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The pho special combination at Three Sisters in Spokane Valley. Both are slurp-worthy soups. Both are brothy and noodly. But there s a difference, as every soup Nazi worth his stock knows, between pho and ramen. Pho (pronounced fuh to the delight of profane wordplay aficionados everywhere) is a Vietnamese invention, while ramen is a Japanese transformation of a Chinese import. The difference starts with the noodles. Classic ramen relies on egg or wheat noodles, where pho uses flat rice noodles. But the major distinction between both dishes and the factor that determines a great pho or ramen dish comes from the broth. ....
What we got: Monarch ramen ($15) Steamy windows always remind of that hide-away restaurant tucked into an urban side street, with pungent aromas hitting as you enter the promise of something warm and hearty on the plate. At Midtown Monarch, that something is in a bowl, and having tried nearly all five of their standard ramen noodle soup offerings since the place opened in October 2019, it’s tough to choose a fave. The signature Monarch ramen hits all the right notes with a spicy pork broth, savory and very tender braised pork, crunchy vegetable toppings like bean sprouts and bamboo, and the creaminess of a fried egg. The pickled mustard greens on top of the soup cuts through the richness and balances the other flavors, making you wonder why pickled goodies aren’t part of every soup offering. Even better, you can build your own ramen ($13), which allows you to explore the various broths, noodles (tr ....