Around the corner from the seemingly never-ending strips of Vietnamese restaurants sits a strip mall with even more of the same. You can't see it from the street, but walk a few hundred feet into the strip mall and you'll find what looks like a tacky '70s diner. It's Pho Hoa, and with bright blue and yellow geometrically painted walls, purple and black tile floors and large bouquets of fake flowers cascading down the walls, it doesn't give off the vibe of a Vietnamese restaurant.

But looks can be deceiving, and Pho Hoa's menu is Asian through-and-through. Unlike many other restaurants in the area with Pho in their name, the only main dish that Pho Hoa serves is pho, a heady broth that's essentially the national soup of Vietnam. As part of a franchise, the spices used in the broth come pre-packaged and make the base of all the soups identical. Owners Khanh and Linh Le said the pho tai (steak) and pho bo vien (meatball) are most popular with their American patrons, while the pho tai nam (sliced steak and well-done flank) and pho nam gan sach (well-done flank with soft tendon and bible tripe) make the biggest hit with their Asian regulars.

With a large bowl of pho costing less than $7, it won't break the bank to tack on a smoothie. The basic, one-fruit flavors are $2.50, and the ultimate smoothies like mango-orange-pineapple or orange-strawberry-banana will put you back just 50 cents more.

Centerstage Reviewer: Laura Brown