PHO FIX IN DOWNTOWN T-TOWN >>>

After months of being teased by pictures of Sriracha hot sauce -- and then a daily countdown on Facebook -- the wait is over. Pho 701 Bistro & Bar on Pacific Avenue passed Health Department inspections last week and opened quietly today at 10 a.m. As we approached the open sign was not lit, the overhead lights were dark and curtains remained closed; it was truly an incognito soft opening. Fellow pho-lover Melanie Manista-Rushforth and I settled in at the far end of the bistro for optimum people watching. We agreed the high ceiling has always lent a relaxing, airy vibe to the room, which looks much like it did during previous incarnations as Seven Oh One and Capers Downtown. Plenty of natural light filtered in through soaring windows and the air was heavy with delicious scents.

Darren, part of the sizeable bistro opening team, explains the abbreviated menu being offered until Friday features items for $5 or less: mango salad, chicken satay, egg rolls, chicken wings, skewered marinated beef, battered and fried calamari, grilled pork chop with rice, Vermicelli noodles, prawn fried rice and a Vietnamese sandwich.

The real attraction is the pho. Steaming bowls of Vietnamese noodle soup arrived with a saucer of vibrant, purple stemmed Thai basil, white mung bean sprouts, sliced jalapeno and lime wedges. Beef brisket, eye round steak, soft tendon and pressed meatballs are available in combination or separately. I dumped in a handful of sprouts, some shredded basil and torn jalapeno, squeezed lime and added sweet hoisin and spicy Sriracha to the light-colored, delicate flavored broth.  Each person makes their own bowl exactly as they want- be it super spicy, hoisin sweet, or kept simple like Melanie, who prefers noodles and broth only.

A sweet young woman waited on us in smiling fashion. Plenty of other staff roamed the floor delivering plates of colorful cuisine. Currently canned soda, black tea and bottled beer are the only beverages. We were told more items will be added to menu next week and more teas, cocktails and wine will be added within the month.

[Pho 701 Bistro & Bar, 701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, 253.627.9225]