Sage Blossom

A meal at Chinatown’s Sage Blossom—the bigger, better sibling of Blossom in Santa Monica—is therapeutic. It’s a quiet, bare-bones restaurant that's light and airy. Tons of natural light pours in through the big windows, too, which lets us see the steam rise off their beautiful pho dac biet. They serve a long menu of well-executed staples, like a giant, paper-thin banh xeo, a perfectly stir-fried shaken beef, and banh mi made with very crunchy baguettes. Pho is the main attraction, though, and we like that Sage Blossom doesn’t skimp on the fresh herbs, with lots of scallion and cilantro floating in each bowl. The thin slices of steak, tripe, and tendon are so soft you barely have to chew them, and the broth has a distinct anise sweetness that’s not overbearing. Come here on a rainy day or whenever you need a gentle meal in a restaurant where you can hear yourself think.