Phonomenon

One star for the cute idea! I had the beef phở and let me tell you, there was NO beef in mine. My phở looks like water, noodle, and veggies! I could have made this at home with the instant phở packet from the supermarket. I regret paying $ 7 for such a meager bowl of (supposedly) phở. Not going back there again!

I heard about this new place recently and finally decided to check it out with friends. I was originally going to purchase Phở just because of the original «Phonomenon» name of this truck but I decided to buy the Chicken B.B.Q. Sandwich after watching a man in front of me get a sandwich. I heard the Pork BBQ sandwich was good too, i definitely want to try it next time!
holly Cow, that sandwich was huge and I think it’s worth the 7 bucks. It’s a foot long. It fills you up. I don’t like those lunches that make you half hungry still. This one really does the job. I’m not sure what one reviewer somewhere below mine was saying about how the sandwich is not worth $ 7. I’m not sure what big meal the reviewer expected from a food truck, but I think that this sandwich is worth it.
The chicken is nice and juicy, got that BBQ flavor. While my two friends shared one, I ate that big guy by myself! I am usually not a fan of sandwich shops like Subway or Quiznos but this sandwich is legit. It has that nice home-​made aura and it’s made by really hospitable ladies working the food truck. They seem to always smile. They really enjoy what they do!
Right before we got to this place, we could see a long line but these ladies made the sandwiches and prepared the Phở very quickly and right before you know it, we were first in line. I read the reviews below and still can’t understand how someone said they waited «20 minutes» to be served. In reality, the line is served astonishingly quickly. Also, it’s better to find this truck early during the day because they get sold out every day. It is first come, first served.
If they get sold out every single day, it must mean something, right? I think that Phonomenon is going to rise in popularity very soon.

Ever crave phở while you’re at work in Downtown DC but it’s either way to far too or too expensive? You’d either have to go to Phở 75 in Rosslyn, Eden Center in Falls Church, or pay an overpriced $ 12 at Phở DC.
Well things have changed recently. There is a food truck now roaming the area! DCPhonomenon is here and taking over. Sandwiches and phở are all $ 7 a piece. This is truly a real deal for DC pricing.
I haven’t tried their sandwiches but their phở is definitely authentic. Service is fast! You’ll get your phở or sandwich 2 – 3 minutes, tops. Much faster than if you were to sit in a phở restaruant.
They got everything you need in the plastic container. The phở broth, noodles, meat (chicken or beef). They even provide you bean sprouts, mint leaves, lemon, pepper, hot sauce, and hoisin sauce. You leave the food truck with a very hot phở while walking back to your office.
Just a bit of a warning. This phở truck is so much in demand, so you’ll want to be sure you get there early when they open as they sell out quickly.
My hopes is that as they grow more popular and sell a lot more that they do NOT make the same mistake like many new Vietnamese business does by reducing the quantity and quality, and increasing the price of their food. They just need stay true to the business of selling high quality phở. Keep cooking good authentic phở, and I can see customers returning and a good future for the business.

Was going to give them 2 stars, but after I downed the container, I had to reconsider.
Sparse offerings — banh mi or phở (beef or chi) for $ 7.
Banh Mi — if you’re paying $ 7 for banh mi, you must be out of yo damn mind. That should cost $ 3, $ 3.50 tops. Albiet the baguette that they used is a bit bigger, I don’t think it’s worth it.
Phở Bo (beef) — broth was flavorless. The quality of the noodle and beef weren’t that great either. I loaded it up with the thai basil, hoisin sauce, lime, and jalepino. After that, the phở was delish — good ratio of meat/​noodle/​broth.
All in all, truck was clean, service was nice, and $ 7 is a fair deal for lunch.
Note — saw a girl order Bun (vermicilli dish). although not an option, I might opt for that the next time I’m craving Vietnamese from a food truck… which probably won’t be any time soon.

