The name says it all. “We use quadruple the amount of bones in our broth,” says Han Tran, co-owner of North Park’s vibrant new Vietnamese restaurant Shank & Bone. They also use oxtail. That means deeper, intense pho—for a few bucks more. They’re betting Vietnamese food is ready for that jump in quality.
That massive mural? That’s a Shepard Fairey; his wife is a friend of the family. As in their sushi restaurant, Ebisu, the chefs are often moms who use their own recipes, turning out dishes like roasted bone marrow rubbed with pho spices and traditional pork crepes using coconut-turmeric rice batter.
At the bar, it’s beers from both San Diego and Vietnam, St. Mayhem wine coolers, and cocktails made of flavor-infused sake, including an “Old Pho-shioned” with star anise.
2930 University Avenue, North Park shankandbone
Photo by Paul Body