So, it's like this. No, Pho 21 isn't the best Vietnamese place in town by any stretch of the imagination. But I'm really rooting for it because it represents the only place to get a bowl of noodles in the New Northwest part of town, and that means something around here.

Pho 21 is a very clean establishment, usually with a bustling lunchtime crowd of professionals and families alike.

When I was there Friday, Nov. 21, 2008, the plasma TV was playing a funny Dean Martin/Frank Sinatra DVD infomercial while Chuck Mangione's "Feels So Good" was grooving along on the overhead. For like the whole meal. Seriously.

I've been lucky enough to always be served by a guy called "Marvin," but I've always thought of him as Fernando, for his strong resemblance to 1980s Dodgers ace Fernando Valenzuela. Sorry about the digression, but this point is key. Marvin knows his stuff, so look for him when you're there. 

A couple of visits back, I was trying to decide between a bowl of rare beef (the #8) or of beef meatballs (the #9), and - get this - Marvin suggests I order a combination of the two. Of course! Why didn't I think of that?

Then, when I expressed some concern it wouldn't be spicy enough (you know I'm a big bun bo hue fan), he spoke in hushed tones about a secret jar of hot and spicy sauce he'd be happy to bring out for me. Like an MI6 agent on a top-secret mission, he transported it to my table and deposited it with a sly wink and discreet thumbs up.

In the end, I enjoyed one tasty bowl of pho, one that was tailor made to my liking. So, don't be afraid to veer off the menu.

The only real downside I can come up with is this weird, draconian rule that says you can't use a debit/credit card for purchases under $20, and since the place is fairly cheap, it takes a lot to get to $20.

But never fear. In a pinch, you can pop into the Flowing Tide Pub next door and hit up the ATM, which doles out money in $10 increments.

So, for all the downsides, I recommend Pho 21 if you don't want to leave the NW part of town. If you're able to branch out, Saigon Pearl and Viet Pho are probably better choices.