December 19th, 2023 — Pho Ca Dao: 439 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55103 — The Holdovers, Alexander Payne, 2023
Jon Wolfrath
This pho was a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. The broth was a dark brown hue — the darkest I’ve ever seen — with as much mystery and depth as the Mariana Trench. The proprietor gave us an overview of the 12 hour process to make this buttery broth, obviously withholding any trade secrets. Paired with a good chili oil, this bowl was a unicorn prancing through the beautiful meadows of Oz.
The Holdovers was an unexpectedly relatable Christmas movie. Don’t judge this movie by its cover, it sounds like rubbish. But I was consistently surprised by how unpredictable it ended up being. The character creation and development was superb; somehow you ended up identifying with every sad, unfortunate soul dealing with a shitty holiday. But, the film could have have been more engaging at times.
Pho: 5/5 — Movie: 4/5 — Phởmovie: 4/5
Ege Zeytun
We started off the night with delicious broth that had been brewed over 10 hours. The vegetables were cooked nicely — not too soggy — and the rice noodles were delicious and slippery. This unassuming little pho place on University Ave ended up serving one of my favorite phos of the year. I’m giving a 5 out of 5.
After getting all cozy from the pho, we hit to the theater to watch The Holdovers. Just like the pho we had, it was a nice fuzzy experience packed with wholesome emotional moments that were on point and not overly sentimental and melodramatic, unlike some other Christmas feel-good movies. I didn’t think I would enjoy so much a snippet into an honest and genuine connection amongst three people with different backgrounds, flaws, and challenges in life. Paul Giamatti is amazing in the movie (as usual), and Dominic Sessa’s performance as an angsty but also noble teen is a delight to watch. I’m giving a 4 out of 5. Pho:5/5 — Movie: 4/5 — Phởmovie: 4.5/5
Aaron Faugstad