Number Nine now has a parklet (the temporary use of curbside parking space for outdoor landscape and seating where a deck is constructed and raised in the parking space at the same elevation as the adjoining sidewalk), but this wasn’t the only reason we decided to go there. It did help us make our decision, though: we had heard so much about them.
Four of us decided to meet on a weeknight for a quick bite, and we were greeted quickly by one of the servers (all of whom were very friendly and helpful). They have a nice size dining area, a back patio and the parklet. It felt roomy and modern. I asked the server what he suggested as a starter, and the next thing you know we had the fresh shrimp spring rolls in front of us. They were very fresh and filled with enough shrimp that made the price acceptable ($7). I usually make these at home, but with all the work that it takes to make them, this might be where I go for a quick fix. The veggies were fresh, and peanut dipping sauce was just what they called for.
We also had a vegetarian with us, so we decided to try pan seared tofu with scallions. This one wasn’t as flavorful as the spring rolls. The tofu wasn’t very seared, but the sauce was enjoyable and it did come on a bed of rice, so it was pretty filling for an appetizer. This one was only $6, and they could have charged at least $10 for the amount of food that we were served.
Once it came to dinner we all had the phở (usually pronounced as “foe” by most Americans, but in Vietnamese it comes out sounding something like “fuh?” with a rising tone—just in case anyone was confused about it like I was). We tried two different kinds. The rare steak seemed to be a hit. At $8, it had a lot of meat, herbs, and sprouts. I decided to have the mélange, which had the rare steak but also tofu, brisket, chicken, shrimp, daikon and carrot for only $2 more. I preferred mine.
As per tradition, the phở was served with basil, jalapenos, cilantro, chili sauce and scallions. This phở broth wasn’t as flavorful like the others I have had, so I did have to add a lot of the extras—the extra protein was really needed to amp that flavor up so I am glad I went with the combo. But unlike other broths, it was also lacking the extra sodium— a nice surprise. I usually have swollen hands after eating phở, and this time I was not all clogged with salt, which was a huge plus.
We left that dinner and didn’t really talk much about the food; that is very unlike us. Overall it was pretty tasty and the service was good, but unless someone else suggests it, I don’t know if we would go back. Living in Long Beach there are so many little authentic spots that have better phở, but if I was looking for a night out on 4th Street, I’d probably go back.
Number Nine is located at 2118 East 4th Street, (562) 434-2009
{FG_GEOMAP [33.7716245,-118.1661315] FG_GEOMAP}