Cinnamon Rare and Well Done Pho: The star of this Minh Anh dish ($9.50) — made with rare beef strips and brisket meatballs from California — is the earthy spice that comes from a bundle of cinnamon sticks boiled in the broth for four to five hours. “It’s like spaghetti and meat sauce,” says owner Camla Wadsworth. “It’s not pho without the cinnamon sticks.” 5428 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, 216-961-9671, minh-anh.com
Pho Beef Noodle Soup: Bac Nguyen’s pho beef noodle soup ($13.95), a mainstay at Bac Asian American Bistro & Bar, combines beef bones, sirloin and brisket to create a broth with 3 to 4 ounces of cooked beef topped with an extra 3 to 4 ounces of raw eye of round steak. “We put [it] on top so you can dip it in the broth and eat it almost like a fondue,” he says. 2661 W. 14th St., Cleveland, 216-938-8960, bactremont.com
Pho Chin: Superior Pho co-owner Chris Nguyen’s recipe for Pho Chin ($8) is a coveted secret passed down from his grandmother that combines green and white onions, cilantro, basil, cinnamon, anise and well-done brisket. “The spices are more subtle,” he says. “It takes a developed palate to really appreciate it.” 3030 Superior Ave., Cleveland, 216-781-7462, superiorpho.com
Pho Ga: Swapping beef for chicken in Pho Thang Cafe’s Pho Ga ($8.95) inspired co-owners Nancy and Hoat Truong to hold off on the cinnamon and anise until the final two hours of the four-hour cooking process. “If we put it in there too long, it will change the color of the soup,” says Nancy. Instead, Spanish onions and ginger are cooked into the broth from the start to elevate the flavor of the chicken. 815 Superior Ave., Suite 120, Cleveland, 216-291-7115, phothangcafe.com
Pho Tai Nam: Things are always cooking at #1 Pho. Head chef Sue Thai starts the broth for the Pho Tai Nam ($8) at 4 p.m. the day before by boiling a 40-pound beef bone and 30 pounds of brisket in a large tin kettle. After five hours, the brisket is removed and put on ice while the soup is left to simmer overnight. “Brisket gets soft when it’s hot, so we put it on ice to firm it up so we can slice it,” she says. The brisket is then added to the broth with rice noodles and raw beef strips. 3120 Superior Ave., Cleveland, 216-781-1176