Just another day that I spend traveling around the areas that are close to me as I am just a college student and live near Fairfax, VA. Most of my friends started texting me that they were going out for fast food because there was nothing new to try anymore. At that time I was craving for a unique sandwich and lucky for me, as soon as I got to L’enfant Plaza, there was a line of food trucks! As I walked towards them, the first truck I approached happened to be DCPhonomenon.
Looking at the $ 7 menu, it may not seem like a lot of options, I had to choose the Banh Mi! I didn’t want to just try one of them so I ordered two, one chicken and one pork. Haha it may sound like I’m fat, but trust me, not many people can eat like this and still maintain their weight. While eating both Banh Mi’s over time, I couldn’t help but to notice the line that was formed just for that truck and their food. I assumed they had been running their business for a long time and its’ a very popular lunch to get. I wanted to get another one on the go, but knowing the distance I’d have to travel to get home, I was not going to risk having good food go to waste when it’s best served hot!
I strolled by the truck one more time and noticed three Vietnamese ladies and one Caucasian male all hard at work making sure their customers were walking away happy and knowing that they’d come back for more soon. It may not seem like they do a lot to work at the time, but honestly they spend most of their day getting ready to serve all their customers. I have a few friends whose families own restaurants and I’ve been there to witness all their hard work and dedication they put into getting ready for another day.
A lot of the reviews that I read below mine all talk about how the price is either fair or not and also how well the food is cooked and such. Not trying to be rude or anything to those of you whom rate on Unilocal or anywhere else, but this is no fancy restaurant. You can never judge what is sold on the streets to which of that is sold in a building. To me it just seems like the reviews go based upon where the reviewer most commonly would eat that to trying something new that is out of the ordinary for their taste buds. I’ve had my share of places to eat and no top restaurant has always had great tasting food compared to that of what the vendors on the street sell; I’m pretty sure Food Network would have something to say on that.
Overall, the stop at the truck has made my day with amazing Banh Mi sandwiches! You can count on me coming back and with a few of my friends. I’m aiming on trying that phở real badly!

I returned here for lunch last week and wanted to write an update. I did end up getting the pork bahn mi sandwich and although it was tasty, the pork was way too fatty for my taste. I am not sure if I got a bad cut or what was going on but there was about 50% gristle and 50% pork. I am not a huge fan of pork sandwiches so maybe it’s just me but next time I will try the chicken variety.
Got some phở too to take home for dinner and, as another Unilocaler pointed out, they seem to cook the noodles and the broth together so you get mostly noodles and no broth if you wait for any longer than ten minutes to eat it. It’s still good, but there are some timing and inconsistency issues going on with their food. Hopefully they will work it out because this is one
of the better food trucks in DC.

When I first heard about Phonomenon, I knew I had to find out if there was FINALLY a place downtown to get a good bowl of Phở. So when I saw them at Farragut Park yesterday, I knew I had to have it. I wish I could give you all great news…
So you order at the front of the truck and they give you a specific poker chip color based on what you get. I thought this was a neat idea. Besides chicken or beef phở, they also offer banh mi, a Vietnamese baguette sandwich. You can get pork or chicken. I decided to get the Beef Phở. After you order, you stand in another line where you wait to give someone in the kitchen window your poker chip. When you give them your poker chip, they make your soup or sandwich right in front of you. It took about 10 minutes to get my soup. As soon as the lady started assembling my beef phở, I knew I was going to have issues with it.
The broth to noodle ratio was all wrong. This is because they assemble the noodles and broth in the same container. As a result, the noodles absorb the broth, and by the time you get back to your desk, you’re basically left with noodles and «sauce». They should assemble the soup the same way restaurants do when people order to-​go, which is to put them in separate containers. My favorite part about Phở is the broth, so you can imagine how disappointed I was when I got back to my desk. The broth that I was able to taste was not bad, I only wish I had more of it! The other issue I had was with the beef. I’m not sure if they precook the meat, but if they do, they should stop. The meat was a little tough for me. It would be better if the steak was cut into thinner slices and cooked in the broth (like they do in the restaurants). Of course if they are using brisket, then something is wrong with how they cook it.
I’m glad they at least got the garnishes right — Thai basil, bean sprouts, jalapenos, and a lime wedge. They had a little bar outside the kitchen window where you could put sriracha (aka rooster sauce) and hoisin sauce in little to-​go cups.
Overall, they have some improvements to make. If I try the phở again, I will definitely be asking for the broth in a separate container.

My co-​workers thought I was nuts to be ordering a bowl of phở in 100-​degree weather, but I wasn’t going to be eating it outdoors — I was taking it back to my air-​conditioned office where the summer temperature hovers just above freezing.
You pay at the truck’s front window where a sign reads, «Make Order Here.» The cashier hands you a poker chip, which you redeem at the service window for your order. I wanted to try the phở and was impressed. For $ 7, you get a full-​sized (32 oz) takeout container full of steaming hot broth, a generous serving of thin rice noodles, and a handful of various cuts of beef (tender rib eye, fatty brisket, and chewy tendon). They also hand you a side bag filled with fresh mint sprigs, a wedge of lime, napkins, and chopsticks (I never found a use for the spoon as the noodles neatly absorbed any remaining broth). They also have hosin and srichacha sauce bottles on the counter, which you can apply directly to your food or take away via little plastic cups.
All in all, this was one of the better foodtruck options I’ve come across, and their taste and quality rivals that of Vietnamese sit-​down restaurants. I had thought of ordering a banh mi grilled pork sandwich — which was also $ 7, a little pricier than the ones you can get at Eden Center or the former Ba-​Li but Phonemonon’s are larger and better-​filled — but after seeing the size of the phở serving, I thought I’d best save the banh mi for another day, which can’t come soon enough. I’ll be back!

