Rice Noodle, Sacramento CA

While pho is not their specialty, and they only serve pho tai, Rice Noodle (2836 Arden Way in Sacramento) does serve a better than decent bowl. I've been there several times before, and the friendly mom & pop joint has great bun and shrimp rolls. This time, however, I was in the mood for my favorite soup, and ordered a $5.25 (one-size-fits-all) bowl. The noodles were excellent and perfectly cooked, the steak rare, and the portion very generous. The broth was a bit more anisey than I'm used to, but I liked it a lot. The veggie plate included lime, chile, a nice purple basil and a little bit of sawtooth, plus a mound of sprouts, the only thing I don't like in my soup (but I do snack on them alongside the main course). All in all, I was impressed. If you find yourself out on that side of town, I think it'd be your only option for pho, and you won't be disappointed.