What we’re about
Welcome to our Sushi, Ramen & International Food Lovers Group!
Are you excited about being part of a vibrant community of food lovers who enjoy sharing not just meals, but experiences? Our dining group was created to bring together those who have a passion for exploring diverse culinary delights—from the delicate flavors of sushi to the comforting warmth of ramen, and beyond to the rich tapestry of international cuisines.
Whether you're a seasoned foodie or just starting your culinary journey, everyone is welcome to join us in discovering new dishes, sharing recipes, and enjoying great company. Let’s celebrate the joy of food together, one delicious bite at a time!
Upcoming events (2)
See all- Join us at Phoxotic for Next Level Vietnamese Noodles!Phoxotic, Washington DC, DC$2.00
Join us for a next level noodle experience at Phoxotic in Bloomingdale with a 10 seat counter overlooking an open kitchen, 24-hour simmered beef broth and blow-torched bone marrow! (Vegan option available too!)
From Washingtonian:
# DC’s Newest Pho Counter Features Blow-Torched Bone Marrow and Fresh Noodles
Hai Le regularly ate pho growing up in Silver Spring, but it was a bowl he tried during a trip to California a decade ago that got him truly obsessed. "I was like, 'Why does this taste different? Whoa, what's this? What's going on? I'm not used to this.' It was so much better. It was clearer. I didn't feel sweaty."
Le, who was working as a butcher for Giant at the time, has been chasing that flavor ever since. When he returned to Maryland, he went to every pho place he could find. He joined Facebook groups with chefs from Vietnam to learn how they make the soup. Then he met his girlfriend, Gia Le, and her father made him a bowl of pho that was somehow even better than the one he’d had in California—and taught him his recipe.
Hai Le’s obsession only grew: He experimented with different extractions and boiling temperatures, and tested three different types of cardamom to find the right one. Finally, he launched a pho meal kit business during the pandemic. And now, he and Le—who has a background in sales management and runs more of the business end—have opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant, PhoXotic in Bloomingdale, leveling up your standard bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup with a bone-packed 24-hour beef broth, fresh noodles, and some fun touches like bone marrow that’s blow-torched in front of customers.
“I want people to get the same reaction when they eat the pho that I had in Cali,” he says. “I still remember it.”
As a former butcher, Le is very particular about his local halal beef. The bowls come with various combinations of brisket, meatballs, beef shanks, tendons, sirloin, oxtail, bone-in ribs, and bone marrow—all of which he sources directly from the meat processors. “I go where the butchers go. Because of that, I’m able to have a more consistent product. I know when they slaughter, what genetics they’re getting in,” he says, referring to the breed of cattle. As he sees it, commodity beef produces commodity pho. “I’m trying to be exotic—PhoXotic. That’s what the whole point is.” (A vegan pho is also available with oyster and king mushrooms.)
The chef also works with a local purveyor to make custom sheets of rice noodles, which are delivered fresh each day. He runs the sheets through a pasta machine for slightly thicker-than-average strands. In his quest to further perfect his pho, he’s also talking to farmers to source his spices directly from Vietnam. And aside from the standard Sriracha, he offers a housemade sate condiment with three types of chilies, shallots, garlic, and lemongrass to add a kick of heat to your soup.
Beyond pho, the small menu also includes eggrolls with house-ground chicken or beef, deep-fried in beef tallow. (A plant-based Beyond Beef version is fried in avocado oil.) Le is looking to expand his offerings to include dishes like roasted bone marrow with pate. To drink, Vietnamese coffee and plum or salted lime sodas are available, but PhoXotic is hoping to get a liquor license too for Vietnamese-inspired cocktails.
The layout of the restaurant is a little different than your typical DC-area pho shop. the couple has transformed a former Chinese carryout into a 10-seat counter overlooking an open kitchen. “I want to be personal with my customers and show them what pho is about. I want them to see everything,” Hai Le says. The restaurant also offers takeout two ways: packaged with all the components separated, or “on-the-go,” ready to eat when you walk out the door.
“I’m not trying to make it gourmet,” he says. “I’m trying to make it authentic and real.”
Check out the menu here
WAITLIST:
Meetup does not allow a waitlist for paid events. If this event fills and you are interested in adding your name to the waitlist, please send host a message through the app.** The non-refundable registration fee helps us share the cost associated with the Meet-Up platform ($360/yr) and reduces the likelihood of no-shows, allowing us to better plan our events and accommodate all participants. Thanks in advance for your understanding!**
To enhance the opportunity for great conversation, we would like to keep the group small. Please feel free to sign-up to meet us along with up to 2 friends.
In the future, we will vary the days of the week, geography and the cost of restaurants so that we can attract many different types of diners.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMMITTED TO GO WHEN YOU RSVP FOR THIS EVENT. In the event our group incurs a fee for no-shows / late cancellations, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding.Feel free to make suggestions for future meet locations. All diners will have their own tab to avoid any confusion.
If you are unable to join us in September, we hope you'll stay interested and join us for a meal in the future. Looking forward to dining with you at Phoxotic!