I love the food but why is the meat being served cold all of a sudden???

Would put this as a top 3 DC food truck in my book. Was able to enjoy them twice this week, first with the pork, and then the chicken banh mi sammy. Both constructed very well with nice toppings and an assortment of sweet and spicy sauces you can add on a good baguette.
I agree with a previous Unilocaler to be careful when you grab the container since their gloved hands are covered in marinated mix and you may get messy. Also would be nice if they would cut them in half since it’s a big sandwich. But still a great meal for the price.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend?!
Ha!
Whoever said that obviously hasn’t come across this gem.
Yes, I agree the phở isn’t the best you’ll EVER have, but it ain’t mop water either. It’s pretty damn tasty and really filling.
There’s a real hefty portion of rice noodles, peppers, basil & ciltantro, limes, onions, shallots, those white string bean things, and giant chunks of meat (you have the option of chicken or beef).
The only thing missing is a side of summer rolls with peanut sauce *drools by the very thought*
All in all, this truck is a great deal for the amount of food you get, they also serve these enormous delicious looking banh mi’s.
**wishes I didn’t have a gluten intolerance**
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
And for real people, is $ 7 really all that expensive?
In comparison to what exactly?
That McD’s and Subway crap you normally shove down your throats that isn’t even suitable as animal feed or compost?
Come on people, If you’re that worried about $ 7 then you probably have WAY bigger problems you should be addressing rather than Unilocaling about a phở truck.

Waiting on line for 20 minutes in the hot sun today only to be told that they were out of banh mi. They couldn’t have mentioned this before I got to the front?

$ 7 seems on the high side for a food truck, but for a giant bucket of phở or a banh mi that’s bigger than your head, it’s well worth the price. Tasty goodness that was much needed on the DC food truck scene. This is a new truck that seems to still be getting in the swing of things, so be prepared for a bit of a line (which just means it’s good!) and for the food to run out if you get there too late, but the ladies are nice and the food is delicious.

I can’t move. The only thing I’m capable of doing right now is typing this review. I may or may not have just eaten my weight in Phở.
Some may complain that the Phở (offered in both chicken and beef) is a bit expensive at $ 7, but my god, you get your money’s worth. I feel like my insides are swimming in tasty (I like salty by the way) chicken broth, thick noodles, chicken, cilantro, peppers and lime juice.
And like a others have already said, the women are friendly and full of smiles. Exactly what you need to see at lunch time!

Phonomenon – how did you know!!! I’ve been craving banh mi for the last week or something, since I had El Floridiano’s (which is great, but definitely not a classic banh mi). Just as I was despairing about moving all the way to the other side of the country, I check Food Truck Fiesta, and viola!!! Phonomenon!!!
I got the bbq pork banh mi. The pork was marinated so well, and cooked perfectly. Cilantro and scallions and some pickled veggies… a huge, 14″ (or so) banh mi for $ 7? awesome.
two complaints – I had some pieces of bell pepper core that had no business being in my sandwich. Also, the ladies working here work so hard, their gloves are covered with grease – which they rub all over the banh mi styrofoam container when they’re trying to close it. :/​
can I make a suggestion? Phonomenon, you would be absolutely PERFECT – if you served viet iced coffee. give it some thought ;)

Felt like hitting up the food trucks again. It’s fun to see which ones show up at L’enfant. I was going to get a Kebab and then I saw what looked something like a «Phonomenon». Vietnamese food now? Hellz yeah. Besides the Phở they have sandwiches, Banh Mi type. Cool. My friend and I were the second ones in line. She had the chicken and I had the «other white meat». They were pretty quick with assembling them.
The girl hands me a long sub-​sized sandwich in a box. I put some of that red and spicy sriracha sauce on that bad boy and took it back to chomp on. The meat was marinated nicely, and wasn’t overpowered by spice. It came of course with shredded carrots and cilantro. And then there was my drink. They told me it was lemonade, but it tasted more like an Arnold Palmer.
It didn’t blast my mind, but it was good. I’ll have to try the phở when they come around again.

