The Tasting Spoon

"Pho" is often mispronounced. People tend to say Fo instead of Fuh . Out of nowhere, Pho places started popping up around Laredo and have become increasingly popular, quite like the ramen trend--although, that one never quite made it to town. We went out to Pho Oi (located off Monarch Dr. behind HEB Plus) and noticed that they only had one waitress on staff. This can usually be a sign of bad service but maybe because we went around 8 p.m. it wasn't a hindrance of any kind. Our waitress was extremely kind and attentive, even going so far as to carry conversation with us and this is something that will really stick on future visits there. Dim Sum  In Laredo Dim Sum is often had fried as opposed to steamed, though steamed is traditional. The dish was brought to our table promptly and came with five steamed pork dumplings with a side of shredded lettuce and carrots. The dumpling had a soft yet chewy bite and was steamed to perfection. Sauce was a tangy ponzu

El Popo's menu is quite simple having only four menu items and the prices simply can't be beat at $2.50 per burger. Side dishes are limited to chips and serrano peppers while drinks include Mexican sodas. We went to the McPherson location which is hidden behind La Carreta at the end of a cul-de-sac. Fake exposed brick, white walls, steel tables and wide windows gave a fresh vibe to our 5 p.m. evening meal. Pictures on the wall showed the restaurant's beginnings in black and white photographs and after ordering one of each burger on the menu it's easy to see why they've been around for so long. Simplicity is key to their establishment and though their location seems to be sitting in a "nook and cranny" spot, they had a steady crowd flowing in and out throughout our meal. Ternera; Wines Ternera (Top Left) The ternera was severely lacking in meat quantity. It was more bread than anything else and we were pretty disappointed as this was the