a bit restrained. Perhaps to adapt to a more American palate in Downtown.However, with the demise of Wraps & Rolls, I haven’t been able to find a replace pho shop until now.

I have now revisited a few times and have to revise my opinion. I realized the first time I went, I had the vermicelli (dry noodles). They are still not my favorite but I do like their pho quite a bit.

 

Blossom has this fantastic ginger lime drink that’s thirst-quenching and very ginger-y. Now I wonder how it’d be if I sneaked some rum into it? I bet it’d make the perfect dark and stormy.

I tried out the pork and shrimp spring rolls as an appetizer. It was amusing the server cleared my empty plate but left the peanut dipping saucer behind as if I’d use it for something else. I guess others add it to their other food?

 

 

There’s nothing bad about this bowl. The veggies are fresh and it’s the right amount for lunch. Blossom has some of the cleanest and fattest bean sprouts I’ve ever seen. Being a sprouts fan, I’m in love. But I think I’m used to dry noodles with pork. There’s no combo with pork so I ordered it with beef, shrimp and an egg roll. Because the noodles are dry, you’re supposed to add fish sauce to the noodles. Sometimes I mix in a bit of hoisin and/or hot sauce to the dipping sauce before adding it to the bowl. I realized later the other bowls I’ve consumed in my life had grilled shrimp and pork lending a bit of oomph (fat) to the flavor. I’m not knocking this at all but it tasted too clean to me. Get this if you want to feel healthy.

 

On the other hand, I appreciated the clean and clear flavors of the pho dac biet. Even the meatball, often a mystery sphere of mish mash tasted wonderfully light. I want this bowl again. Maybe later this week.

Hipster pho? Maybe but it works for me.

Blossom Vietnamese Restaurant

426 S Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90013  —  (213) 623-1973

© The Minty 2013