Phonomenon is another great food truck feeding the Navy Yard community. I ordered the BBQ banh mi while my co-​worker order the phở. I really enjoyed my sandwich (though not as good as Dickson’s version). It was delicious and pretty large for just $ 7 (or have I gotten used to getting so little for too much? Probably.). The phở was served in a plastic to go container, which is great when you are getting such a large amount.
My co-​worker let me try his phở before he added the various spicy condiments that were available. It was good but wasn’t my favorite. When I return, I am going to try the chicken phở. You can figure out when it is in your neighborhood on:

Caught this truck a Lefant Plaza yesterday. The ladies in the truck couldn’t have been nicer. It’s a nice clean looking truck and I like the clever name.
I got the Pork Mi, bread was good, the spread was good, pork was really good! Could have used a little more veggies, a little more veggie pop and it would have been a 5 star food truck experience. Very generous portion and worth the $ 7.

I also lined up for a hot, steaming bowl of phở on the hottest day of july so far. I am a phở addict and I was excited to see a phở truck in dc (about time!!)!! I managed to get the last bowl of phở before their stock ran out. For $ 7 (cash only!), it’s not the best deal as compared to the banh mi, which looked monstrous compared to the small take-​out container that the phở comes in.
They give you everything in the bowl: cilantro, onions, jalapenos but there were no bean sprouts! The noodles felt a little heavier/​thicker compared to what you normally get at a phở restaurant, but I’ll take what I can get. I felt like the broth was really rich and a tad too salty. You don’t get much meat either, but if you absolutely need a bowl of phở and can’t get to Columbia Heights or Chinatown, you can always check to see if this truck is in your area.

It may seem a bit sadistic to order a bowl of phở when the heat index is clocking in over 100 degrees outside, but if you know my dedication to the mobile food scene in DC then it probably shouldn’t surprise you that I was one of the crazies lined up for Phonomenon’s second day today. I knew it was only a matter of time before DC’s burgeoning Vietnamese population jumped on the bandwagon along with all the others offering up their specialties, although I do find it a bit funny they refer to their banh mi as «BBQ sub» and the phở as «hot soup.» Even if you don’t think the average consumer will know what you’re offering you shouldn’t shy away from it. In fact, embracing that diversity is exactly what makes the successful food trucks so great.
I’m assuming it’s a little family of women running the truck, as they definitely had that demeanor with each other, but they were all extremely friendly with me when placing my order and delivering it. If you’ve ever been in a real phở house where at most you get a cold stare then this is a pleasant surprise. I was a little bummed to find out they only took cash, since I lost my debit card over the weekend and was forced to go a couple blocks down and back to hit up my actual bank. Still, the prices were pretty cheap, $ 7 for anything on the menu (chicken or beef phở and pork or beef banh mi). The interesting thing with the pricing is that the banh mi seems quite fairly priced (although maybe not compared to some of the $ 3 sandwich places in Eden Center) but a $ 7 bowl of phở is usually a monstrous portion. This was a pretty decent sized container, but nowhere near what the standard is. Food trucks, by nature, should be cheaper than their brick and mortar counterparts, and the problem they’re running into here is that Vietnamese food is generally very cheap by volume.
The banh mi was certainly the better of the two. The baguette was perfectly crunchy but still tender inside and they slathered a nice helping of butter along it. All of the vegetable flavors popped and seemed fresh, especially the bright cucumber flavor. However, there wasn’t really any pickling the way I was expecting (compared to the El Floridano banh mi toppings which are loaded with bold flavor). The pork pieces were tender, and a pretty generous size as well as being well proportioned to the sandwich as a whole.
The phở was just OK. Aside from the pricing woes it’s just generally bland. They did have the obligatory Sriracha, hoisin sauce and vinegar oil on the side to add in, but those things should be amplifiers, not the base flavor. My guess is that they use a standard stock, and then add chicken or beef to it based on the order, rather than having a set one per order. There was virtually no beef flavor in the broth itself, but there also wasn’t much actual beef in the phở. Compared to a sit down version where the beef takes up a considerable percentage of what you’re eating, it was really sparse here. Overall it left me satisfied because it wasn’t really bad, it just wasn’t really what I go and order phở for either.
I hope these ladies stick around the area though, they were some of the nicest mobile vendors I’ve encountered (in a business where repeat business is a must), and once it starts getting cold weather the line for the phở is sure to get outrageous. I really wanted to proclaim this Queen of the food trucks, but they’re just not quite there yet.