We used to hide our pho love in shame, because most people couldn't understand how one could hold such strong feelings for soup. The recent pho boom has made us very happy indeed (we're far too mature for "I told you so"s, but for the record, we were right all along), and now comes news that might just send us over the edge: Chainlet Pho 32's newest outpost, on St. Marks Place, will soon (in "a couple of weeks," a manager told Grub Street) be open 24 hours. 24 hours! Imagine! You can slurp slippery glass noodles anytime you damn well please. You can line your drunken belly with paper-thin beef and anise-tinged broth at 4am to temper tomorrow's hangover -- so much better than heading home to sodium O.D. on a packet of Top Ramen.
Like its other shops, the new Pho32 will also serve shabu shabu, with visual ads on how to handle the in-table hot pot. Which is fine, if that's what you're into. We'll stick with our first love.
