Comparing Le’s Vietnamese Cuisine and Pho 99

Pho is the quintessential Vietnamese noodle soup dish and is offered at plenty of eateries around Greater Boston. Not all Pho is made equal, however—the best among them all have chewy noodles, a delicious and aromatic broth, and a diverse and generous helping of both toppings and types of meat. Here are snap profiles of two top contenders, side by side.

Beef Noodle Soup—Pho 99 (99 Pleasant St, Malden)

• Noodles have fantastic texture—they’re silky but have a good chew.
• Noodles lose their texture after soaking for a while, so finish them quickly.
• Fragrant and flavorful broth.
• The bowl includes rare steak, flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe—a good diversity of meat, but the flank was tough.
• A good helping of bean sprouts and mint are provided, but other toppings such as lime and green chili are lacking.

Beef Noodle Soup—Le’s Vietnamese Cuisine (137 Brighton Ave, Allston)

• Noodles have good texture but could be chewier.
• Broth was very fragrant but not as flavorful as Pho 99.
• Meats included rare eye round, well-done flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe—with a lot of each.
• Generous amount of toppings provided.